Hilton Head High is in second place and has all 14 wrestlers remaining in contention, including eight in the semifinals, after the first day of the SCHSL Class 4A Lower State wrestling meet Friday at Bluffton High School.
The Seahawks compiled 54.5 points on day one, leaving them just 1.5 points behind first-place Hartsville, which also has eight wrestlers in the semifinals and five fighting for third place. May River (43 points) is tied for third with South Aiken, and the Sharks put six wrestlers through to the semifinals and have seven remaining in the consolation bracket.
Beaufort High is seventh with 28 points and has nine wrestlers left in the mix, including three semifinalists. The host Bobcats have one semifinalist and seven wrestlers left in the consolation bracket, and Colleton County has three wrestlers still fighting for a medal.
The wrestlers who won their quarterfinal matches Friday night moved within one win of qualifying for the state tournament, while those in the consolation bracket have to win as many as three in most weight classes to extend their seasons.
At least one Lowco wrestler is guaranteed to advance to the finals, because Hilton Head’s Darnell Brawner and May River’s EJ Seman will square off in the semifinals at 145 pounds. There is the potential for Lowco-on-Lowco clashes in the finals of up to five weight classes with area wrestlers competing in the semifinals on opposite sides of the bracket. Beaufort’s Tayriq Legree and May River’s Emilio Mendoza are in the semis at 120, Hilton Head’s Drew Vigh and May River’s Isaiah Wysong are on a collision course for another showdown at 132, Beaufort’s Peter Adam Burvenich and Hilton Head’s Devin Espinoza could square off at 160, May River’s Gabe Juarez and Hilton Head’s Chris Crosby are in the semis at 170, and Beaufort’s Colton Phares and May River’s Chris Snowden will try to earn a Region 7-4A rematch at 182.
Hilton Head High’s William Jakeway (106), Zao Estrada (113), KJ Holland (152), and Carter Saleeby (195) are also in the semis, along with May River’s Santiago Rueda (138), and Bluffton’s Israel Salmeron (220).
Wrestling resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday.
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