Fort Frye’s Braxton Ross and Williamstown’s Thad Trent reached the 215-pound finals during Saturday’s Bob Zide Rumble as the Cadet registered a 4-1 decision. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

WILLIAMSTOWN — Here Saturday at the Bob Zide Rumble, host Williamstown finished third place and watched 126-pounder Cole Smith stand atop the podium, but defending Class AA state champion Point Pleasant topped runner-up Independence as the Big Blacks of head coach John Bonecutter had 138-pounder Gunner Andrick named Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Andrick, who improved to 39-4 following his 76-second pin of Bridgeport’s Kaleb Ice, watched fellow teammates Josh Woyan at 175 and heavyweight Thomas Richie also leave town with titles. Woyan registered a 17-0 technical fall versus Braxton County’s Eliah Moore while Richie used a third period reversal to secure a 2-1 decision against Robert C. Byrd’s Logan Fordyce.

“It might be the most teams we’ve ever had. It’s definitely if not the biggest one it’s one of the biggest,” admitted WHS boss Tyler George, whose squad finished behind Point (219) and Independence (179.5) with 171.5 points and ahead of East Fairmont (143.5) and Braxton County (140).

“We had like two more guys wake up puking this morning and they scratched. I think we were missing five or six guys, but I told the guys this morning ‘hey, it’s about you guys and not about the team goal of taking home hardware, just go out there, be competitive, wrestle hard, be coachable and everything else will work itself out,’ and that’s what happened today I think.”

Williamstown’s first opportunity at a title came in the opening match at 106 with Nick Ellison, but St. Marys’ Gage Bullman got the mat slapper in 57 seconds to improve to 29-1.

Williamstown’s Kipp Freed finished runner-up to Bridgeport’s John Knight at 157 pounds during Saturday’s Bob Zide Rumble. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Smith captured his first career Rumble crown by pinning Braxton County’s Sailor McKinney, who trailed 7-1 after one and lost via fall in 3:26.

Yellowjacket Kipp Freed’s run at the 157-pound crown ended in the finals against Bridgeport’s John Knight, who registered a takedown nine seconds in and got the pin in 4:44.

Thad Trent managed to knock off Big Black Caden Hill in the 215-pound semifinals, but wasn’t able to solve Fort Frye’s Braxton Ross. The Cadet improved to 27-6 following a 4-1 victory where he made a first period takedown stand.

“We had one champ,” added coach George. “It was tough competition and a couple matches there guys might hang their heads on that loss, but it’s the little things. It’s what you did right not what you did wrong, listening to your coaches and matches before that getting little wins.

“It makes a good day I think. He’s (Trent) giving up some weight. We bumped him up from 175 to 215 and just kind of testing the waters. It was working out or us today, I think, and it might be something we look at moving forward.”

Williamstown’s Cole Smith, pictured here nearing a pin of Braxton County’s Sailor McKinney in 3:26, was the Yellowjackets’ lone champion after his 126-pound finals victory at Saturday’s Bob Zide Rumble. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Aside from Bullman and the ‘Jacket Smith, the Little Kanawha Conference also had finals victories thanks to Doddridge County 113-pounder Trey McDonough, South Harrison 120-pounder Maddox Lewis and Braxton County 150-pounder Paxton Smith, who fought through a trio of blood time stoppages to top Point Pleasant’s Bobby Miller via a 13-3 major decision. The Bulldog used 3:18 to secure his title by fall versus Calhoun County’s Reese Schoolcraft and the Hawk pinned Ritchie County’s Zayden Cordeiro in 20 seconds.

East Fairmont crowned a pair of champions thanks to 144-pounder Blake Ringer’s 21-6 technical fall versus Big Black Mars Coste as well as 165-pound teammate Tony Preolitti’s pin of Independence’s Brayden Hart in 3:17.

Jesse Adams of Independence was hit with a late stall point just before his 190-pound battle with Bridgeport’s Eli Knight came to a close, but the Indian ended up on the wrong side of a 7-4 decision as the Patriot improved to 34-0.

In the 132-pound finals, North Marion’s Noah Hess improved to 33-2 after he managed to pin Chapmanville’s Kaden Hensley with four ticks left in the opening period.

East Fairmont (Jackson Lilley, 113; Xaden Willett,126; LJ Diaz, 175), Independence (Tyler Varney, 120; Hunter Whittaker, 144) and Braxton County (Luke Kelly, 132; Shawn Toler, 285) were the only teams with multiple consolation finals victors.

St. Marys’ Gage Bullman improved his record to 29-1 on Saturday at the Bob Zide Rumble when he pinned Williamstown’s Nick Ellison in 57 seconds to capture the 106-pound championship. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Also securing third-place efforts for their respective teams were Wirt County’s Mathew Balis (106), Robert C. Byrd’s Julion Lownsberey (138), Bridgeport’s Alex Naternicola (150), Tyler Consolidated’s Branson Winfrey (157), South Harrison’s Zane Harlow (165), Point Pleasant’s Cooper Craig (190) as well as Shady Spring 215-pounder Joey Cowger.

Williamstown returns to action next weekend at the WSAZ Invitational.

“That’s serous competition down there. Umpteen states represented,” added coach George who got fourth-place showings from 138-pounder Dylan Pucella and heavyweight Miles Flanigan. “That’s just another one where it’s like ‘guys go have fun. Half the guys you are going to see are out of state or triple-A or whatever.

“It doesn’t matter. Just go out there, have fun and put some wins together.’ If we can get some guys to place that’s a good weekend and just go be in that environment getting ready for the state tournament in the same area, that’s half the reason we go.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com