BLACKWELL — Three local high school wrestlers punched their tickets to this weekend’s Class 3A State Tournament.
At last weekend’s Class 3A Regional Tournament, the Vian Wolverines saw two wrestlers qualify for state as heavyweight Garritt Hunt was the regional champion, while 157-pounder Gunner Richey was fourth.
A third Wolverine, 175-pounder Tyson Murphy, placed sixth and is an alternate at that weight class. Should one of the top five state qualifiers from last weekend’s regional at 175 not be able to make it to state, Murphy will take his place.
The Gore Pirates made history as they qualified their first-ever wrestler to the Class 3A State Tournament as heavyweight Kaydin McCartney was fourth.
Gore’s Bladin Mc-Cartney was sixth at 165 pounds, and, like Murphy, is an alternate at that weight class. The 165-pound Pirate will be a state qualifier should one of the top five state qualifiers in that weight class be unable to wrestle at state — in which case, he would become the second-ever Pirate wrestler to qualify for state.
As for other Pirates, Devon Mannon (157 pounds) went 2-2, Antonio Parker (215) went 1-2 and Cole Brooksher (144) lost both of his matches.
