Area wrestlers look to place at state tournament

LAKELAND — A first-round match against a defending state champion is daunting, but there also exists a possibility that some downstate wrestlers are eyeing Bay County opponents Friday with trepidation.

Two championship rounds and possibly three in the consolations could be contested when the three-classification state wrestling tournament begins on Friday at the Lakeland Center. The finals will be contested Saturday.

Five wrestlers from Arnold will be joined by two from Bozeman and one from Bay in the Class 1A tournament. Mosley has four wrestlers entered in the 2A event.

Among the Dolphins are four-time state qualifier Jimmy Kahle at 145 pounds and three-time qualifier Ryan Newsome at 140. They both bring gaudy credentials into opening matches, and could be the top county hopefuls for an elite finish.

Also representing Mosley are sophomore Brady Smith at 119 and freshman Forrest Lang at 135.

“Brady Smith has a tough first round and so does Forrest Lang for a ninth-grader,” said Mosley coach Dion Pinkard, who represented the Dolphins in the same event two decades ago.

“I expect Ryan Newsome to make the podium (top four finish) and Jimmy should be between one and four easy, both of them.”

Pinkard said that Newsome’s toughest opponent should be defending champion Cody Ross, who defeated Newsome by one point in overtime earlier this season. Newsome was fifth in the state as a junior.

“Jimmy has faced a couple of kids,” Pinkard said. “Both of them have a tough road to go, but with the wrestling we’ve done this year I think both of them will be ready.”

Arnold has the largest county contingent, and Coach Jeff Skipper said all are capable of medaling by placing in the top six.

“But we’ve all got our hands full,” Skipper said. “There’s nobody there that doesn’t deserve to be there.”

Skipper said that Zane Turnipseed at 145 might have the most promising bracket in the group. Joel Ensminger and Jayme Atkins could meet state placers in the semifinals, and Skipper said Doug Miner’s 125-pound class appears fairly wide open.

Sophomore Colby Baker drew defending state champion Anthony Ayers of Gulf in his first match.

“I tell them that at this level one mistake is the difference,” Skipper said. “The margin for error is one point. During the season you might be able to get behind and still win, but here if someone gets an extra point on you, you battle just to get into overtime.”

Bozeman’s Brandon Reyes takes a 44-1 record into his first-round match at 112 pounds and Bucks sophomore Kris Kenney opens at 39-7 at 160.

Bay’s representative is Tyrell Biggs, who is 18-7 for his opening match at 285.