By David Walsh | For The Dominion-Post
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — University High’s Jace Stockett took shots, Buckhannon-Upshur’s Julius Hobbs held them off more than enough and won the Class AAA title at 126 pounds, 5-2, Saturday on championship night in the 73rd annual West Virginia State High School Wrestling Tournament at Mountain Health Arena.
It was nearly a rerun of their last encounter when Hobbs held off Stockett, 5-4, in the Region 1 Tournament.
“He’s got a good shot defense,” Stockett said. “I took a couple of shots, but didn’t finish.”
The two wrestlers traded takedowns to lead to a 2-2 tie in the second period. Late in the period, Hobbs got a reversal on the edge for a 4-2 lead. Stockett let Hobbs up to start the third and just couldn’t find any offense from that point. In the regional finals, Hobbs took a 5-4 lead into the third and made that stand up.
“He wrestled good,” Hawks coach Ken Maisel said of Hobbs. “The reversal on the edge killed us. Not quick enough to finish. He [Hobbs] did a nice job. Nothing to hang your head on.”
Hobbs knew it was a rematch of the regional finals, but paid no attention to that.
“Coach told me to go, just another match,” Hobbs said. “This means a lot.”
Hobbs finishes 44-5. He was fourth two years ago and third last year at 120.
Hobbs said he never let up in the third despite having the advantage.
“Run with it,” Hobbs said. “Training hard paid off. Hold on, been doing that. Keep pushing.”
Stockett’s final record is 36-7. He didn’t compete last season when he missed a key weigh-in at 113 pounds and had to sit out.
“He’s super strong. I was ready for the match,” Stockett said. “Gave it all I could. When I look back on this in 30 years, I’ll know there was nothing else I could do.”
Their match started the proceedings Saturday night.
In the consolations, University had two wrestlers take third. Freshman Dom Parker won a pair of decisions at 132 and Josh Sanders prevailed by decision and a pin at 220. Sanders lost in the quarterfinals to unbeaten Braxton Amos of Parkersburg South on Friday, then stormed back.
“We had a nice talk last night with the two freshmen,” Maisel said. “Talk them off the ledge. Not end of the world to lose in the semifinals. They came back and did a nice job.”
Maisel also made another point to the wrestlers who were still able to place.
“Now it’s best available. That’s third,” Maisel said. “Had one freshman perform well, one freshman not do well.”
Parker, the Region 1 champ, won both matches by two points.
Sanders got a pin in his final match and that might be enough to keep the Hawks fourth since they had just one in the finals.
“That last pin was big,” Maisel said. “A senior. Did well except for the Amos match. We know how those go. He’s had a great career.”
University hopes the area youth programs continue to develop. That way the Hawks aren’t behind when they reach varsity.
“We’re not normally ready to go as freshmen,” Maisel said. “By the time they’re juniors and seniors, they wrestle pretty well.”
As for other Hawks, Tommy Cargill took fifth at 120, Joey Gidley fifth at 145, Dakota Hagedorn (freshman) sixth at 152 and Elijah Wellings-Osha fourth at 160.
Morgantown’s Preston Harmon placed sixth at 160.
In team standings, Parkersburg South rolled to victory in Class AAA again. University hoped to hold on to fourth. Point Pleasant ruled in Class AA and Greenbrier West set the pace in Class A.
