Week 7: Region 3 State Dual Championship Qualifying Tournament
The opening Shot.
Week seven of the 2025 – 2026 Greenbrier East Wrestling season is in the books. This week was the week of the important Region 3 State Dual Championship Qualifying Tournament. Because of the importance of this tournament, both the men and women of the team were needed to compete, and the women wrestled in the dual qualifier rather than the Cornelious Godfrey Memorial Tournament. The contributions of all of the GEHS wresters (men and women) were essential to the success achieved by the team at the tournament.
The Week in Review.
On Friday and Saturday, January 16 and 17 GEHS wrestled in the Region 3 State Dual Championship Qualifying Tournament. This tournament determined who would represent Region 3 in the prestigious State Dual Championship Tournament to be held February 7, 2026 at the State Fairgrounds in Fairlea, W. Va. The ten teams in Region 3 include wrestling power houses Riverside High School, Woodrow Wilson High School, George Washington High School and Oak Hill High School, as wells as Capital High School, Princeton High School, South Charleston High School, and Saint Albans High School.
In the Region 3 Dual Championship Qualifier, GEHS achieved a record of seven wins and two losses, earning a Fourth Place finish. En route to the Fourth Place finish, GEHS upset the eventual tournament Champion Riverside High School by the score of 39 to 36. While GEHS did not qualify for the State Dual Championship Tournament, our team wrestled well.
A wrestling dual meet is scored by totaling individual team points earned from each match, with the higher total score winning the competition. Points are awarded based on the margin of victory: Pins, forfeits, and defaults earn six points; technical falls earn five points; major decisions (win by 8–14 points) earn four points; and decisions (win by 1–7 points) earn three points. In this scoring system, each individual match, and the points scored in each individual match, are essential to a win. Even a three-point win can mean the difference between winning and losing a dual.
As an example, in the dual versus Riverside High School– the eventual first place team – GEHS was behind by a team score of 33 to 36 going into the last match of the dual. Heavyweight wrestler Harrison Smith stepped onto the mat needing a win to tie the match and needing at least a major decision to win. His Riverside opponent was ranked No. 4 in the state. A loss by Harrison would mean GEHS would lose the dual. Talk about pressure! Harrison was down 3 – 0 at the end of a hard fought first period. At the beginning of the second period, the Riverside wrestler escaped, scoring one point for a 4 – 0 lead. Harrison immediately scored a three point takedown of the Riverside wrestler, making the score 4 – 3. Harrison knew he needed the win for the team. Shortly after the takedown, Harrison pinned Riverside’s wrestler, winning the match, beating the fourth ranked wrestler, scoring six team points, and winning the dual against the eventual Regional Champion by the score of 39 to 36. Every wrestler and every match counts, and the pressure faced by these young men and women in these tournaments is part of the unique way in which wrestling builds character.
Part of the calculous wrestling coaches must consider in a dual meet is how to best position the individual matches to ensure team points. This requires that wrestlers sometimes wrestle up a weight class, or that the wrestler competing in a given weight class may change from match to match to take advantage of matchups against a given team or wrestler. As teams often do not disclose their lineups until a given wrestler steps on the mat, coaches must know and anticipate how another team will manage their lineup. In the Region 3 Dual Qualifier, Coach Solak and Coach Smith spent hours evaluating each team’s rosters to best position Greenbrier East wrestlers for individual and team success in the dual.
This was a full team effort, with each wrestler scoring points necessary to win. Kaden Stone led all scoring, going undefeated 9 -0 and scoring 53 team points, followed by Harrison Smith and Mason Miller, (each with eight wins and one loss) who scored 48 team points apiece. Maya Frank followed in the point totals with a tournament record of six wins and three losses, scoring 36 team points. Freshman Hunter Holcomb continued his successful season also earning a 6 – 3 record and scoring 36 team points. Kane Frank earned a 7 – 2 record and scored
34 team points; Carter Webb scored 33 team points; Keegan Barron scored 20 team points; Makaylee Bennett, Owen Edwards, and James Stewart each scored 18 team points; Elija Sherman and Izzy Blankenship each scored 12 team points; Austin Shockley scored 11 team points; and Hannah Gill and Ava Taylor each scored 6 team points, contributing valuable team points to the win. From the top to the bottom of the roster, the most experienced wrestler to the newest, from both the men and women, the team pulled together to compete.
The coaches, wrestlers, parents, supporters, and sponsors of Greenbrier East High School Wrestling congratulate the Tournament Champion Riverside High School and Runner Up Woodrow Wilson High School. Both will represent Region 3 at the West Virgia State Dual Championship. We wish them the best of luck and cannot wait to welcome them to Greenbrier County for the tournament. We also congratulate Oak Hill High School on its third place finish.
Wrestler of the Week – The Entire GEHS Wrestling Team.
Sometimes a team win, and the way a team works together to achieve it, is noteworthy in itself. In the most important dual tournament of the year, the GEHS team pulled together to earn a 7 – 2 record and upset the tournament champions. Scoring contributions came not only from the team’s state ranked wrestlers, but also from the newest and least experienced members of the team. The teamwork and sacrifice seen every day in practice was evident in the tournament.
In the Coach Solak’s own Words:
We asked Head Coach Davis Solok about the win. Here are his responses:
1) What is the importance of winning duals?
Wrestling is both an individual and a team sport. Too often, people don’t appreciate the team aspects. In a dual format, wrestlers need to wrestle for each other, for the team, and for their community. The effort of every wrestler, at every weight class, is necessary to win. When we work as a team we can see what each wrestler is capable of individually, and what we are capable of as a team.
2) What strategies go into planning for a winning dual?
One of the most important aspects of winning a dual is having multiple wrestlers at each weight class to move as chess pieces to take advantage of matchups and holes in another team’s roster. It was essential that we had our women and JV wrestlers at the tournament to capitalize on opportunities presented by how other teams managed their own rosters. This required our wrestlers to sometimes wrestle at higher weights and in different circumstances than they would in a normal tournament.
3) What are the strengths of the GEHS wrestling team?
Our team has leadership from high level and ranked wrestlers such as Kaden Stone, Mason Miller, Harrison Smith, Maya Frank, Izzy Blankenship, and Makaylee Bennett. But we also have a core of young and improving wrestlers. Kane Frank and Keegan Barron may be the most improved wrestlers on the team, showing improvement from year to year. We have younger wrestlers such as Hunter Holcomb, Carter Webb, and Sativa Dunbrack who are already competing to win tournaments. We have a strong core of young wrestlers learning and growing in the sport. I could go through our entire roster and name each wrestler and the contributions they make and how they benefit the team. The point is that each of these wrestlers work together to make each other, and the team as a whole, better.
4) Why is the “Wrestler of the Week” the entire team?
This weekend was a total team effort. The 7 – 2 record and fourth place finish were not the result of one wrestler, but an entire team. You cannot pinpoint one or two wrestlers responsible for the win. In a dual, the 6 points scored by Ava Taylor and Hannah Gill can be just as valuable as the 53 team points scored by Kaden Stone (ranked 3rd in the state), the 48 points scored by Mason Miller (Ranked 7th in the state) or Harrison Smith’s victory over an opponent ranked number 4 in the state. All of our wrestlers did well, and more importantly worked as a team. No one complained about being bumped around or wrestling up a weight class. The women showed no hesitancy to step on the mat against exceptionally good male wrestlers. This was a total team effort, and the victory belongs to all of them.
Upcoming Events.
On Friday, January 23, 2026 the women will be wrestling at the Oak Hill Her Story Maker Tournament. The tournament will be held at the Oak Hill Middle School, 350 West Oyler Avenue, Oak Hill W. Va. Wrestling begins at 5:00. This tournament is one of the few remaining “local” tournaments and we encourage everyone to come and support the team. The GEHS sponsor of our team’s participation in The Her Story Maker Tournament is Martha Hilton, Fathom Realty, 1034 Washington St East, Lewisburg, W. Va., Phone: (304) 645-7700; mhilton@fathomrealty.com; https://marthahilton.com. Martha has not only supported the program financially, but she has also been instrumental in early season organization, administration and fundraising. We are glad that GEHS wrestling is one of the many programs and nonprofit organizations Martha supports.
At the same time as the women’s tournament, Oak Hill is hosting a tournament for first year high school and JV wrestlers. This tournament will take place at the same place (Oak Hill Middle School) and same time (5:00) as the women’s tournament. This is a chance to see some of the GEHS new and upcoming wrestlers, and depth of our team. Come and give them support.
On Friday, January 23, the men will wrestle at the Woodrow Wilson Quad Tournament at Woodrow Wilson High School, 400 Stanaford Road, Beckley, W. Va. Wrestling is set to begin at 6:00. Again, this is a local tournament so come out and support our varsity team.
WV Dual Team State Championship.
The WV Dual Team State Championships will be held February 7 and 8, 2026 at the State Fair Grounds in Fairlea, West Virginia. Wrestling will take place in The West Virginia building starting at Noon on both days with the Championship matches at 3:00 p.m. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. This State Championship event brings together the top sixteen teams from across the state, including eight in Division 2 (Friday) and eight in Division 1 (Saturday). It is endorsed by the WVSSAC, sponsored by the West Virginia Wrestling Coaches Association, and hosted by the Greenbrier East Wrestling programs.
While GEHS was not successful in making the tournament, The Greenbrier East Wrestling family of programs, supporters, parents and donors, will host the program and have the great honor of running the premiere dual tournament format event in the state of West Virginia.
We look forward to crowning the 2026 champion in each division (Division 1 and Division 2). In Division 2, formerly division AA-A, Point Pleasant won the Dual State Championship in 2025, 2024, 2022, 2021, and 2020, their streak only broken by Fairmont Senior, winning the championship in 2023. In Division 1, formerly Division AAA, Parkersburg won the Dual State Championship in 2025. University High School won the tournament in 2024. In 2023, Parkersburg South capped a three year run of Championships winning the tournament in 2023, 2022, and 2021. In 2020, Parkersburg was the Tournament Champion. Greenbrier East High School last wrestled in the tournament in 2024.
The 2026 Division 1 teams are: University, John Marshall, Washington High School, Spring Mills, Riverside, Woodrow Wilson, Parkersburg, and Parkersburg South. The 2026 Division 2 teams are: Williamstown, Oak Glenn, Keyser, Moorefield, Herbert Hoover, Independence, Ripley, and Point Pleasant. We congratulate each of these teams and wish them luck.
Each year the State Dual Championship hosts a featured speaker. Past featured speakers include: 2020 Tim Flynn, Head Coach W.V.U. Wrestling — NCAA Coach of the Year; 2023 Ron Magruder, National Wrestling Hall of Fame Member (Great American); 2024 Dr. Michael Carr, 5x Academic All-American – University of Illinois; and 2025 Coach Brian Miluk, National Wrestling Hall of Fame (Lifetime achievement award). Stay tuned for the announcement of this year’s featured speaker.
The West Virginia State Dual Championship Tournament could not occur without the generous contributions of our sponsors. We are working diligently to confirm sponsors for this year’s tournament. We thank our past sponsors: Ron Magruder – National Wrestling Hall of Fame Member; The Bank of Monroe / Monroe Insurance Group; Dermatology Centers Inc. – Thomas M. Karrs, MD; NursePro Plus – Dan Estel; Peoples Bank – Annual Supporter; Rudis – Jesse Leng (M.O.W. Award); Defense Soap – Guy Sako (Sanitizing Products); Greg Elinsky – Penn State’s First 4X Wrestling All-American; Cardinal Photographics (Frank Lusher);
Novak Security; I.G.A. Supermarket; Lewisburg Walmart; Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation; James F.B. Peyton Fund; Grand Home Furnishings; Gillespies Flower and Production, Inc.; Dr. Roger Holliday / Dr. Brennen Wood; CSXIP; Jim Rohan; Mitchell Chevrolet; Alan T. Lee; LP Mineral (James L. Laurita Jr.); PAR MAR Stores; Dave Allen; FLY304 Productions; Eli- Jenny Hannan; WVMAT; Mat Time WV; Zach & Dan – Bobby’s Lawncare, LLC; Brier Properties; Northern Greenbrier Sprinkler Co.; Chic Fil A – Richard Jarrell – G.C. Sales; Gary Canterbury; Tim Holbrook Quartet– National Anthem; Alleghany T-Shirts; John Harman; Angela’s Offsite Catering; WVSSAC; Wayne Ryan / Dan Comer; W.V.S.O.M. Volunteers / E.M.S. / Security; MetroNews High School Sports – Kyle Wiggs; Nicholas Dailey, MS, LAT, ATC, PA-s – Tournament Trainer; Rob & Aby Frank – Law Firm of Robert J. Frank & Assoc., PLLC; The Ickes Family; Stewart Farley – TNT Communications.
Tickets can be purchased at the Door. All Youth Wrestlers are admitted free. WVRC 104.7 will be Live Streaming all matches. Most importantly, Thank You to all the local supporters who have helped make this event the premier State Championship in West Virginia. If you would like to sponsor this event, please feel free to reach out to me at 719 322-3985 or email me at rob@rjflaw.com.
Next Week.
Next week’s article will give results of the Her Story Maker Women’s Tournament, the Woodrow Quad Tournament, further information on the State Dual Championship Tournament, will give updates on upcoming events, and provide wrestler and donor highlights.
Live Stream. GEHS wrestling matches are now livestreamed and posted on the Greenbrier East Spartan Wrestling Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1400059887620954. If you cannot join us live, please join us online.
