Top West Virginia Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, Freshmen: 1995-96

Lists such as this are often subjective and a source of contention. I have taken the easy way out. This page reviews the 1995-96 West Virginia State High School Wrestling Tournament, and simply lists those 1995-96 seniors who were state champs, juniors who placed in the top three, sophomores who placed in the top five, and freshmen who placed in the top six. A few additional stats and comments are added to allow you to draw your own conclusions.

Attention wrestlers and coaches: If you have other "credentials" to add to your listing here (a good finish in other major tournaments, etc) let us know and we can update your stats!

This year there were five seniors who claimed AAA championships:

• Robert Davidson, Wheeling Park, 189 lbs, ( 42-2): Champ at 189 as a junior ( 37-3).
• Steve Rader, Parkersburg, 152 lbs, (38-1): Third place at 140 as a junior (22-10).
• Steve Humphreys, Nitro, 130 lbs, (37-2): Fourth place at 125 as a junior (34-7).
• Jason Parker, Fairmont Senior, 215 lbs, (37-3).
• B.J. Jones, North Marion, 275 lbs, (31-4).

This year there were ten seniors who claimed AA/A championships:

• Jeremy Hart, Independence, 135 lbs, (40-0): Champ at 125 as a Junior (39-2).
• Josh Giovengo, Bishop Donahue, 145 lbs, (36-0): Runner up at 135 as a junior (40-3).
• Nick Lahman, Petersburg, 189 lbs, (30-0): Fourth as a junior at 189 (39-3).
• Mike Dotson, Williamstown, 152 lbs, (32-3): Third at 145 as a junior (29-9).
• Judd Lilly, Shady Spring, 130 lbs, (30-6): Fourth at 130 as a junior (36-7).
• Laramie Richmond, Meadow Bridge, 215 lbs, (40-0).
• Eddie Powell, Wirt, 140 lbs, (34-1).
• Dennie Uhl, Williamstown, 160 lbs, (36-5).
• Shane Meadows, Shady Spring, 171, (32-3).
• Steve Root, South Harrison, 275, (34-2).

This year, 15 juniors placed in the AAA top three:

• John Jackson, Jefferson, 145 lbs, (32-2), champ: Third at 130 as a soph (39-1).
• Jay Golden, Parkersburg, 112 lbs, (30-7), champ: Fourth at 103 as a soph, (18-12).
• Andy Wilfong, Fairmont Senior, 160 lbs, (44-2), champ.
• Dewitt Stanley, Brooke, 103 lbs, (38-0), champ.
• Jesse Crouch, Hurricane, 119 lbs, (29-2), champ.
• Ryan Muldrew, John Marshall, 125 lbs, (32-3), champ.
• Ryan Courtney, Fairmont Senior, 171 lbs, (44-6), champ
• Zach Hasse, Parkersburg South, 125 lbs, (29-10), runner-up: Champ at 119 as a soph (20-0).
• Patrick Morrison, Cabell Midland, 130 lbs, (21-12), runner-up:
• Zac Litton, Parkersburg, 145 lbs, (31-7), runner-up.
• Ben Kulpa, Wheeling Park, 275 lbs, (35-7), runner-up.
• Mychal Wright, Huntington, 125 lbs, (38-3), third: Third at 119 as a soph (32-9).
• Chris Ward, John Marshall, 140 lbs, (30-2), third: Champ at 135 as a soph (27-4).
• Chad Walters, Parkersburg South, 145 lbs, (34-9), third: Runner-up at 130 as a soph (23-11).
• Chris Neptune, Fairmont Senior, 152 lbs, (42-6), third: Fourth at 145 as a soph (30-13).
• Mike Sharpe, Parkersburg South, 215 lbs, (23-13), third.

This year, ten juniors placed in the AA/A top three:

• Bryan Jones, Williamstown, 125 lbs, (26-4), champ: Champ at 112 as a soph (40-4).
• Buddy McKeen, Grafton, 119 lbs, (37-1), champ.
• Jason Allard, Independence, 103 lbs, (29-11), runner-up.
• Randy Bragg, Independence, 130 lbs, (36-2), runner-up
• Ryan Painter, Greenbrier West, 171 lbs, (28-6), runner-up: Sixth at 160 as a soph (22-11).
• Josh Waugh, Berkeley Springs, 275 lbs, (37-5), runner-up: Runner-up at 275 as a soph ( 34-10).
• Kenneth Maxwell, Iager, 103 lbs, (23-3), third.
• Bob Strother, Magnolia, 130 lbs, (25-8), third: Sixth at 125 as a soph (24-7).
• Blair Miller, Berkeley Springs, 140 lbs, (40-6), third: Fourth at 135 as a soph (29-13).
• Justin Hovermale, Berkeley Springs, 145 lbs, (37-5), third: Champ at 140 as a soph (33-12).
• Benji Parsons, Sissonville, 215 lbs, (32-4), third.

This year, ten sophomores placed in the top five at the AAA state tournament:

• Jason Johnson, Parkersburg South, 140 lbs, (21-13), champ.
• Joe Thorpe, Huntington, 112 lbs, (28-7), runner-up
• Adam Shank, Parkersburg South, 103 lbs, (32-12), third.
• Adam Gorby, North Marion, 112 lbs, (38-1), third: Fifth at 112 as a freshman, (25-10).
• Beau Hill, Point Pleasant, 103 lbs, (25-3), fourth: Fifth at 103 as a freshman, (39-9).
• Chris Wilson, Preston, 125 lbs, (39-8), fourth.
• Ryan Besedich, North Marion, 145 lbs, (35-7), fifth: Fifth at 140 as a freshman (32-7).
• Daniel Bonasso, Fairmont Senior, 103 lbs, (38-7), fifth.
• Zach Kerns, Elkins, 275 lbs, (25-7), fifth.

This year, six sophomores placed in the top five at the AA/A state tournament:

• David Drennen, Wirt, 112 lbs, (35-0), champ: third at 103 as a freshman (33-8).
• Adam Blevins, Iaeger, 160 lbs, (22-6), fourth.
• Justin Riser, St. Marys, 103 lbs, (18-14), fifth.
• Jason Miller, Wirt, 119 lbs, (29-8), fifth.
• Mark Petty, East Bank, 125 lbs, (18-13), fifth
• Josh Kuykendall, Petersburg, 152 lbs, (22-7), fifth

This year four freshmen placed in the top six at the AAA state tournament:

• Jason Ward, Cabell Midland, 135 lbs, (30-4), champ.
• Jimmy Moles, Herbert Hoover, 135 lbs, (34-7), runner-up; ranked #6 top freshmen in USA by USA Wrestling Magazine.
• Brian Flanigan, Wheeling Park, 112 lbs, (23-8), fifth.
• Nick Hedrick, Fairmont Senior, 119 lbs, (34-14), fifth

This year four freshmen placed in the top six at the AA/A state tournament:

• Mike Miller, Wirt, 103 lbs, (34-1), champ.
• Andrew Richards, South Harrison, 112 lbs, (31-7), runner-up.
• Scott Bush, Ravenswood, 103 lbs, (21-12), fourth.
• Justin Wince, Ritchie County, (31-14), fifth.

Updated March 4, 1997