When Nick Hylton closed his Liberty career with his second straight state title in 2008, few area fans probably thought it would be the last time a Region 3 wrestler would reach the top of the mountain.
It indeed has been four years since this area could boast a state champion. But that easily could change in less than three weeks.
Throughout the season, Class AA/A Region 3 has established itself as the most competitive in West Virginia. A look at the state rankings will verify that.
Independence is the co-No. 2 (tied with Clay County) and Liberty is a close fourth. Greenbrier West is next at seventh and Shady Spring is No. 10.
“It’s as tough as I can ever remember it,” said Greenbrier West coach Jeremy Tincher, “especially from 106 (pounds) to 138. ... Our region has five good kids at 138 and one of them is going to be at the house (missing the state tournament). One-thirteen has five of them. One-twenty-six is loaded and 132 is loaded.
“It used to be Region 4 all the time. Now it’s us.”
The results cannot be questioned.
Liberty won its first three tournaments before finishing a close second to Independence in the Raleigh County Duals. The Raiders bounced back by defeating, among others, Oak Glen to win the St. Clairesville (Ohio) Duals.
Indy finished a more-than-respectable fifth at the Max Horz Invitational in Berkeley Springs in December. But January was a very good month for the Patriots, highlighted by victories at the Braxton County Invitational and the Williamstown Bob Zide Rumble. Last week, Independence won the Coalfield Conference Championship, which is considered by most a precursor to the regional tournament.
Greenbrier West has wins at St. Albans and Parry McCluer (Va.).
There are those who think Region 3 is still being underestimated. Independence has a top 10 wrestler in 12 of the 14 weight classes, most of them in the 4th-7th range. Coach Cliff Warden feels they could be even higher.
“We’ve got a bunch of kids (ranked) that low that, if we peak and perform at the right time, we could be in good shape,” Warden said.
The state tournament in Huntington Feb. 23-25 stands to have a heavy Region 3 flavor. The area’s dry spell could be over.
“I feel like, for sure, we will have more placewinners than we had last year,” Tincher said. “Last year our region was a little down and Region 4 was loaded. It runs in cycles. That’s just part of that.”
— E-mail: gfauber@
register-herald.com
Today's Sports Front
Related Photos
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Liberty’s Tyler Bays, top, controls his 220-pound championship match against Travis Mills of Independence at the Coalfield Conference Tournament Saturday at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building in Fayetteville. Bays won the match. Chris Tilley
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