Chiefs wrestlers go to state individual championships

Following the 6AAAA individual wrestling tournament at Bluffton, eight Chiefs qualified for the state championships last weekend in Anderson. First place finishers Blake Jenkins(145), Chase Simmons(182) and Malachi Black(285), second place finishers Naszeir Bellamy(126) and Jackie Gore(152),  third place finishers Jackson Smith(106) and Andre Giddens(160) and fourth place finisher Rashad Dawud(170) all wrestled last Friday and Saturday and five eventually placed after two days of wrestling.

Each wrestler faced competitors from teams in the upper state, with number one finishers wrestling number four finishers and twos meeting threes. Winners advanced to wrestle other winners. Losers advanced to consolation rounds. To place in any weight class meant winning every match to place first, or if losing a match, winning as many as possible in order to place 3rd or 4th.

The Chiefs wrestlers all competed in the State Championship Quarterfinals and four advanced by winning and four advanced to consolation competition. North Myrle Beach winners included Naszeir Bellamy(126) who won a 9-8 decision over Eli Strickland of Belton-Honea Path, Andre Giddens(160) pinned Spencer Lilyea of Greer in 3:18, Chase Simmons(182) won a 7-1 decision over Nygel Moore of South Pointe and Malachi Black(285), who pinned Michael McQueen of Ridge View in 1:28.

Will Hendricks of Belton-Honea Path pinned Jackson Smith(106) in 0:29. Brooks Russ-Martin(145) of Travelers Rest won an 8-1 decision over Blake Jenkins. Bryson McLees(152) of Travelers Rest won a 4-3 decision over Jackie Gore and Kaleb Horn(170) of Blue Ridge pinned Rashad Dawud in 1:44.

In the Championship Semifinals all four Chiefs were defeated. Kaleem Heard(126) of York won a 22-4 technical fall over Naszeir Bellamy. Nequel Martin(160) from South Aiken pinned Andre Giddens in 2:54. Ellison Flores(182) of Greer won by injury default over Chase Simmons and Chase Barnes(285) of Eastside pinned Malachi Black in 2:39).

In Consolation Round 1 Aiden Shepherd(106) of Travelers Rest pinned Jackson Smith in 1:04. Blake Jenkins(145) won a 4-3 decision over Elijah Villah of Westwood. Jackie Gore(152) pinned Adam Spence of Brookland- Cayce in the first period and Hunter Goodwin(170) of South Aiken won a 10-3 decision over Rashad Dawud.

In Consolation Round 2, Chiefs Naszeir Bellamy(126) won a major decision 12-2 over Dreher’s Leon Wang. Micah Henkin(145) of Greer also won a major decision over Blake Jenkins by an 11-3 score. NMB’s Jackie Gore(152) pinned Elijah Holder of Pickens in 5:51. Chase Simmons(182) pinned J. Garverick of South Aiken in 4:14 and Malachi Black(285) pinned Ethan New of South Aiken in 1:33.

In the Consolation Finals, Naszeir Bellamy(126) won an injury default over Alan Powell of South Pointe to finish third. Chase Simmons won an 11-3 major decision over Khwallie Hall from Brookland-Cayce to also finish in third place. Jackie Gore(152) lost a 12-4 major decision to Shy’Quan Ferguson of South Pointe to finish in fourth place. Andre Giddens(160) was pinned in the third period by Jeremiah Simmons of Beaufort to also finish fourth and Malachi Black(285) was pinned in 0:41 by Gary Holmes of Travelers Rest to claim fourth place also.