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Liberty wrestlers earn state championships

Liberty High School wrestlers and coaches, including individual Class AA state champions Darien Painter and Tanner Chambers, pose after the Devils saw all six qualifiers place at the state tournament on Saturday in Anderson.

ANDERSON — Liberty High School’s wrestling program had a historic day on Saturday, as two Red Devils brought home individual Class AA state championships and four others placed in the individual state tournament at the Anderson Civic Center.

Darien Painter pinned all three of his opponents in the 152-pound weight class to earn his first state title, while Tanner Chambers won all three of his matches, including one by pin, to earn gold in the 182-pound weight class.

The performances of Painter and Chambers, combined with four other teammates who finished in the top four of their respective weight classes, helped Liberty earn the individual state tournament team championship.

Matt Frey finished 2-1 in the tournament with a pin to finish as the state runner-up in the 113-pound weight class.

The Devils’ other three state qualifiers lost in the first round Friday night, but bounced back to advance to the semifinals on Saturday.

Tristan Oglesby won three matches on Saturday, two of them in overtime, to finish in third place at 120 pounds, while Jimmy Knott also won three matches — all by pin — on Saturday to finish third at 160 pounds.

In the 138-pound class, Garrett Whitmire bounced back with a 2-1 record on Saturday to take fourth place.