BOILING SPRINGS – The Blythewood Bengals wrestling program qualified seven total wrestlers—five men and two women—for the 5A State Championships. Following a solid performances at the Upper State Qualifiers in Boiling Springs, these athletes are now headed to Florence to compete for the ultimate prize.
The BenGALS Make Their Mark
The women’s program will be represented by two standouts who battled through a deep Upper State bracket. Senior Audra Petroff (155 lbs) put on a clinic, finishing as the Upper State Championship Runner-Up. Petroff, who placed fourth in the state last season, returns for her second straight trip to the finals with a 40-10 record.
Joining her is junior Kami Burba (140 lbs), who secured fourth place at the Upper State meet to earn her first-ever State Championship appearance. Burba brings a 33-9 record into the season’s final weekend.
Powered by Veteran Leadership
On the men’s side, the Bengals are led by Head Captain Elijah Johnson. The senior (157 lbs) placed fifth at the qualifier to secure his third straight trip to state. Johnson is currently the program’s statistical leader with 139 career victories and a 46-13 record this season.
He is joined by fellow senior Jeremy Galloway (HWT), who placed sixth to earn his second consecutive state appearance. Galloway has amassed 97 victories in the past two years, including 48 wins this season.
Senior Dillan Boyer (113 lbs) also punched his second straight ticket to state with a sixth-place finish. With 112 career wins, Boyer currently has a 41-15 overall record. With a 38-22 record, Anthony Bussell (175 lbs) earned his first career qualifying spot by placing seventh at Upper State. Rounding out the men’s qualifiers is sophomore co-captain Edyan Figueroa (144 lbs), who placed fifth to become a two-time qualifier in just his second season. Figueroa’s overall record is 48-15.
The seven Bengals will travel to Florence this weekend, Feb. 20-21, to represent Blythewood on the state’s biggest stage.