Back-to-back! May River wrestling repeats as SC state champions

May River wrestling is state champions for the second straight year.

The Sharks defeated Travelers Rest, 31-29, on Wednesday to win the SC High School League Class 4A championship at Gilbert High School.

The championships were held at three sites in the Midlands after the playoffs were delayed because of the snowstorm a couple of weeks ago.

“Winning one is pretty special but winning two is really special,” May River coach Ashley Powell said. “Every year the team is different, and our team battled all year and did everything that was asked of them. They laid it on the line every match. We ask a lot of them, and they have sacrificed since open season last year, to summer, to holidays, and not many off days. We have some amazing coaches who pour into the kids everyday. They are the ones that make this happen. Coach C, coach Walker, coach Benjamin, coach Gio, and coach Swenson. These men mean so much to this program.

“All year we have talked about discipline over motivation. When the final wrestle blew tonight, I think discipline prevailed.”

Powell also credited other influences on his life including ones at Lake City where he began his career for making an impact on him that he tries to pass on to his kids. It was May River’s fourth state championship appearance.

“It means a lot to me because of the coaches who poured into me back in Lake City. Coach Mickey Moss, coach Tilly, coach Apicella, coach Graham, and so many more. Every day, I try to make an impact on our wrestlers like those coaches did to me.”

The championship match featured the top two ranked teams in 4A, according to scmat.com rankings. May River (27-1) was No. 1 and Travelers Rest was No. 2. The Sharks advanced to the championship with a 52-12 win over Hartsville on Saturday.

It was the second meeting between the two teams with May River winning, 37-33, on Jan. 3.

Match winners for May River were Stephano Calderon (106), Bryce Butler (113), Marcus Foulk (126), Jacob Alfonzo (138), Blake Butler (157), Henry Santiz (190) and Sean Zadroga-McNulty (215).

Zadroga-McNulty sealed the championship with a victory, and the Sharks forfeited the last match because they already clinched the championship.

“It was pretty special to see Sean seal the match for us at 215,” Powell said. “That young man had a very, very serious health scare this summer, and it was not very good. I can imagine he didn’t see his senior year starting like it did, but I think this makes it feel a little better. Total team effort tonight against a team that has state champs and state placers all over the lineup.”

With the dual season over, the Sharks will prepare for this weekend’s individual state qualifier and next week’s individual state championships in Florence.

SCHSL Wrestling Championships

Class 5A Division I

At Lexington High School

Clover 34, James Island 31

Class 5A Division II Boys

At White Knoll HS

Fort Mill 52, Lugoff-Elgin 11

Class 4A

At Gilbert HS

May River 31, Travelers Rest 29

Class 3A

At Lexington HS

West-Oak 54, Hanahan 15

Class 2A Boys

At White Knoll HS

Chesnee 70, Edisto 12

This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 8:02 AM.