HUNTINGTON — University High’s Jacob Simpson didn’t have the ending to his career he wanted.
Simpson, waiting the entire evening to take the mat for the Class AAA title match at
138 pounds against Joey Miller of Musselman, got down early and could not catch up. The Region II champ used a takedown in the first period for a 2-0 lead and ruled the rest of the way to prevail, 8-1, in the 72nd West Virginia State High School Wrestling Tournament at Big Sandy Super Store Arena. Miller, runner-up last year at 126, gets his first state title as a junior.
“That kid wrestled a great match,” Hawks coach Ken Maisel said. “We had to wrestle a perfect match to beat him. He’s good in every position.”
Simpson, a senior and Region 1 champion, finishes his career placing in the state all four years.
“He was better than me on this day,” Simpson said. “You get down, you give your all to come back, but he was tough.”
Maisel said Simpson has given University four good years. It’s now on to college for Simpson who will wrestle for West Liberty State College.
“He’s upset. A four-time place-winner, but you want one (title),” Maisel said. “He’ll go to West Liberty and do a good job. Tonight doesn’t define who he is.”
Simpson looks forward to competing at the next level.
“I’m excited to go there,” Sampson said. “I haven’t hit my peak yet. There’s a lot more in me.”
In Class AAA, Parkersburg went 6-2 in the finals on the way to scoring 248 points to claim its fifth straight championship. Wheeling Park was second with 175.
In Class AA, Point Pleasant finished on top with 203 points, ending Independence’s title run at five in a row. The Patriots placed second with 120.
In Class A, Greenbrier West won with 95 points. Wirt County took second with 74.
Earlier Saturday, University had four wrestlers place in the consolation round.
Braeden Pauley got third at 160. He won two close calls in the consos, 3-2 margins over Hunter Nixon of Wheeling Park and Nate Neale of Cabell Midland in the match for third-fourth.
Jake Staud went 1-1 in consos at 126. He beat Andrew McCartney of Buckhannon-Upshur (9-3), then saw Tucker Windland of Parkersburg South prevail in the third-fourth match, 3-0.
“He made it interesting,” Maisel said of Pauley, a senior. “3-2 in both and he came from 2-1 down both times. He kept wrestling, scored when he had to. He was persistent. He wanted to end his career on a high note.”
Brise Bennett was fifth at 160 and Josh Saunders sixth at 190.
