Baxter bounced at states
HERSHEY — Cole Baxter's season ended abruptly.
Baxter, a 171-pound junior at Butler, lost to Jared Kay of Hazelton Area, 3-1, in a Class AAA second-round consolation match at the state wrestling tournament Friday.
Baxter entered the tournament with a 36-1 record, his lone loss coming in the WPIAL finals to undefeated Tyler Wilps of Chartiers Valley.
Last year at 145 pounds, Baxter placed fifth in the state tournament.
Wes Phipps, a 160-pound sophomore at Grove City, stayed alive in the Class AA tournament Friday with two wins in the consolation rounds.
Phipps lost 9-4 to Eric Hess in the quarterfinals before downing Nolan Greenwald and Tyler Gargano in the second- and third-round consolations.
Phipps is guaranteed to place at the tournament. He was scheduled to wrestle Ryan Mauer of Schuylkill Valley in a fourth-round consolation match Saturday.
