Franklin Regional Junior Olympic wrestlers competed at the State Junior Wrestling Championship Tournament at the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown on March 23 and 24.

Ten of the 16 FR wrestlers who qualified to compete there placed in the top eight of their individual age and weight classes, four of whom earned the title of state champion. Franklin Regional had the most place winners and champions of any school in the state.

The road to the state championships started with wrestle-offs at Franklin Regional High School at the end of January. Wrestle-offs are a competition, open to any wrestler in the school district, ages 14 and under. The top finishers went on to the Area III Tournament at Hempfield in mid-March.

The Area III Tournament includes 16 schools in Westmoreland, Indiana and Armstrong counties. Forty-eight FR wrestlers competed there, 22 placed in the top four and 16 qualified to compete at the state championships by placing as the top two wrestlers in each of their age and weight classes. There are 11 areas in the state and with the top two place winners qualifying to wrestle there, the brackets were loaded with 22 wrestlers each.

Earning first place medals, championship jackets and the title of state champion were Andrew Farbarik, Nico Megaludis, Ben Johnson and Michael Kemerer.

Farbarik is a freshman at Franklin Regional High School, a four-time Area III champion and a two-time state champion. He also earned fifth place at a past state tournament and sixth place at the Ohio Tournament of Champions.

Megaludis is an eighth grade student at Franklin Regional Middle School. Megaludis has wrestled in the Area III tournament nine times and has seven championship titles. He has competed at states six times, placing fifth, third twice, and three times as a state champion. He also has eight national titles.

Johnson is a seventh grade student at Franklin Regional Middle School. He is a four-time Area III champion in five trips. Johnson is a two-time state champion and also had a past sixth place showing. In national tournaments, he has had second place honors at Cliff Keene and third place at the Ohio Tournament of Champions.

Kemerer is a fourth grade student at Heritage Elementary School. He has been to Areas five times, placing first, first, second, first and first. He earned first place this year at the state championships and sixth place two years ago at age 8. In national competition, Kemerer has three championship titles and three gold medals as well as past silver and bronze medals.

Also placing at states were Josh Maruca, Josh Shields, Brett Zanotto, Tyler Smith, Manny Makantone and Trevor Medlang.

Maruca, a fifth grade student at Sloan Elementary, placed second at the state championships. He is the state freestyle wrestling champion, past Area III champion, and in national competition has been on the podium for second, fourth and fifth places.

Shields is a fifth grade student at Heritage Elementary and took fifth place this year at states. He has been to Areas four times, placing first, two thirds and second.

Zanotto is a fourth grade student at Heritage Elementary and placed seventh at states. He has been to Area III four times, is a past area champion and two-time silver medalist. In national competition, he has earned second, third and sixth places.

Smith is a sixth grade student in his first year at Franklin Regional. He placed first at Area III and eighth at states. He is a past state champion and third place winner. He also earned a bronze medal at nationals.

Markantone is a seventh grade student at Franklin Regional Midddle School. He placed eighth at states this year and eighth again in a past year. He has been to Areas seven times with three championships, three silver medals and one bronze to his credit. He place fourth at the Blue/Gray Nationals.

Medlang is a an eighth grade student at Franklin Regional Middle School. He placed eighth this year at states and in a past visit took home fourth place. He is a two-time Area III champion as well as a bronze medalist.