Harrison County rolls to a repeat at regional wrestling championships
Harrison County’s reigning Region 6 championship boys wrestling Thorobreds got to host the defense of their team crown at home on Saturday.
And nobody was going to knock them off The Hilltop.
The Thorobreds won eight of their nine individual title opportunities and garnered 12 state-qualifying top four finishes out of the sport’s 14 divisions to run away with a second straight team title and barrel into this week’s state championships on a gallop.
“I have an excellent group of seniors, and it’s bittersweet to give them an opportunity to win on their home turf one more time and do it in dominating fashion,” said Harrison County coach Josh Ashbrook, who repeated as region coach of the year and has seven seniors among his 12 wrestlers headed to state. “Eight-for-nine in the region finals is something to be proud of and it’s just a testament to their hard work and dedication throughout the years in this program.”
Lexington teams will send 20 wrestlers to the two-day KHSAA Boys/Co-ed State Wrestling Championships on Thursday and Friday at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena. Henry Clay led the way for the city with eight qualifiers, including 175-pound champion Frank Niyonyishu. Paul Laurence Dunbar’s Drake Wimsatt claimed the 126 title.
Harrison County ‘all business, all day’
Harrison County’s Brock Sexton had only one loss all season in the 215 division and had a chance to avenge it in Saturday’s finals against Lafayette’s Jeffrey Temprano.
“He’s a tough opponent who beat me a few months back. … It feels good to get your ‘get-back’ and just dominate on the mat,” said Sexton, who claimed an 11-2 major decision finals win and was named the meet’s most outstanding wrestler. “That’s my goal this year: to just dominate everybody I wrestle.”
Sophomore Daniel Switzer ranked among Harrison’s top seeds, but he didn’t take anything for granted.
“I was nervous, of course. I’m always nervous. Who isn’t? But I was very confident in my ability,” Switzer said. “It was just focusing on the next match that was there. Don’t look ahead.”
Switzer pinned Bryan Station’s Charles Farley 1:46 into the first round for his first region title and perhaps his first celebration injury.
“My hamstring cramped up right after I got up. I was so excited I flexed too hard,” Switzer said with a laugh.
In the 285 division, Harrison’s CJ White entered as the fourth seed. He walked out as champion after his finals opponent resigned due to an injury during the finals. White led the match at the time. He’s hoping he and the team can keep it going at state.
“We did great. We always do great,” White said. “We’re just ready for the next step up, the state tournament. I’ll try my best to get to the top — as hard as I can.”
Among Harrison County’s other champions, Jackson Wells took the 120 title as top seed a year after winning region at 113 pounds. George Dennis won 144 last season and took the 157 title this year.
Matt Wasson won at 138 and Austin Brinegar won 144 after each finished runner-up in lighter divisions last season. Karsyn Sumpter won 165, improving on his third at 150 a year ago.
The Thorobreds claimed their eight titles with three pinfalls, a technical fall, three major decisions and a medical forfeit, all bonus-point wins accounting for 41 points of their 300.5-213 margin over second place Great Crossing.
“The kids were locked in from the minute we got here, and it’s been all business, all day,” Ashbrook said.
Dramatic Dunbar comeback; steady win for Henry Clay
Paul Laurence Dunbar’s Drake Wimsatt said he wasn’t too concerned going into the final round of the 126 finals against Great Crossing’s Miguel Fransisco, despite trailing 6-3.
“I felt pretty good going into it. I knew the kid was going to be pretty quick, but I knew if I just wrestled my match and kept my head right, that I’d be able to pull through in the end,” he said.
The deficit troubled Dunbar coach Kevin Case a bit, though.
“I got a little worried, but I knew we had a lot of time and I know Drake is a solid wrestler all-around,” Case said. “He stuck with it, and Drake does what Drake does.”
Wimstatt leveled the match with a takedown for three points at the onset of the third round. He got the pin a short time later.
“When I got that final take down and threw him over, I knew, right there, I had him,” Wimsatt said. “Because I just felt him gas out. And I knew I had a lot left in me.”
Henry Clay’s Frank Niyonyishu scored all three points of his 3-1 finals win at 175 over Great Crossing’s Cameron Green in a takedown seconds before time ran out in the first round. He frustrated every one of his opponent’s attacks from there, including a bull-like rush at the end.
“Usually in my matches, I end up in a crazy scramble, and I’m not the most experienced guy, so I don’t usually come out on top of those,” said Niyonshu, a senior in his second year wrestling. “Coach (Andy Critchfield) just told me to stick to the fundamentals, and I’m pretty good at those.”
Two champs for East Jessamine, one for West and Great Crossing
Great Crossing’s Deacon Cano got a quick takedown for a 9-6 sudden victory in overtime against Frederick Douglass’ Keith Johnson to lead a Warhawks contingent that will send nine wrestlers to state, second only to Harrison County.
East Jessamine seniors Logan Plummer at 106 and Miles Smith at 150 each scored blowout major decisions finals wins. Plummer finished runner-up a year ago. Smith took third in the 144 division.
West Jessamine junior Myles Mitchell pinned Bourbon County’s Jayden Muratalla 1:40 into the first round to win the 113 title. He placed fourth in the division as a sophomore and entered as the second seed year.
2026 Region 6 Boys/Coed Wrestling Championships
From Saturday’s results at Harrison County High School, Cynthiana. Individual state qualifiers (top four) listed. Complete results online at trackwrestling.com.
Most outstanding wrestler: Brock Sexton, Harrison County.
Coach of the year: Josh Ashbrook, Harrison County.
106: 1. Logan Plummer, East Jessamine; 2. Noe Rodriguez, Harrison County; 3. Clay Atchison, Great Crossing; 4. Tanner Magee, Grant County.
113: 1. Myles Mitchell, West Jessamine; 2. Jayden Muratalla, Bourbon County; 3. Nathan Dillingham, Grant County; 4. Brayden Schumann, Henry Clay.
120: 1. Jackson Wells, Harrison County; 2. Kadham Alghanemi, Lafayette; 3. Joe Carr, Great Crossing; 4. Gavin Clem, George Rogers Clark.
126: 1. Drake Wimsatt, Paul Laurence Dunbar; 2. Miguel Fransisco, Great Crossing; 3. Justin Munoz, Henry Clay; 4. Ty Blankenship, Bourbon County.
132: 1. Deacon Cano, Great Crossing; 2. Keith Johnson, Frederick Douglass; 3. Sergio Vasquez Gomez, Lafayette; 4. Jayden Fulz, Harrison County.
138: 1. Mat Wasson, Harrison County; 2. Blake Murdock, Great Crossing; 3. Elliot Ortinski, Henry Clay; 4. AJ Falk, Scott County
144: 1. Austin Brinegar, Harrison County; 2. Trae White, Henry Clay; 3. Jaxon Franks, Grant County; 4. Levi Howard, Lexington Christian.
150: 1. Miles Smith, East Jessamine; 2. JaiMerion Young, Henry Clay; 3. Branson Fain, Harrison County; 4. Juan Ramirez, Scott County.
157: 1. George Dennis, Harrison County; 2. Brock Heidle, George Rogers Clark; 3. Steven Velazquez-Estrada, Bryan Station; 4. Faimy Victorin, Lafayette.
165: 1. Karsyn Sumpter, Harrison County; 2. Jeremy Marks, Great Crossing; 3. Msabaha Sumaili, Henry Clay; 4. Noah Warner, Bourbon County.
175: 1. Frank Niyonyishu, Henry Clay; 2. Cameron Green, Great Crossing; 3. Mijaia Dunn, Mercer County; 4. Dray Roberts, Harrison County.
190: 1. Daniel Switzer, Harrison County; 2. Charles Farley, Bryan Station; 3. Ashton Hackney, Great Crossing; 4. Gunner Patrick, Grant County.
215: 1. Brock Sexton, Harrison County; 2. Jeffrey Temprano, Lafayette; 3. Bode Darland, Lexington Christian; 4. Jackson Kincer, Henry Clay.
285: 1. CJ White, Harrison County; 2. Michael Braunm, Great Crossing; 3. Fernando Cruz, Bryan Station; 4. Jamison Dunn, Lexington Christian.
Team standings: 1. Harrison County, 300.5; 2. Great Crossing, 213; 3. Henry Clay, 180.5; 4. Lafayette, 87.5; 5. Grant County, 85; 6. Mercer County, 82.5; 7. Bryan Station, 81.5; 8. Scott County, 80.5; 9. Bourbon County, 79; 10. George Rogers Clark, 69; 11. Lexington Christian, 59; 12. East Jessamine, 57.5; 13. Frederick Douglass, 54.5; 14. Paul Laurence Dunbar, 53; 15. West Jessamine, 45; 16. Tates Creek, 20.5.
Team points guide: Championship bracket — 6 team points (pin, forfeit, injury default, disqualification win); 5 points (“technical fall” win by 15 or more); 4 points (“major decision,” win by 8-14); 3 points (win by 7 or less). Consolation bracket — 1/2 point for consolation match wins.
Coming up
Thursday and Friday: KHSAA Boys/Co-ed State Wrestling Championships at Alltech Arena.
Saturday: KHSAA Girls State Wrestling Championships at Alltech Arena.
