Two individual champions and a runner-up showing in the team standings highlighted Christian County’s day at the Region 1 Wrestling Tournament Saturday in Cadiz.
Jakerion Merritt not only won the region in the 132-pound weight class last season — he went on to capture the state championship as well.
Merritt, a senior who is undefeated this season, now owns a 145-pound regional championship as well. Merritt went 3-0 at the regional. He won his first two matches by pin, then decisioned Union County’s Trevor Pogue 4-2 in the first-place match.
Meanwhile, senior teammate Niko Bussell claimed his first championship at 220 after three straight runner-up finishes in that class. Bussell picked up pins in his first two matches, then defeated Union County’s Darius Moore 8-2 in the finals.
At 106, JaRi Campbell was runner-up to Caldwell County’s Collin Teutsch, dropping a 14-4 decision in the championship match.
Gage Fowler was runner-up at 113, dropping a close 4-2 decision to Trayce Eckman of Union County in the finals.
Ethan Wells was second at 126, falling only to Caldwell County’s Dylan Walls 10-9 in the championship match.
Cameron Coleman was runner-up at 182 pounds. He was pinned by Union County’s Micah Ervin in the finals.
TyDarius Kelly was second at heavyweight, bowing only to Matthias Ervin of Union County 3-2 in the championship round.
Four other Colonels placed third — Austin Grant-Hall at 138, Neal Aldridge at 160, J.T. Adams at 170 and A.J. Harvey at 195.
The top four in each class earn a berth in the state wrestling tournament Feb. 14-15 at Alltech Arena in Lexington.
Other regional medalists for Christian were Caleb Anderson, who was fifth at 152; Nathan Hale, who placed sixth at 120; and Mason Kellett, sixth at 132.
Union County won the team championship on Saturday. It was the 17th straight regional title for the Braves.
Union had 12 wrestlers reach the finals and has qualified 13 wrestlers for next week’s state tourney.
