Central and Southern tournament roundups for Jan. 21

By Curt Herron

LeRoy/Tri-Valley captures top honors at its Randy Bowman Invitational

LeRoy/Tri-Valley captured top honors at its own Randy Bowman Invitational after scoring 210.5 points, which was 13 points better than runner-up Auburn, who had 197.5 points. It was the team’s third  invite title of the season, adding to first-place efforts at the Saint Thomas More New Year’s Challenge and at Metamora. El Paso-Gridley (158.5), Princeton (137), Oakwood/Salt Fork (128), Westville (123.5), Illini Bluffs (107.5), Oregon (100) and Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin (92) were next in line in the 20-team event.

Title winners Brady Mouser (106), Kobe Brent (113) and Tyson Brent (170) led coach Brady Sant Amour’s champion Panthers. Brock Owens (126) and Jacob Bischoff (220) finished second, Colton Prosser (132) took third, Ethan Conaty (160) placed fourth, Jack Green (138), Connor Lyons (145) and Drendon Stickling (195) were fifth and Tate Sigler (285) took sixth. 

“I would say Saturday was a great team effort, 11 of our 13 wrestlers fought their way into a place match,” Sant Amour said. “All 13 wrestlers scored points for their team. I’m looking forward to seeing how this group finishes the season.”

Top performers for coach Matt Grimm’s runner-up Trojans were champions Joey Ruzic (120), Dresden Grimm (138) and Cole Edie (285) while Colby Willhite (160) and Skylar Fay (182) took third place and Walker Britz (126) and Joey Barrow (170) finished fourth.

The other eight Randy Bowman Invite champions were Illini Bluffs’ Ian O’Connor (132) and Paul Ishikawa (145), El Paso-Gridley’s Dax Gentes (160) and Parker Duffy (195), Shelbyville’s Calvin Miller (126), Oregon’s Grant Stender (152), Westville’s Craig Johnson (182) and Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin’s Nathaniel Gnaden (220).

Oakwood/Salt Fork had four second-place finishers, Tyler Huchel (113), Reef Pacot (145), Bryson Capansky (152) and Dalton Brown (170). Also finishing second were Princeton’s Augustus Swanson (106) and Ace Christiansen (132), Dwight’s Dylan Crouch (120), Illini Bluffs’ Jackson Carroll (138), Deer Creek-Mackinaw’s Gage Sweckard (160), El Paso-Gridley’s Cody Langland (182), Warrensburg-Latham’s Walker Allen (195) and Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin’s Hunter Wilson (285).

Individuals who reached the title mat who have the best records are Ishikawa (36-0, 1.000), Gentes (36-1. 973), Grimm (24-1, .960), Ruzic (37-2, .949), Wilson (35-2, .946), Edie (33-2, .943), Mouser (33-2, .943), Pacot (32-2, .941), Johnson (14-1, .933), Miller (33-3, .917) and Tyson Brent (29-3, .906). Gentes and Stender led the way with 29 team points while Edie and Grimm had 28, Mouser and Ruziv had 27.5 points, Tyson Brent collected 27 team points and 

Duffy, Gnaden, Johnson and Miller all recorded 26 team points.

Others who took third place were Princeton’s Carlos Benavidez (138) and Augie Christiansen (145), Eureka’s Derrick Wiles (152) and Landon Wierenga (220), Oakwood/Salt Fork’s Brayden Edwards (106), Warrensburg-Latham’s Logan Roberts (113), Illini Bluffs’ Avery Speck (120),

Westville’s Garyson McBride (126), Dwight’s Austin Burkhardt (170), Oregon’s Quentin Berry (195) and Knoxville’s William Stowe (285).

Also finishing fourth were El Paso-Gridley’s Logan Gibson (120) and Tyler Roth (138), Westville’s Hayden Weaver (132) and Tre Ramirez (220), Princeton’s Casey Etheridge (152) and Cade Odell (285), Warrensburg-Latham’s Charlie Wittmer (106),  Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin’s Landen Toellner (113), Shelbyville’s Kaz Fox (145), Oakwood/Salt Fork’s Harley Grimm (182) and Peoria Heights’ Isaac Coleman (195).

The invitational is named in honor of Randy Bowman, a 1994 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee who was a three-sport coach in LeRoy who led the wrestling program for 23 seasons, posting a 407-89-5 dual meet record, which was good for an 82 percent win rate leading the Panthers.

Championship Matches of LeRoy/Tri-Valley’s Randy Bowman Invitational

106 – Brady Mouser (LeRoy/Tri-Valley) F Augustus Swanson (Princeton)

113 – Kobe Brent (LeRoy/Tri-Valley) D 4-2 Tyler Huchel (Oakwood/Salt Fork)

120 – Joey Ruzic (Auburn) F 3:00 Dylan Crouch (Dwight)

126 – Calvin Miller (Shelbyville) D 8-3 Brock Owens (LeRoy/Tri-Valley)

132 – Ian O’Connor (Illini Bluffs) D 3-2 Ace Christiansen (Princeton)

138 – Dresden Grimm (Auburn) F 3:17 Jackson Carroll (Illini Bluffs)

145 – Paul Ishikawa (Illini Bluffs) D 3-2 Reef Pacot (Oakwood/Salt Fork)

152 – Grant Stender (Oregon) MD 11-2 Bryson Capansky (Oakwood/Salt Fork)

160 – Dax Gentes (El Paso-Gridley) MD 8-0 Gage Sweckard (Deer Creek-Mackinaw)

170 – Tyson Brent (LeRoy/Tri-Valley) MD 14-4 Dalton Brown (Oakwood/Salt Fork)

182 – Craig Johnson (Westville) D 6-1 Cody Langland (El Paso-Gridley)

195 – Parker Duffy (El Paso-Gridley) F 3:35 Walker Allen (Warrensburg-Latham)

220 Nathaniel Gnaden (Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin) D 5-4 Jacob Bischoff (LeRoy/Tri-Valley)

285 – Cole Edie (Auburn) F 0:25 Hunter Wilson (Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin)

Marion rolls to championship at the Blackcat Brawl

Nine titles, three seconds and two thirds helped Marion to dominate Goreville/Vienna’s Blackcat Brawl, which took place in Vienna. Marion won the championship with 268 points, which was well ahead of second-place Red Bud/Valmeyer (117). Other top finishers in the 14-team event were Goreville/Vienna (90), Sparta (86), Harrisburg (78) and Johnston City (57).

Capturing titles for coach Darren Lindsey’s champion Wildcats were Max Wade (120), Brennan Vogt (126), Tate Miller (132), Hunter Gibb (138), Caleb Ohnesorge (145), Malakei Weatherly (182), Jordyn Beverly (195), Bryan Madinger (220) and Kanye Gunn (285).

Placing second were Caden Frey (152), Justin Murphy (160) and Jahkeem McDade (220) while Reddick Cook (113) and Dustin Melvin (120) were third and Grayson Sanders (152) took fifth.

Leading the way for coach Rob Pipher’s runner-up Musketeers were champions Mitch Fleming (160) and Jack Ford (106) and second-place finishers Ty Carter (182) and Wyatt Hamilton. (195). Taking third were Zach Manning (132) and Alex Wolter (152) while Avery Smith (113) and Max Wolter (145) finished fourth.

Other champions were Carlyle’s Tyson Waughtel (113), Sparta’s Trevor Fath (152) and Trico’s Colin Hughey (170). Also claiming second-place finishes were Goreville’s Briley Lehmen (113), Jeremiah Pulliam (120) and Seth Hook (170), Trico’s Kreighton Downen (126), Harrisburg’s Kahmari Terry (132), Sparta’s Josue Cosme-Lopez (138), Metro-East Lutheran’s Elijah Schlessinger (145) and Johnston City’s Jude Beers (220).

Waughtel, the Class 1A champion at 106 a year ago who went 52-0 and is top-ranked at 113, won the title at 113 by technical fall to improve to 37-0 and was the lone unbeaten champion. Ohnesorge edged Schlessinger 7-5 at 145 in a matchup of individuals who had lost just once heading into the finals.

Top records for individuals placing first or second are Waughtel (37-0, 1.000), Ohnesorge (18-1, .947), Schlessinger (21-2, .913), Wade (32-4, .889), Hughey (28-4, .875) and Beers (23-4, .852). Fath and Weatherly tied for the most team points with 26 while Beverly, Fleming, Gibb, Gunn, Hughey and Vogt collected 24 points and Miller and Wade scored 23 team points.

Also finishing in third place were Goreville’s Bronco Morgan (138) and Matt Carter (195), Harrisburg’s Dathan Case (170) and Will Moyer (182), Sparta’s Aaron Orella (126), Salem’s Keyton King (145), Frankfort Community’s Joseph Kahl (160) and Johnston City’s Riley Randolph (285)..

Others who took fourth were Johnston City’s Gabe Lively (120) and Casey Tanner (182), Carlyle’s Carter Missey (126) and Landun Schultz (285), Metro-East Lutheran’s Carter Pryor (138) and Caleb Probasco (195), Salem’s Lyrick Black (132), Harrisburg’s Ryan Maddox (160), and Sparta’s Jayden Jones (220).

Championship Matches at Goreville/Vienna’s Blackcat Brawl boys tournament 

106 – Jack Ford (Red Bud) Bye

113 – Tyson Waughtel (Carlyle) TF 4:27 Briley Lehman (Goreville)

120 – Max Wade (Marion) TF 3:22 Jeremiah Pulliam (Goreville)

126 – Brennan Vogt (Marion) F 0:26 Kreighton Downen (Trico)

132 – Tate Miller (Marion) MD 17-3 Kahmari Terry (Harrisburg)

138 – Hunter Gibb (Marion) F 0:39 Josue Cosme-Lopez (Sparta)

145 – Caleb Ohnesorge (Marion) D 7-5 Elijah Schlessinger (Metro-East Lutheran)

152 – Trevor Fath (Sparta) F 4:48 Caden Frey (Marion)

160 – Mitch Fleming (Red Bud) F 2:21 Justin Murphy (Marion)

170 – Colin Hughey (Trico) F 4:48 Seth Hook (Goreville)

182 – Malakei Weatherly (Marion) F 1:52 Ty Carter (Red Bud)

195 – Jordyn Beverly (Marion) F 1:54 Wyatt Hamilton (Red Bud)

220 – Bryan Madinger (Marion) D 7-3 Jude Beers (Johnston City)

285 – Kanye Gunn (Marion) F 1:31 Jahkeem McDade (Marion)

Mt. Vernon girls win Blackcat Brawl, boys first at Richland County duals

Mt. Vernon scored 74 points to win the title of Goreville/Vienna’s Blackcat Brawl, which was held in Vienna and featured individuals from 12 schools. Union County, KY beat Robinson 58-53 for second place while Goreville/Vienna (49), Carbondale (47), Frankfort Community (45) and Marion (40) were next in line.

Leading the Rams were champions Madison Teriet (155) and Faith Barrett (170), runners-up Deziare’ Jones (115) and Aakira Cain (235) while Mallory Lopez (140) finished fourth. The squad easily claimed top honors despite having only six competitors.

It capped a big week for the Rams’ program, which is led by coach Alejandro Wajner, The boys won 68-11 over Richland County, 56-12 over Litchfield and 66-17 over Robinson to take the title at the Richland County Duals in Olney. The 16-2 Rams have won 16-straight dual meets.

“This was one of the biggest weeks for us and the MVTHS Wrestling team,” Wajner said. “So much growth on and off the mat. We dealt with a lot of adversity through our days leading to this weekend and still they were able to keep their composure and come out with not just one, but two team trophies. Double gold for the boys and girls this weekend. 

“Thank you to coach Ty Coleman and coach Bruce R Harris for leading our Lady Rams to victory. The boys are now riding a 16-dual win streak bringing our team record to 16-2 with conference starting this upcoming Friday against Centralia for our senior night at MVTHS.

“We had a great group of guys wrestle their hearts out at Richland County Duals. All of whom deserve individual praise but I’d say the MVP would be Jhymear Smith-Henson. We decided to bump him up in our final dual against Robinson to 220 against a much larger opponent and he was able to not only secure the win but also secure our team six points with an amazing pin that electrified the room. Outside of that we had wrestlers like Ethan Verdeyen, Dillon White, Gavin Pedigo, Kobey Elkins, Ryder Searcy, Mylze Cammack, Malikie Mays, Maddux Randal, Ethan Rivera, Mason Randall and Travis Sanders who all went undefeated for the weekend.”

Robinson third-place finishers Lilly Blankenbaker (135), Mackenzie Myers (155) and Khyiema Poole (235).

Goreville had three champions, Alivia Ming (140), Mikah Merrill (145) and Liberty McBride (190) while Robinson had two title winners, Rachel Richey (135) and Rylee Hamond (235). Other champions were Anna-Jonesboro’s Orie Dover (120), Carbondale’s Faith Loyd (125) and Union County, KY’s Tanya Bacon (105) and Sutton Fuller (115).

Also taking second place were Benton’s Hailey Hosic (105) and Mia Balota (120), Carbondale’s Ayda Williams-Collins (125) and Ariel Lipe (140), Marion’s Haylie Nappier-Feth (155) and Neveah Gill (170), Frankfort Community’s Aleah Davidson (135), Trico’s Cynthia Mackie (145) and Goreville’s Krista McBride (190).

Robinson had three third-place finishers, Lilly Blankenbaker (135), Mackenzie Myers (155) and Khyiema Poole (235).Other third-place finishers were Frankfort Community’s Nickolette Ronketto (105) and Shelbie Arrington (115), Marion’s Brooklyn Phemister (140) and Olivia McDermott (190) and Salem’s Sierra Malone (170).

Championship Matches of Goreville/Vienna’s Blackcat Brawl Girls Tournament 

105 – Tanya Bacon (Union County, KY) F 1:01 Hailey Hosic (Benton)

115 – Sutton Fuller (Union County, KY) F 0:34 Deziare’ Jones (Mt. Vernon)

120 – Orie Dover (Anna-Jonesboro) F 1:20 Mia Balota (Benton)

125 – Faith Loyd (Carbondale) F 0:44 Ayda Williams-Collins (Carbondale)

135 – Rachel Richey (Robinson) F 3:17 Aleah Davidson (Frankfort Community)

140 – Alivia Ming (Goreville) F 1:47 Ariel Lipe (Carbondale)

145 – Mikah Merrill (Goreville) F 1:14 Cynthia Mackie (Trico)

155 – Madison Teriet (Mt. Vernon) F 1:24 Haylie Nappier-Feth (Marion)

170 – Faith Barrett (Mt. Vernon) F 1:48 Neveah Gill (Marion)

190 – Liberty McBride (Goreville) F 1:08 Krista McBride (Goreville)

235 – Rylee Hamond (Robinson) F 4:00 Aakira Cain (Mt. Vernon)

Note: 105 and 235 had first- and third-place matches; All other weights were round robin

Rochester claims championship at own Rocket Invite

Two champions and six other placewinners in the top four helped give Rochester the title in its own Rocket Invite by a 167-154.5 margin over second place Quincy Notre Dame. Jerseyville (129.5), Lanphier (119.5), Southeast (114.5), Riverton (98.5) and Springfield High (91.5) rounded out the top half of the 14-team field.

Leading the way for coach Brad Alewelt’s champion Rockets were title winners Connor Carroll (106) and Nolan Mrozowski (145) while Andreas Barton (113) was second, Drake Pfeiffer (132) took third and Camden Woodvine (126), Eric Anderson (152), Justin Koch (182) and Zander Crisp (285) finished fourth. Garrison Kallenbach (106) and Connor Broughton (160) placed fifth and Walker Quimby (138) took sixth.

Top performers for coach Adam Steinkamp’s runner-up Raiders were champion Luke Bliven (138) and second-place finishers Ryan Scheuermann (126), Bradi Lahr (132) and Jack Miller (160) while Oliver Moore (120), Taylin Scott (182), Ryan Darnell (195) and Eddie Murphy (220) all claimed third place.

Other champions were Riverton’s Matthew Miller (113), Kameron Sklenka (120) and Colin Ripperda (170), East Alton-Wood River’s Tyler Adams (126) and Drake Champlin (220), Carbondale’s Isaac Smith (132), Southeast’s Adrian Mack (152), Lanphier’s Connor Janssen (160), Taylorville’s Landon Molina (182), Sacred Heart-Griffins’ Cory West (195) and Jersey Community’s Jaydon Busch (285).

Also finishing in second place were Southeast’s Brayden McBride (120), Frank Kittrell (138) and Robert Hull (285), Springfield High’s Alex Souva (145), Jackson O’Connor (182) and Hunter Reid (220), Jersey Community’s Hunter Hodge (106) and Connor Chin (170), Hillsboro’s Zander Wells (152) and Taylorville’s William Blue (195). 

Individuals who took one of the top two spots and have the best records are Busch (28-1, .966), West (22-1, .956), Lahr (30-2, .938), Janssen (22-2, .917), Champlin (36-4, .900), Blue (35-4, .897), Smith (15-2, .882), Mrozowski (28-4, .875) and Ripperda (14-2, .875). There was a seven-way tie for the individual with the most team points with 26 for Bliven, Busch, Carroll, Champlin, Mack, Ripperda and West while Janssen, Miller and Mrozowski had 25.5 points.

Additional third-place finishers were Lanphier’s Cedar Ngiramoai (106), Jaylen Crowder (170) and Jeremy Wright (285), Carbondale’s Gabriel Roman (126) and Thomas Imboden (152), Jersey Community’s Nick Hartley (145) and Mason Martinez (160), Sacred Heart-Griffin’s Porter Dennis (113) and Hillsboro’s Austin Loskot (138). 

Fourth-place showings were also turned in by Lanphier’s Ella Miloncus (113) and Anna Miloncus (120), Hillsboro’s Gaven Vollintine (132) and Seth Hubbart (145), Illinois School for the Visually Impaired’s Hector Alvarado (106), Carbondale’s Cole Young (138), Springfield High’s Hank Souva (160), Pinckneyville’s Kyle Kelly (170), Southeast’s Chris Hull (195) and Jersey Community’s James Busch (220).

Championship Matches at Rochester’s Rocket Invite

106 – Connor Carroll (Rochester) F 0:46 Hunter Hodge (Jersey Community)

113 – Matthew Miller (Riverton) TF Andreas Barton (Rochester)

120 – Kameron Sklenka (Riverton) MD 13-4 Brayden McBride (Southeast)

126 – Tyler Adams (East Alton-Wood River) F 3:47 Ryan Scheuermann (Quincy Notre Dame)

132 – Isaac Smith (Carbondale) D 3-0 Bradi Lahr (Quincy Notre Dame)

138 – Luke Bliven (Quincy Notre Dame) F 1:49 Frank Kittrell (Southeast)

145 – Nolan Mrozowski (Rochester) F 1:31 Alex Souva (Springfield High)

152 – Adrian Mack (Southeast) F 3:52 Zander Wells (Hillsboro)

160 – Connor Janssen (Lanphier) F 3:24 Jack Miller (Quincy Notre Dame)

170 – Colin Ripperda (Riverton) F 1:39 Connor Chin (Jersey Community)

182 – Landon Molina (Taylorville) MD 16-4 Jackson O’Connor (Springfield High)

195 – Cory West (Sacred Heart-Griffin) F 0:51 William Blue (Taylorville)

220 – Drake Champlin (East Alton-Wood River) F 2:32 Hunter Reid (Springfield High)

285 – Jaydon Busch (Jersey Community) F 0:35 Robert Hull (Southeast)

Edwardsville places third at Hickman Invitational in Missouri

Edwardsville had 10 individuals who placed sixth or better, including one champion and three second-place finishers, to help it finish third in the Hickman Invitational in Columbia, Missouri. The Tigers, coached by 2019 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Jon Wagner, were the only non-Missouri squad in the 24-team field, were edged by Grain Valley 230.5-230 for second place in the invite that was won by host Hickman with 249 points. 

Leading the way for Edwardsville were champion Zeke Rhodes (132) and second-place finishers Blake Frietag (132), Drew Landau (150) and Dawson Rull (285). Ryan Richie (113) took third, Brendan Landau (157) was fourth, Hubey Thomas (175) finished fifth while Bryson Nutall (106), Tyler Perry (113) and Blake Mink (138) all placed sixth.

In an all-Tigers championship at 132, Rhodes (20-11) claimed a 15-3 major decision over Frietag (14-4). That was the lone matchup of teammates on the title mat in the tournament. Drew Landau (25-6) got to the 150 title match but had to take a medical forfeit against Rock Bridge’s Carter McCallister (39-0). Rull (21-8) advanced to the 285 title match, where he fell 8-1 to Blue Springs South’s Callen Smithpeter (30-3).

Championship Matches at the Hickman, MO Invitational involving Edwardsville

132 – Zeke Rhodes (Edwardsville) MD 15-3 Blake Frietag (Edwardsville)

150 – Carter McCallister (Rock Bridge, MO) M For Drew Landau (Edwardsville)

285 – Callen Smithpeter (Blue Springs South, MO) D 8-1 Dawson Rull (Edwardsville)