UPPER MARLBORO — With a ceremonial raising of his arm, Kent County High School senior Tye Bellarin on Saturday celebrates his state championship after defeating Queen Anne’s senior Landon Shanks, 6-5, in the title bout at 132 pounds of the Class 1A/2A state wrestling tournament.
Bellarin is the program’s first state champ since 2003 when Trey Kohl won the second of his two championships, and the first Trojan to reach the finals since Justin Peacock was the runner-up at 170 pounds in 2014.
Bellarin defeated Shanks for the third Saturday in a row — a run that began with a 4-1 decision in the semifinals of the Bayside Conference tournament on Feb. 21 and included a second-period pin in the finals of the state-qualifying 1A/2A East Region tournament on Feb. 28.
The state tournament was held March 5-6-7 at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, where champions were crowned and the top six place-finishers in each of 14 weight classes were recognized in the 1A/2A and 3A/4A brackets.
Kent County senior co-captain Scottie Ford placed fourth at 165 pounds, reaching the consolation finals for the second year in a row.
In the Class 3A/4A tournament, Stephen Decatur senior Elijah Collick pinned down his fourth state title — at 106, 113, 126 and now 132 pounds.
That may be of interest to readers of The Evening Enterprise because one of Bellarin’s two losses this year is to Collick in the finals of the Bayside Conference tournament.
Collick (46-1) has committed to the University of Nebraska.
The Evening Enterprise will have a full report on the state wrestling tournament in a future edition.
— Photo by Dan Zottarelli
