The wrestling playoffs have begun around Lexington County and 15 teams qualified for the state duals tournament. 

Lexington County had two 5A Division I teams qualify. Three teams in 5A Division II, three in 4A, one in 3A and three in 2A also made the cut. 

Three teams qualified for the girls tournament. It is the first season the SCHSL is sponsoring a girls tournament and one team from Lexington County is among the favorites to win. 

The action got started on Feb. 1 with the first and second-round matches going on at the same time. The first round thinned out the amount of Lexington County teams in the postseason with eight dropping their matches. 

River Bluff fell to Byrnes in the 5A Division I tournament. White Knoll lost to Berkeley, and Irmo lost to Goose Creek in Division II. In 4A, May River beat Brookland-Cayce, and Gilbert knocked off Airport in a battle of local teams. American Leadership lost against Chester, and Batesburg-Leesville lost to Chesnee in the 2A bracket. Gilbert was the only girls team taken out in the first round, losing to Malboro County. 

Three teams were taken out in the second round. Waccamaw beat Swansea in the 3A tournament. Liberty beat Pelion in 2A. And White Knoll’s girls lost to Blythewood. 

Round three of the boys playoffs took place on Monday and of the three remaining teams, just one advanced. 

Lexington’s season came to an end after losing to Boiling Springs. The Wildcats defeated Mauldin in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. 

After beating Airport in the first round of the 4A tournament, Gilbert went on to beat another region rival in Midland Valley. The Indians advanced to a third-round match against May River, losing 57-11.

Chapin was the lone team to advance to the fourth round after beating St. James by a single point 37-36. The Eagles previously beat West Florence in the second round after earning a first-round bye. 

The Eagles take on Lugoff-Elgin in the Lower State this Wednesday. The winner advances to the team title match. 

Chapin and Lugoff-Elgin are two of the top-ranked teams in all of 5A Division II. In the latest coaches poll, Lugoff was No. 4 followed by Chapin at No. 5. 

Each team has multiple ranked wrestlers. Lugoff-Elgin leads with 11 and Chapin has four. However, the Eagles have the highest-ranked wrestler in Preston White, who is No. 1 in the 126-pound weight class.

Should the Eagles win and advance, they will participate in their 12th total team title match. Chapin has not made it to the championship match since 2019. The team has won four times but not since 1998 when they concluded a three-peat. 

Round three of the girls championship took place on Tuesday. River Bluff faced Greenwood with a trip to the first-ever girls state championship match on the line. 

The Gators girls are in year one as a program and were looking to reach the top with a group of mostly first-year wrestlers. The No. 3 ranked girls team in South Carolina faced one of its toughest tests of the season against No. 2 Greenwood. 

River Bluff came close but fell short in the end, losing 42-30. 

The boys and girls championship matches will take place on Feb. 8 at Dreher High School. 

Lexington County teams in the wrestling playoffs

5A Division I results

Round One

Byrnes defeats River Bluff

Round Two

Lexington defeats Mauldin

Round Three

Boiling Springs defeats Lexington

5A Division II results

Round One

Berkeley defeats White Knoll; Goose Creek defeats Irmo

Round Two

Chapin defeats West Florence

Round Three

Chapin defeats St. James

Round Four

Chapin vs. Lugoff-Elgin (Feb. 5)

4A results

Round One

May River defeats Brookland-Cayce; Gilbert defeats Airport

Round Two

Gilbert defeats Midland Valley

Round Three

May River defeats Gilbert

3A results

Round One

Swansea defeats Georgetown 

Round Two

Waccamaw defeats Swansea

2A results

Round One

Pelion defeats Mid-Carolina; Chester defeats American Leadership Academy; Chesnee defeats Batesburg-Leesville

Round Two

Liberty defeats Pelion

Girls results

Round One

Malboro County defeats Gilbert; White Knoll defeats Hilton Head; River Bluff defeats South Pointe

Round Two

Blythewood defeats White Knoll; River Bluff defeats Lancaster 

Round Three

Greenwood defeats River Bluff