COLUMBIA -- For the second straight year, Chesterfield ended Bamberg-Ehrhardt's run for a state wrestling title with a 61-6 victory Saturday at Ridge View High School.

The Red Raiders got off to a good start thanks to an opening victory by David Wilson by pinning Matt Moore. However, those were the only points that B-E were able to put on the board. From that point on, the Golden Rams pulled off 13 straight wins -- seven of those wins coming by decision -- to take home their fourth title in the last five years.

"I don't think the score is indicative of how the match went," Red Raiders head coach Derek Ayers said. "Last year, we came in wide-eyed and we weren't ready to be in the state championship match. This year, we were still young, but we came to compete. We had a lot more 6-minute matches and a lot of matches that were really close right at the end."

Chesterfield's Dalton Harper won his 211th match against Kwabena Asare to break the state's all-time record for wins.

"The fact that he did it in a team state championship match and (this) being the third team he's a part of that and has won a state championship makes it that much more special," Golden Rams head coach Lance Abernathy said.

Although they didn't leave with the championship trophy, Bamberg-Ehrhardt was able to gain something from Saturday's competition.

"Our young kids have seen the best in the state and they didn't back down," Ayers said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to build on it next year."

The Red Raiders may not have gotten the desired result, but Ayers believes they have nothing to hang their heads about.

"I'm proud that we finished second in the state," he said, "and I'm proud of the direction we're going as a team. The kids are still working hard. We're still young. So I'm happy for that."

For the Red Raiders and the Golden Rams, the season isn't over yet. They will both be competing in the Lower State Individuals at Aynor High School next weekend.

-- T&D Sports Writer Emery Glover can be reached by e-mail at eglover@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5532. Check out his blog, Cover 2, at www.thetandd.com.

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