Sharks defend Lowco wrestling crown

Justin Jarrett

LowcoSports.com

The rising depth and level of competition among the Lowcountry’s growing number of wrestling programs was on display at the second annual Lowcountry Wrestling Championships at Hilton Head Island High School, but the May River Sharks showed they’re still the biggest fish in the pond.

Coach Ashley Powell’s team rolled up a lineup filled with new names, but the Sharks still racked up 222 points to comfortably retain the team crown with May River wrestlers reaching the finals in nine of the 14 weight classes and six claiming individual titles.

The Bluffton Bobcats finished second with 125.5 points, with Beaufort High (118), Hilton Head High (117), Bridges Prep (115.5), and Battery Creek (97) tightly packed behind them, indicative of the sport’s growing popularity in the area and strong parity in Region 6-4A, where the Bobcats, Eagles, and Seahawks will be duking it out and trying to take down the Sharks.

Beaufort’s strong third-place showing was a pleasant surprise from a team with its third head coach in as many years, as a number of inexperienced wrestlers showed their quick progress by claiming medals for first-year coach Coby Peeler’s team.

Among those claiming gold were five repeat Lowco champs —May River’s Ryan Seman (106), Marcus Foulk (120), Liam Englom (126), and Joshua Echeverria (190), as well as Bridges Prep’s Jeremiah Chavez, the two-time heavyweight champion. Battery Creek’s Nate Najar (150) and Bridges Prep’s Ali Jenkins (175) claimed titles after runner-up finishes a year ago.

The other champs were Bluffton’s Eli Garcia (113) and Gabe Fulton (165); May River’s Thomas Brough (144) and Blake Butler (157); Hilton Head’s Cole Sowers (132) and Ethan Fleming (138); and Beaufort’s Colton Freeman (215). Garcia and Sowers are both freshmen.

The quality of competition was on display in the championship finals, which showcased several high-profile matchups. At 120 pounds, Foulk earned a hard-fought decision over Hilton Head’s Bryce Stephenson, a third-place finisher at last year’s Class 4A state tournament. Fulton’s major decision over May River’s Leandro Larranaga was another highlight in the 165-pound bracket — arguably the toughest weight class in the tournament with returning state-placer Antonio McKnight of Beaufort defeating Bridges Prep’s Kevin Summers, a defending Lowco champ, in the consolation finals.

Chavez’s well-earned decision against Beaufort’s Jaden Priester was one of the weekend’s best battles with last year’s third-place finisher in Class 2A/1A taking his second straight 285-pound title. And another great story came from the 215-pound bracket, where Beaufort sophomore Colton Freeman claimed the crown in his return to the mat after missing last season due to injury. Freeman won a SCISA state title as an eighth-grader at Thomas Heyward Academy.

Bluffton Middle School (185.5) edged Hilton Head Middle (175.8) and Bridges Prep (164) in the middle school division, with Hilton Head and Bridges each claiming four individual titles.

2024 Lowcountry Wrestling Invitational

Team Scores

May River 222, Bluffton 125.5, Beaufort 118, Hilton Head 117, Bridges Prep 115.5, Battery Creek 97, Whale Branch 50, Hardeeville 3

Lowco Champions

106: Ryan Seman, MR

113: Eli Garcia, BLF

120: Marcus Foulk, MR

126: Liam Engblom, MR

132: Cole Sowers, HH

138: Ethan Fleming, HH

144: Thomas Brough, MR

150: Nate Najar, BC