Four locals compete at state wrestling tourney

 FRANKFORT - Four local athletes competed last week in the Kentucky State Wrestling Championships at the Farnham-Dudgeon Civic Center in Frankfort.

Bullitt Central finished with seven team points based on the performances of seniors James Johnson and Billy Maraman.

Johnson, wrestling at 171-pounds, had the best week of the local wrestlers as he compiled a 2-2 record. The week started for Johnson with a pin of Hopkinsville’s Chad Jordan at the 5:15 mark. The senior then took a fall at 1:25 to J.J. Jude of Johnson Central. In the wrestle-backs, Johnson got a pin over Sam Steele of Boone County before finally being eliminated from the competition with an 8-6 setback to Bourbon County’s Jake Fooks.

Maraman, who was competing at 189-pounds, ran into some tough competition at the state finals. The senior lost in the first round to Robert Robey of Central Hardin on a pin and then lost a decision to Chris Guilbeau of Fort Campbell.

Bullitt East, which has only had wrestling for two years, qualified a pair of wrestlers for the state meet.

Charger junior Cole Gilbert, working at 140-pounds, finished with a 1-2 record. Gilbert took a narrow loss from Eastern’s Jo Rupp in his opening match by a 12-9 mark, but then picked up a victory over Moore’s Keith Bray by a 15-0 count. Gilbert then had to wrestle Quincy Jacobs of Southern, who had beaten him in the regional a week earlier, and this time Jacobs got a pin at the 1:51 mark.

Bullitt East junior Reece Beck, who was in the 130-pound division, lost in his first two matches. He lost to Greg Bowen of Johnson Central by an 8-3 count in the first round and then had to forfeit his match to Devantae Humphrey of Christian County.