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Board is slow this time of year. Just for fun what’s your school’s Mount Rushmore?

PHS
Mike Lantz
Brandon Rader
Gary Tuttle
Jared Haught

Could make a case for Greg Bradshaw, Aaron Fleming, Andy Thomas, or Matt Stevens in one of the spots.

Shady Spring High School

David Farley 3X State Champ
Dereck Scarbro 3X State Champ
Mason Epperly 2X State Champ, 1X Runner up
Kenny McMillion 2X State Champ, 1X Third

how in the world do you not put Andy Thomas (4 time state champ) in the PHS top 4 !

The South Mount Rushmore would be led by Braxton Amos followed by David Jeffrey and Justin Allman. Two 4 time state champions and a 3 time state champion that has won every wrestling award possible. Not only that, but after not playing football since the seventh grade he was first team all state. And to top everything off he was the home coming king !

I forgot my fourth, three time champ Brayden Roberts.

TrueSouthFanInPburg wrote:how in the world do you not put Andy Thomas (4 time state champ) in the PHS top 4 !

Yeah...Andy Thomas should be in there. Also, don’t sleep on Leland Merrill, ‘48 Olympic medalist...different time, but still a notable achievement.

John Marshall High School

Dustin Richey (3x State Champion, only in school history)
Greg Morris (2x State Champion, highest winning percentage in school history)
Ryan Muldrew (2x State Champion, High School All-American)
Cliff Ward (2x State Champion)

All had significant accomplishments with only 3 years of HS wrestling (Freshman were still at Junior Highs during their time).

Dunbar High School.....no longer a high school
Haywood Smith
Rick Bailes
Wilson Wheeler
Ed Keiffer

mscoach57 wrote:Board is slow this time of year. Just for fun what’s your school’s Mount Rushmore?

PHS
Mike Lantz
Brandon Rader
Gary Tuttle
Jared Haught

Could make a case for Greg Bradshaw, Aaron Fleming, Andy Thomas, or Matt Stevens in one of the spots.

It's hard to argue with your list, but I would have mine as:
Brandon Rader
JM Best
Andy Thomas
Jared Haught or Lou Thomas

Slingblade33 wrote:

TrueSouthFanInPburg wrote:how in the world do you not put Andy Thomas (4 time state champ) in the PHS top 4 !

Yeah...Andy Thomas should be in there. Also, don’t sleep on Leland Merrill, ‘48 Olympic medalist...different time, but still a notable achievement.

The problem with advocating for Leland Merrill is that he couldn't make PHS’ starting lineup in the 70s .. let alone today.

Cabell Midland
1) Jason Ward (2 x Champ, 2nd, 3rd)
2) Evan Thompson
3) Adam Whitmore
4) Jared Walters

WHS (Williamstown)
1. Mike Mason 3x state champ 1x runner-up, state tournament MOW, Dutton Award winner.
2. Dalton George 3x state champ 1x runner-up, state tournament MOW, Dutton Award winner
3. Shane Smith 3x state champ 1x runner-up, state tournament MOW
4. Ash Wenmoth 3x state champ, state tournament MOW

TrueSouthFanInPburg wrote:how in the world do you not put Andy Thomas (4 time state champ) in the PHS top 4 !

I agree it is a hard list to make, who do you take out of my 4 to put Andy in?

TrueSouthFanInPburg wrote:The South Mount Rushmore would be led by Braxton Amos followed by David Jeffrey and Justin Allman. Two 4 time state champions and a 3 time state champion that has won every wrestling award possible. Not only that, but after not playing football since the seventh grade he was first team all state. And to top everything off he was the home coming king !

Didn’t know he was homecoming king but watched him “crown” some people. Lol. Can’t argue with your three, who’s your 4th?

Humphreys (4x)? Luke Martin (3x)? Brayden Roberts (3x, Fargo champ)? Underwood (3x, waxed Chertow to the point he ran the following year)? Scott Moore (3x, undefeated one or two year)? One of the Millers had a great high school and good college career? I’m sure I am missing someone on south side history. Who were your other Ironman champs?

Truesouthfaninhunt wrote:

Slingblade33 wrote:

TrueSouthFanInPburg wrote:how in the world do you not put Andy Thomas (4 time state champ) in the PHS top 4 !

Yeah...Andy Thomas should be in there. Also, don’t sleep on Leland Merrill, ‘48 Olympic medalist...different time, but still a notable achievement.

The problem with advocating for Leland Merrill is that he couldn't make PHS’ starting lineup in the 70s .. let alone today.

Who do you take off of my list to put Andy in?

Not arguing with you but how do you know this about Merrill? Not being disrespectful to our current team but we’re not exactly witnessing the height of the team’s depth. Surely an Olympian would crack the lineup, we don’t have any returning state placers? Is there video of him somewhere? Would be cool to watch.

aaacoach6 wrote:Shady Spring High School

David Farley 3X State Champ
Dereck Scarbro 3X State Champ
Mason Epperly 2X State Champ, 1X Runner up
Kenny McMillion 2X State Champ, 1X Third

There was a Noah that wrestled maybe two or three seasons ago for shady. Dave’s son?

Goherd989 wrote:Cabell Midland
1) Jason Ward (2 x Champ, 2nd, 3rd)
2) Evan Thompson
3) Adam Whitmore
4) Jared Walters

I didn’t include coaches in my original list but the CM list makes me think of Ernie. RIP

MSCoach57
I would have to take 3 time state champ Mike Lantz out to put 4 time state champ Andy Thomas in.

There was a Noah that wrestled maybe two or three seasons ago for shady. Dave’s son?

No relation.
Davie moved out of the area working for the federal prison system around 1989.
Noah's dad is Kevin who wrestled at Woodrow around 1987 as a heavyweight he was a state title contender but broke his shoulder a few weeks before states.

TrueSouthFanInPburg wrote:MSCoach57
I would have to take 3 time state champ Mike Lantz out to put 4 time state champ Andy Thomas in.

Sure/maybe...Lantz and Thomas, certainly can’t go wrong either way. However, 3x vs 4x I think isn’t a valid argument because I “think” high school was only 10-12 when Lantz was there.

mscoach57 wrote:

Truesouthfaninhunt wrote:

Slingblade33 wrote:
Yeah...Andy Thomas should be in there. Also, don’t sleep on Leland Merrill, ‘48 Olympic medalist...different time, but still a notable achievement.

The problem with advocating for Leland Merrill is that he couldn't make PHS’ starting lineup in the 70s .. let alone today.

Who do you take off of my list to put Andy in?

Not arguing with you but how do you know this about Merrill? Not being disrespectful to our current team but we’re not exactly witnessing the height of the team’s depth. Surely an Olympian would crack the lineup, we don’t have any returning state placers? Is there video of him somewhere? Would be cool to watch.

I read an article about Merrill once, I think it was on WV mat...sounded like he started wrestling in high school, wasn’t super great or anything in high school, but continued to get better and continued to work at wrestling as he got older. Regardless, I think he is the only former WV high school wrestler to medal at an Olympics...Olympic medals do not come easy.

FAIRMONT SENIOR
1. Zach Frazier (2020), 4X, 159-2 career record, OW 1X
2. Terry Dunscomb (1958), 3X, 24-3-3 career record
3. Jeff Courtney (2002), 2X, 3rd, 4th, 156-25 career record, 2X OW, Dutton Award, Dave Schultz Award, WV HOF Medal of Courage
4. Mike Viani (1995), 2X, 2nd, 3rd, 125-9-1 career record

HONORABLE MENTION
Nick Hedrick (1999), 2X, 3rd, 5th, 165-22 career record, OW
Jimmy Lamb (1986), 2X, 2nd, 88-8-1 career record, OW

mscoach57 wrote:

Truesouthfaninhunt wrote:

Slingblade33 wrote:
Yeah...Andy Thomas should be in there. Also, don’t sleep on Leland Merrill, ‘48 Olympic medalist...different time, but still a notable achievement.

The problem with advocating for Leland Merrill is that he couldn't make PHS’ starting lineup in the 70s .. let alone today.

Who do you take off of my list to put Andy in?

Not arguing with you but how do you know this about Merrill? Not being disrespectful to our current team but we’re not exactly witnessing the height of the team’s depth. Surely an Olympian would crack the lineup, we don’t have any returning state placers? Is there video of him somewhere? Would be cool to watch.

Wrestling and wrestlers have improved exponentially since the late 30s... for that matter so have ALL athletes at every sport. Think about it.

Another South great was little tough guy, Jimmy Weatherholt! He and Rich Underwood were as good as they come in 3 years of high school wrestling.

dunbar76 wrote:Dunbar High School.....no longer a high school
Haywood Smith
Rick Bailes
Wilson Wheeler
Ed Keiffer

Haywood Smith, a giant of a man. I played some softball against him in the day. One super nice fellow!

Gator, he was a beast and is a nice dude. Glad someone remembers him. One of Dunbar's best athletes.

George Washington High School

Mark Samples
Jake Smith
David Smith
Hunter Jones

dunbar76 wrote:Gator, he was a beast and is a nice dude. Glad someone remembers him. One of Dunbar's best athletes.

Plus, how many state heavyweight champs go on to play in the backfield of a division 1 school.

Grafton H.S.

Cameron Gallaher 3X Champ, 3rd, OW 2009
Buddy Mckeen 2X Champ, runner up, Co-OW 1997
Anthony Kennedy 2X Champ
Cody Goff 1X champ, runner up, Co-OW 2013

TrueSouthFanInPburg wrote:The South Mount Rushmore would be led by Braxton Amos followed by David Jeffrey and Justin Allman. Two 4 time state champions and a 3 time state champion that has won every wrestling award possible. Not only that, but after not playing football since the seventh grade he was first team all state. And to top everything off he was the home coming king !

He had a good senior season of football, not trying to say he didn't, but he wasn't even the best or most productive dlineman on his own team. He shouldn't of been first team unless they both were. Stuff like all state is ridiculous tho. The coach of your team gets the amount of guys he can have represented based on the amount of wins the team has, and then the HC puts who he wants on what teams. Obviously name recognition is another thing he had in his favor. Not his fault tho.