Local wrestlers shine in individual event

By Barry Byers - The Herald

SIMPSONVILLE -- Fresh off the Class AAAA state duals championship, Rock Hill's Bearcats had another productive Saturday in the Upper State individuals tournament at Hillcrest High School.

The Bearcats sent seven wrestlers to the championship round and won five titles. The Beck brothers, senior Chad and sophomore twins Weston and Seth, became the first trio of brothers to win Upper State or Lower State titles in the same season last year. They did it again on Saturday.

"We felt confident we could do it again," Chad Beck said. "Our goal is for all three of us to win the state this year and not come up one brother short. Me and Weston think Seth can get it done this year. He's wrestling a whole lot better."

Photo 1: Local wrestlers shine in individual event

Weston Beck beat Laurens' Luke Campbell at 112 pounds. At 119, Seth Beck nipped Dorman's Edward Contrares, 2-1. Chad Beck completed the hat trick with a 5-1 win over Dorman's Kirby Tate at 140. The Bearcats also got titles from Rashard Durham at 135 and Josh Tuck at 171.

The purpose of Saturday's Upper State was two-fold -- crown individual champions and qualify wrestlers for next Saturday's state tournament at Lexington High School. The top four in each of the 14 weight classes advanced.

But the Bearcats weren't the only local team that fared well. Counting the consolation semifinals, South Pointe also qualified seven wrestlers, with three making the finals. Fort Mill got four in, Clover three and Nation Ford one. Scott Snodgrass placed third for Nation Ford, becoming the school's first wrestler to earn a spot in the state tournament.

"I pulled it through," Snodgrass said. "I got the first takedown of the match, and after that knew I could win. It's good to be the first at our school to make the state, but I look at it as being the first of many."

Two title matches featured locals against locals. South Pointe's Sean Hira and Clover's Andrew Brown got it started at 103 pounds, Later down the line Rock Hill's Reuben Valazquez and South Pointe's Patrick Thompson met at 215.

Hira won his match, pinning Brown in the first period and picking up the tournament's first championship.

"I've wrestled at South Pointe since the ninth grade, and this is the first time I'm going to the state championship," said Hira, a senior. "I've wrestled the guy I beat today twice, so I felt good about our match."

At 215, Thompson scored an 11-4 decision over Valazquez.

After the Beck twins won, senior Brandon Feix picked up Fort Mill's first championship at 125. Feix was a state champ as a freshman and wrestled up a weight class his sophomore season to help the team. He had shoulder surgery last year and missed the entire season.

"My ultimate goal is to go out with another state championship,'' Feix said. "I worked hard to get back in shape for this year, so I feel good about my chances.''

Nine Herald-area athletes won titles. Fort Mill's Max Simons was the other, running his overall record to 49-0 with an 8-1 decision over Cameron McCarley at 189 pounds.