MORGANTOWN – When the whistle blows on Thursday night to signify the beginning of the state wrestling tournament at Marshall Health Network Arena in Huntington, top-ranked University High will be looking to add to its latest run of dominance.
After capturing the state championship in each of the last two seasons, the Hawks enter the biggest weekend of the year poised and prepared to bring home a three-peat, which would mark the longest run of wrestling dominance in the state since Parkersburg South won seven in a row from 2015-21.
“I don’t think it is much different from the past,” UHS coach Ken Maisel said. “We try to make it feel like just another event. We talk about how this is not even the toughest tournament we wrestle in all year. For some weights, it may be the third or fourth toughest, so just go out and compete like you’ve been doing all year.”
UHS will have wrestlers competing in 13 of the 14 weight classes, with seven of those athletes being regional champions.
Entering the weekend for UHS are freshman Trey Brown (106), junior Bronson Matthews (113), freshman Jacob Hensley (126), senior Colton Gillespie (132), senior Timmy Husk (138), sophomore Nico Maisel (144), senior Jason Walker (150), junior Max Vitale (157), junior Charlie Robb (165), junior Max Fortier (175), senior Emerson Murphy (190), senior Ryder Hastings (215), and senior Ethan Koloski (285).
Maisel says staying in a routine consistent with what has been done all season is key for his team coming into the weekend.
“Do not change what you have done all year for one tournament,” he said. “I think there is a huge mental side to it, so we talk a lot about that. Instead of seeing adrenaline or nerves as your enemy, see it as your body getting you prepared to fight, and as a positive thing. I tell them pressure is a privilege.”
While welcoming the pressure, Maisel also says leaning into the opportunity his team has at joining an elite list of schools who have won at least three straight state tournaments isn’t on their mind at the start.
If it happens, the Hawks, who also won the state championship in 1956, would put their name into the same hat as other Class AAA powers such as Parkersburg South, which has had past runs of two three-peats, two four-peats and the seven in a row that ended in 2021. Parkersburg has won three in a row on two different occasions and John Marshall won three in a row from 1972-74.
The ultimate state wrestling dynasty came in Class AA, where Oak Glen won 13 consecutive state titles from 1997-2009.
“It will definitely be special once it’s over, but in the moment, I don’t really think about it that much,” Maisel said. “I think it can be very special for these seniors who will have finished second, first, first, first. We have had success all year, doing what we do. We also talk about being positive and grateful. The most important voice they will hear all weekend is their own. And I always remind them, you don’t have to wrestle; you get to wrestle.”
Morgantown High will see five wrestlers in the brackets on Thursday. Junior Jameson Hare (120), sophomore Ryan Shreves (138), senior Antonio Sellaro (175), sophomore Grant Robinson (215), and junior Chase Travis (285) all earned a spot as a top-four regional finisher.
Preston has four grapplers hitting the mat as junior Brody Bryner (120), junior Levi Jennings (132), junior Hayden Lantz (144), and junior Caleb Dobbins (175) head to Huntington.
