BUCYRUS — Bluffton, despite a late start due to its football success, won a contested tournament at the 37th annual Bucyrus Pool Invitational wrestling tournament Saturday at Alex Kish Memorial Gymnasium.
Bluffton (140) nudged Lorain (126) and Bucyrus (115) for top honors as the three teams exchanged the top spot for most of the tourney. The Redmen were also third last year.
The Pirates completed a 13-2 grid season and made it to the state semifinals in Division VI under head coach Jeffrey Richards, who also directs the mat program.
“It’s our first tournament of the year and we’re about three weeks in due to the football team. We’ve got a lot of young guys,” he said.
“We only have two seniors and a lot of light weights that are freshmen. Getting kids from football to wrestling is huge. It’s something I’m still chippin’ away at.”
Fifteen teams participated, including new schools in Riverdale, Oregon Clay, Tiffin Calvert, and Smithville. A field of nearly 200 wrestlers worked off the three mats.
Redmen head coach Shane Kokensparger was pleased with the tournament and with his team’s competitiveness.
Daren Yaussy was 3-0 at 175 and took first in his weight class. Sophomore Hayden Butcher (215) took first, and junior Grady Weber (126) finished third.
“Butcher was undefeated coming in and Butcher and Maurico Martinez (175) had one loss,” Kokensparger said. “Yaussy was injured and just came back. Butcher won the Tom Ellis. It’s promising for him and he’s looking really good.”
Butcher won by 4-3 decision over Matthew Handel of Kenton to go 5-0 for the tournament.
“Grady Weber is battle tested and he’s only a junior. He made a hard cut to 126 today. He lost on a coin flip at Madison in a tiebreaker.”
Weber lost to Abraham Baldwin (Upper Sandusky) by technical fall.
The Redmen finished eighth at Madison Invitational out of 21 teams and beat Ontario 35-33 in a dual meet on Thursday night.
“They were missing a couple of elite kids, but we were able to match up. We did some bumping and we
did some strategy. We bumped Wyatt Makeever up to 175.”
Makeever, a freshman, finished sixth at 165 on Saturday.
Redmen Kadan Vaughn was fifth at 138, senior Donald Fox placed fourth at 190 and sophomore Jason Vallmar took sixth at 215.
Other than 106, Bucyrus had all weight classes filled.
“We’re lucky to have 15 kids. We’re real competitive right now. They’ve got to find the reason why — and I can’t find it for them,” Kokensparger said.
“We have four seniors and a very nice middle school team that just won the Upper Sandusky tournament with five champions.
Mohawk head coach Brad Rice brought six wrestlers, including freshmen.
One of those freshmen, Aden Patrizi, took second at 138. Juniors Troy Johnson third at 150 and Hezekiah Ramirez placed sixth at 144.
“We have 15 on the roster and a couple kids who just got out of football. With hydration they just aren’t ready yet,” Rice said.
“The kids that were able to get practice at the beginning of the season, we brought them.”
The Warriors have Edison and the Mohawk Duals coming up next week.
“We’re hoping to get our lineup solidified for those. Two seniors, Lance Frankart and Braylan Mullholand, are returning.
“Braylan is at 215 and he’s been a staple for us. He’s a solid wrestler and we expect a lot from him. Last year Lance got in the lineup and wrestled at league. He was injured and took second for us,” Rice noted.
Last year Mohawk won the Northern 10 Athletic Conference team championship.
“We have between 15 and 20 from year to year. We just try to keep the room as competitive as possible and try to make sure everyone has a competitive partner,” he said.
Buckeye Central head coach Rocky Ranker has just four varsity wrestlers, as a few left the program earlier this season.
Freshman Austin Bogner took fifth place at 175 pounds.
“I’m pretty excited with him coming in. A few new kids as sophomores wanted to try it, and Jayden Ash (190) returns after being in districts last year,” Ranker said.
The future appears bright for the Bucks.
“The junior high program is wrestling down by Wooster today and doing very well. I’m pretty excited about the eighth graders coming up. We can practice together and it’s nice because they will be trained the way I like all wrestlers to be.”
TEAM SCORES
1. Bluffton 140.0
2. Lorain 126.0
3. Bucyrus 119.0
4. Ashland 100.0
5. Smithville 79.5
6. Riverdale 76.5
7. Clay High School 75.5
8. Upper Sandusky 51.5
9. Triway 50.0
10. Calvert Catholic 48.5
11. Northwood 47.5
12. Kenton High 41.5
13. McComb 35.0
14. Mohawk 30.0
15. Buckeye Central 21.5 Full results at https://www.trackwrestling.com
KOOPER MCCABE MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL
GALION — The host Tigers placed second to Olentangy Orange on Saturday, 222-208, in a highly competitive tournament.
Gradey Harding (126) and Carter Trukovich (132) won their respective weight classes. Both were state qualifiers last year with Harding taking second and Trukovich fifth.
Ryder Alberty (138) took top honors, while Kane Hay took fourth at 144, Blake McDaniel was second at 165 and Brice McDaniel placed fourth at 175.
Seneca East finished eighth in the 14-team field, led by Nicholas Parks’ championship at 144.
Teammates Elijah Cline got sixth at 165 and Braylen Depinet fifth at 175. Alex Young secured third place at 215.
Marion Harding finished seventh.
TEAM SCORES
- Olentangy Orange 220.0
- Galion 208.0
- Hubbard 185.5
- Northwestern 149.0
- Indian Lake 132.5
- Lakota 121.0
- Marion Harding 120.5
- Seneca East 119.5
- Shelby 101.0
- Elyria Catholic 83.5
- Lakewood 74.5
- Mapleton 69.0
- Mifflin 23.0
- McClain 17.0
*Bye points earned after win in pool Full results at https://www.baumspage.com/wr/galion/2024/2024%20Results.htm