Midlands wrestlers win state titles. Woodruff’s June Welch makes SC history

Eight Midlands wrestlers won state championships on Saturday and one Upstate wrestler made history on Saturday at the Anderson Civic Center.

Woodruff’s June Welch became the first female wrestler in South Carolina to win an individual wrestling state championship when she pinned Chester’s Eduardo De Paz at the 5:46 mark of the match to win the Class 3A 106-pound championship.

Welch’s win comes a week after she lost to De Paz in the Class 3A Upper State championship. Earlier this month, she won her weight class at the girls state wrestling championships.

“After the semifinals, I was just ready. I made history by making the finals and I just wanted to win,” Welch told WYFF after the match.

Locally, Mid-Carolina and Lugoff-Elgin each had two individual state champions. MC’s Cam Grier won the Class 3A 195-pound championship while Ian Pullen won the 220-pound class.

L-E had champions in the lightest and heaviest classes in Class 4A. Jeremiah Barzanti won the 106-pound class while Karrington Charles won at 285 pounds.

Irmo’s Justin Hayes won his second state championship as he claimed the Class 4A 160-pound crown. Hayes won at 152 last year.

Spring Valley’s Blue Stiffler capped off his freshman year by winning the Class 5A 138-pound championship while Chapin’s Patrick Brophy completed an unbeaten season by winning the 195-pound title.

Pelion’s Jacob Osmanski became just the second Pelion wrestler to win an individual championship by winning the Class A/2A 160-pound championships

Midlands Top Finishers

A list of area wrestlers who were medalists at the 2022 SC individual wrestling championships

Class A/2A

Champions: Jacob Osmanski (Pelion, 160)

Runner-Up: Landon Smith (Pelion, 132); Dalton Smith (North Central, 145); Isaiah Black (Columbia, 220)

Third-place: Charlie Spires (Pelion, 106); Marcus Bradshaw (North Central, 113); Collin Williams (North Central, 138)

Class 3A

Champions: Cam Grier (Mid-Carolina, 195); Ian Pullen (Mid-Carolina, 220)

Runner-up: Blake Wise (Gilbert, 132); Terry Hilderbrand II (Brookland-Cayce, 152); Jackson Caulder (Gilbert, 182)

Third place: Sam Alaquel (Keenan, 126); Grayson Keisler (Gilbert, 170)

Class 4A

Champions: Jeremiah Barzanti (Lugoff-Elgin, 106); Justin Hayes (Irmo, 160); Karrington Charles (Lugoff-Elgin 285)

Runner-up: Bryson Harper (Dreher, 120); Carson Miles (Lugoff-Elgin, 160)

Third-place: Shane Richburg (Lugoff-Elgin, 113); Ethan Korn (Lugoff-Elgin, 182)

Class 5A

Champions: Blue Stiffler (Spring Valley, 138); Patrick Brophy (Chapin, 195)

Runner-up: None

Third-place: Cam Rice (White Knoll, 152); Eric Montgomery (Blythewood, 170); Tanner Johnson (Lexington, 195)