Local Sports

Elkins High’s Boland runner-up at states

Moorefield senior Van Meter captures title at 220 pounds

HUNTINGTON -- Elkins High School's Gavin Boland's quest for a state title fell just short as he dropped a 10-1 decision to Independence's Dillon Perdue in the Class AA-A 106-pound championship bout Thursday night at Mountain Health Arena.

In a battle of freshmen, the first period was scoreless, before Perdue earned two points in the second and Boland recorded his lone point.

Perdue picked up eight more points in the third to secure the title.

Boland's path to the championship included a pin fall victory over Herbert Hoover's Jonathan Pauley in his first match, followed by a 5-2 decision over Point Pleasant's Nathan Wood in the quarterfinals and a 3-2 semifinal victory over East Fairmont's Levi Carpenter earlier on Thursday.

Boland, the son of Davis & Elkins College wrestling coach Gerard Boland, was seeking to become just the sixth EHS wrestler to capture a state title, the most recent being Zach Kerns (275 pounds) in 1998.

The others include Steve Hart (185) in 1979, Joe Hart (165) in 1969, Mike Simmons (133) in 1964 and Duard Bennett (unlimited) in 1963.

Senior Alex Burge finished 1-2 for the Tigers at 132 pounds, earning a pin fall over Greenbrier West's Colby Winning in his first consolation match, while junior Nic Barrickman went 2-2 at 195, with pin fall wins over Greenbrier West's Joey Terry and Moorefield's Ryan Hardbarger in his first two consolation matches.

For Philip Barbour, senior Matthew Shahan went 1-2 at 106, pinning Tyler Consolidated's Danny McCune in his first consolation match and senior Bailey Wilt was 0-2 at 145.

Moorefield senior Isaac Van Meter repeated as a state champion as he captured the 220-pound title with a 5-2 decision over Clay County's Noah Casto.

Van Meter won the 170-pound title as a junior.

Among Big 10 Conference wrestlers, Fairmont Senior's Mikey Jones took the title at 120 pounds and East Fairmont's Blake Boyers was the 138-pound champion.

Point Pleasant captured the Class AA team title for the third straight season and Moorefield was tops in single-A.