It was time for the annual Bob Stover Classic this past Saturday. This year’s tournament was down in the number of teams that participated but not in the intensity of the wrestlers.

Whatever the reason for the teams not showing up – politics, fear, who knows – the tournament still had some great wrestling action. Some of the best teams hit the mats: Clay, Webster, Roane, Fayetteville, Oak Hill and Lincoln County.  Due to the number of teams, the tournament was played as a round robin where there would be team as well as individual awards.

The notorious one himself, Wrestling Hall of Famer Bob Stover, graced everyone’s presence for the day and shouted out advice to the grapplers as they wrestled on the mats, and they couldn’t have gotten it from anybody better. It was plain to see that the grapplers from CCHS weren’t going to go down easy. As a matter of fact, they didn’t, and they proved to be the ones to beat. Panther wrestlers had to wrestle at the top of their game to place in this tournament.

When it was over, the Panthers were once again the Bob Stover Classic Champions. Placing first in the Individual classes from Clay was Blake Sontos at 120lbs, going 5-0. Also placing first was Colton Casto at 182lbs, going 4-0, and James Bishop at 195lbs, going 5-0. Placing second was Richard Triplett at 138, Jacob Miklos at 145, and Joel Cruikshanks at 152. Jerry Rogers was third at 106. The tournament was a big success largely in part to the hard work of many volunteers who dedicated their time so that the wrestling event would be a worth while effort.  The food prepared for the coaches and the helpers was second to none as bellies got full during the breaks. The Panthers will wrestle at the LKC Championship in Calhoun County on Saturday.  Go Panthers!