Littleton leads group of 13 Fairmont wrestlers who placed at junior state championships
May 15—FAIRMONT — It wasn't in any way a normal nor smooth journey to the top of the podium, but Rivesville Elementary wrestler Michael Littleton and several of his West Fairmont Junior Wrestling Club teammates made history nonetheless last weekend at the 44th West Virginia Junior State Wrestling Championships in Parkersburg.
Littleton, age 6, headlined a group of four total state champions and 13 overall place finishers from the West Fairmont Junior Wrestling Club at the junior state championships, as he capped off an undefeated 16-0 season to win the UG heavyweight state title.
Littleton, who lives in Fairmont, tore through his bracket at the state championships on Parkersburg, as he finished with a 3-0 record, with two wins by pin and another by a 4-0 decision to take home the championship. Littleton, who entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed in his bracket, won his first match by pin in 23 seconds, his semifinal match by pin in 35 seconds, and his championship match by a 4-0 decision.
Littleton made his championship run last weekend as an independent wrestler coached by his parents, Michael Littleton and Amanda Berry, after the West Fairmont Junior Wrestling Club opted out of this season due to COVID-19. Littleton is also a member of Felix Wrestling Academy.
Alongside Littleton's undefeated state championship in the U6 Division, 12 other West Fairmont Junior Wrestling Club wrestlers finished the W.Va. Junior State Wrestling Championships with place finishes, including three other state champions.
In the 9-10-year-old division, Dominick Frisenda and Savion Huggins claimed individual state championships, with Frisenda winning the 80-pound weight class and Huggins taking the 115-pound crown.
And in the 13-15-year-old division, Kaleb Arbogast won the heavyweight class state championship.
Another three West Fairmont Junior Wrestling Club wrestlers reached their respective state title matches and took state runner-up. Tanner Woodman finished runner-up in the 11-12-year-old division in the 115-pound weight class, while each of Triston Willis and Alex Naternicola came in second place in the 13-15-year-old division. Willis placed second in the 98-pound class, while Naternicola finished as runner-up in the 125-pound class.
Additional place finishers included two third place finishes, two fourth place finishes, a fifth place finish, and a sixth place finish.
Finishing in third place were William Stewart (11-12-year-old division — 115 pounds) and Jason Walker 13-15-year-old division — 105 pounds). And finishing in fourth place were Esme Stewart (7-8-year-old division — 50 pounds) and Bryce Nichols (13-15-year-old division — 92 pounds).
The lone fifth place finisher was Dylan Apanowicz (11-12-year-old division — heavyweight), while the lone sixth place finisher was Brayden Evans (7-8-year-old division — 60 pounds).
