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Moore, Hall charge into finals

Oak Glen’s Shawn Moore wrestles Grafton’s Hodges in the 113-pound semifinal during the West Virginia State Wrestling Tournament Friday at Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington.

HUNTINGTON–The Ohio Valley Athletic Conference is guaranteed at least one champion as the 71st annual West Virginia Class A-AA state wrestling championships enter its third — and final — day.

Five individuals qualified for the finals Friday night inside Big Sandy Superstore Arena, with Oak Glen sophomore Peyton Hall and Weir senior Caleb Rea will do battle for the fifth time this season in the rubbermatch of their intense 132-pound rivalry. Both wrestlers have won twice, but Rea claimed the OVAC Ron Mauck and Region I crowns

Hall, a defending state champion at 120, earned his place with a 5-2 decision over East Fairmont’s Lane Flint in the semifinals.

“I think this is the match that most people came to see,” Oak Glen head coach Patrick McGillian said. “It should be a good one.”

Rea advanced with a dominating performance over Independence’s defending state titlist Hunter Taylor, 14-6 in a major decision. The Red Rider is now 42-4.

“Caleb is the most focused wrestler I’ve ever coached,” Weir head coach Tom Taylor said. “He’s been wrestling very well. This is a match that everyone wanted to see.”

Oak Glen’s Shawn Moore stunned Grafton’s Noah Hodges, 2-0 in overtime, at 113 pounds. Hodges was a defending champion at 106 where he fashioned a perfect 59-0 mark last year as a sophomore.

Moore, now 37-8, scored a takedown with 21 seconds left in the one-minute extra session.

“I knew Shawn had a tough road coming in here because he had to wrestle a kid that placed sixth last year,” McGillian said. “We had wrestled Hodges before this year and beat him 7-5 in overtime, but he’s a defending state champion.

“He wrestled a fantastic match,” McGillian said. “Now we get our third shot at (East Fairmont’s) Blake Whorton.”

Whorton (43-2) won by a 2-1 decision.

Oak Glen sits in third place behind Independence and East Fairmont.

Independence has already clinched the Class AA team title.

Madonna has a pair of finalists in Alec Cook (138) and Donavan Kirby (195).

Cook, a defending runnerup, is now 47-5 after his 14-1 major decision over East Fairmont’s Khaleb Fazenbaker.

Kirby, now 38-7, decisioned Winfield’s Alex Hale 3-2 to earn his trip to the finals.

Also earning all-state honors was Garret Cook (182) who lost his semifinal match in overtime to Adam Daniels of Independence.

Weir heavyweight Jordan Brueck lost in the semifinals, but has earned all-state accolades as an alternate.

State notes

¯In consolation bracket action for Oak Glen, Gavin Ray picked up two wins in the 126-pound bracket with a 6-1 decision over Preston Peck of South Harrison and a 1-0 decision over Cole Morris of Berkely Springs. Ray then defeated sophomore Dallas Hazellet from Nitro 6-5 to reach the consolation semifinals. Ray’s record now stands at 28-13. He will face senior Justin Stover (40-6) from Herbert Hoover.

Senior Kyler Flanigan picked up a pin over Jordan Vaught of Pikeview in 4:29 then fell to Eric Workman of Liberty Raleigh in 2:11 in 195-pound action. Flanigan ended his senior season at 19-25.

Camden Barr dropped his only match of the day to Noah Allman of Grafton by way of a 9-7 decision in the 106-pound consolation bracket. Barr ends his sophomore campagian at 24-22.

¯Three Ohio valley officials are working the tournament. They include Shane Kildow, Kenny McWilliams and Jim Copney.

¯Weir’s Blaze Cain was disqualified from the tournament after his quarterfinal loss for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Oak Glen Results:

Championship Bracket:

113: Shawn Moore (Oak Glen) pin Brantley Guckert (Williamstown), 4:10.

113: Shawn Moore (Oak Glen) dec. Noah Hodges (Grafton), 2-0.

132: Peyton Hall (Oak Glen) pin Wyatt Powell (Wirt County), 1:54

132: Peyton Hall (Oak Glen) dec. Lane Flint (East Fairmont), 7-2.

Consolation Bracket:

106: Noah Allman (Grafton) dec. Camden Barr (Oak Glen), 9-7.

126: Gavin Ray (Oak Glen) dec. Preston Peck (South Harrison), 6-1.

126: Gavin Ray (Oak Glen) dec. Cole Morris (Berkely Springs), 1-0.

126: Gavin Ray (Oak Glen) dec. Justin Stover (Herbert Hoover), 6-5.

195: Kyler Flanigan (Oak Glen) pin Jordan Vaught (Pikeview), 4:29

195: Eric Workman (Liberty Raleigh) pin Kyler Flanigan (Oak Glen), 2:11

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