By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
Many of the Palmetto State’s top wrestling teams along with powerhouse programs from Georgia and Virginia descended upon May River High School on Dec. 30-31 for the U.S. Army Shark Invitational, a 36-team epic that required a grind to survive to the medal round.
The host Sharks are the top-ranked team in Class 4A, but they could only muster a fourth-place finish behind Georgia dynasty South Effingham and Class 5A powers Fort Mill and Ashley Ridge, while Bridges Prep, Beaufort High, and Battery Creek all finished in the middle of the pack.
May River had the Lowco’s only two champions — Blake Butler at 150 pounds and Josh Echeverria at 175 — and the only two finalists from the area. Bridges Prep’s Kevin Summers placed third at 165 with teammate Ali Jenkins finishing fourth at 175, while Beaufort’s Antonio McKnight placed fourth at 144, Whale Branch’s Wesley White was sixth at 138, and Battery Creek’s Nate Najar placed sixth at 144.
The region dual schedule ramps up this week, with Beaufort High traveling to Hilton Head for a Region 6-4A match on Wednesday, while Bridges Prep hosts Benedictine and John Paul II the same night for Military Appreciation Night, and Whale Branch and Woodland are at Battery Creek on Wednesday.
Several area teams will be in action Saturday at the Bluffton Bobcat Duals, and the Area 9 qualifier for junior varsity and middle school will be held Saturday at Hilton Head High.
U.S. Army Shark Invitational
Team Scores: South Effingham 280.5, Fort Mill 236.5, Ashley Ridge 187, May River 173.5, St. James 122, Fountain Inn 117, Grovetown 117, Berkeley 112.5, White Knoll 106.5, Lucy Beckham 100.5, Fort Dorchester 87.5, North Augusta 86, Benedictine 76, Socastee 71.5, Calvary Day 70.5, Gilbert 67.5, Marion (Va.) 61.5, Hilton Head 58, Philip Simmons 56.5, Bridges Prep 55.5, Wade Hampton 55, Cane Bay 54, Goose Creek 51.5, Bluffton 51, Effingham Co. 47, Beaufort 45.5, McIntosh Co. 45, Battery Creek 42, May River B 36.5, Whale Branch 30, Hanahan 27.5, South Effingham B 22, Patrick Henry 20, South Aiken 20, Bishop England 35, Bulloch Academy 6
Championship Finals
106 | Adam Hardeman (South Effingham) DEC Ryan Seman (May River), 9-3
113 | Tahrik Bailey (South Effingham) DEC Lucas Van Beynum (Fort Mill), 4-1
120 | Jacob Nally (Fort Mill) DEC Mayson Young (South Effingham), 9-3
126 | Emilio Santana (South Effingham) DEC Zachary Gomer-Chrobocinski (Fort Dorchester), 11-8
132 | Richard Springs (Fort Dorchester) DEC Gianni Bottone (Lucy Beckham), 5-3
138 | Lincoln Greene (Fort Mill) DEC Matthew Spignardo (Philip Simmons), 7-0
144 | Nathan Rose (St James) MD Bear Bringer (South Effingham), 19-8
150 | Blake Butler (May River) TF Keenan Coston (Fort Mill), 18-3
157 | Moose Bringer (South Effingham) DEC Victor Smith (Grovetown), 8-5
165 | Brexton Bell (Calvary Day) TF Bobby Craun (South Effingham), 21-6
175 | Joshua Echeverria (May River) F Ted Ernst (Fort Mill)
190 | Landon Bledsoe (Fountain Inn) F Jeremiah Venning (Ashley Ridge)
215 | Landon Jackson (Berkeley) TF Xavier Deramus (Grovetown), 19-3
285 | Jonathan Da Silva (Fort Mill) DEC Kevin Steptoe (South Effingham), 3-2
Consolation Finals
106 | Stephano Calderon (May River B) DEC Landon Phillips (Grovetown), 3-2
113 | Jahiem Skyers (Ashley Ridge) TF Sullivan Silbiger (Philip Simmons), 18-2
120 | Jordyn White (Berkeley) DEC Bryce Stephenson (Hilton Head), 14-8
126 | Luca Phillips (Ashley Ridge) F Tyler Mindala (St James)
132 | Henry Schultz (Goose Creek) MD Grady Brewer (Ashley Ridge), 10-0
138 | Bryce Adkins (Lucy Beckham) MD Tanner Caster (Ashley Ridge), 10-2
144 | Jayden Nguyen (Fort Mill) DEC Antonio Mcknight (Beaufort), 5-4
150 | Michael Kegler (Socastee) DEC Stewart Favero (Lucy Beckham), 6-2
157 | Zachary Krauss (Benedictine) DEC Caden Carnes (Fountain Inn), 10-4
165 | Kevin Summers (Bridges Prep) F Henry Santiz (May River)
175 | Lonnis Jordan (Grovetown) F Ali Jenkins (Bridges Prep)
190 | Luke Sobey (Patrick Henry) DEC Reese Baldwin (North Augusta), 4-1
215 | Davis Richardson (Calvary Day) DEC Malachi Bynum (Hilton Head), 9-5
285 | Javonte Cummings (McIntosh County) F Timothy Priester (White Knoll)
5th-Place Matches
106 | Andreo Manlove (South Effingham B) F Ethan Crisp (Berkeley)
113 | Aiden Simmons (Benedictine) MD Josiah Carranco (St James), 10-1
120 | Marcus Foulk (May River) F Noah Outen (Cane Bay)
126 | Eric Jackson (McIntosh County) F Lincoln Marks (Fort Mill)
132 | Kenneth Macafee (North Augusta) DEC Alarik Gibson (South Effingham), 7-1
138 | Devin Lirgg (Gilbert) F Wesley White (Whale Branch)
144 | Gavin Maxwell (Socastee) DEC Nate Najar (Battery Creek), 7-6
150 | Chase Bryant (Berkeley) DEC Jackson Garber (Benedictine), 6-1
157 | Broden Mitcheson (Fort Mill) DEC Gabe Fulton (Bluffton), 5-2
165 | Rollins Dixon (St James) DEC Joseph Nelson (Ashley Ridge), 16-13
175 | Angel Turner (Ashley Ridge) TF Zach Utnehmer (South Effingham), 16-0
190 | Jake Stroud (Gilbert) F Caysen Fisher (South Effingham)
215 | Karter Wilson (South Effingham) FOR Malik Smith (St James)
285 | Hunter Drawdy (Berkeley) F MJ Marks (Fountain Inn)
Whale Branch Warrior Slam Duals
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 54, Whale Branch 24
Battery Creek 71, Manning 12
Whale Branch 35, Manning 24
Hilton Head 64, Bamberg-Ehrhardt 18
Hilton Head 72, Manning 12
Battery Creek 53, Bamberg-Ehrhardt 30
Orangeburg-Wilkinson 30, Whale Branch 29
John Paul II 40, Hilton Head 34
St. James 61, Whale Branch 22
Hilton Head 44, Battery Creek 26
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 42, John Paul II 29
Battery Creek 62, Orangeburg-Wilkinson 11
John Paul II 48, Orangeburg-Wilkinson 36
St. James 60, Bluffton 24
St. James 60, John Paul II 22
Orangeburg-Wilkinson 42, Bluffton 36
St. James 72, Orangeburg-Wilkinson 6
John Paul II 60, Bluffton 6
Battery Creek 80, Bluffton 6
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 60, Manning 18
Whale Branch 41, Bluffton 29
Championship
St. James 51, Hilton Head 21
