The first post-WWII High School wrestling championship in West Virginia took place in Morgantown, and included two teams - Parkersburg High and Beckley Woodrow Wilson. According to newspaper accounts, those were the only two teams in West Virginia in 1948 when wrestling was resumed after the war. These two teams wrestled first year teams from surrounding states and each wrestled the WVU Freshman squad, but did not meet each other except for this single dual meet -- which goes down in history as the first State Wrestling Championship (of the post-war era).
Parkersburg 28 Beckley 11105 - Thomas C. Radford (Beckley) d Carlyn Jackson 6-5112 - Bob Johnson (Parkersburg) d Merle Ralston 4-2 120 - Carrol Baker (Parkersburg) d Bob O'Dell 20-5 127 - Raymond Maxson (Parkersburg) d John Operchuk 13-12 133 - Denver Beckner (Parkersburg) p James Patterson 2:13 138 - Jerry Montgomery (Parkersburg) d Mike Seelinger 6-1 145 - Gene Camp (Parkersburg) d Bob Snead 7-6 155 - Graham Bush (Parkersburg) d Harry Moore 4-0 165 - Dave Friley (Beckley) d Bill Kurtz 2-0 175 - Jim Winans (Parkersburg) , trailing 2-0, won via default over Nick Rahalll due to foot injury HWT - Zernie Wickline (Beckley) p Art Gregg 0:58 Parkersburg Coach - Russ Pfalzgraf Beckley Coach - Vic Peelich Referee - "Whitey" Gwynne |
From The Charleston Gazette, March 7, 1948 |