Buckhannon-Upshur High School Wrestling Head Coach Jake Orr, along with assistants Levi Bender, Jordan Hart and Craig Wallace, hosted an unveiling of 2024 state champions and placers recently at the B-UHS wrestling facility. Current and former wrestlers and their families attended.
Coach Orr was honored to recognize Liam (120 lb) and Maya Garcia (132 lb) as the first siblings to win the West Virginia State Wrestling Championships in the same year. Liam was also runner-up in 2023, fifth in 2022 and sixth in 2021 in his weight class. Maya is the first female wrestler from BUHS to win a state championship.
Placers for 2024 included Ian Cornett, runner-up (113 lb) Andrew McDowell, fifth place (138 lb) Brianna Howes, runner-up (114 lb) and Emma McGinnis, runner-up (183 lb).
All coaches noted that this level of success does not come without the dedication each wrestler commits throughout the entire year while pushing through daily two-plus hour long practices and the commitment of their wrestling partners.
Each champion and placer is now recognized for their prestigious accomplishments by having their picture placed on the wall within the facility, as is tradition within the program.
