170 POUNDS … Zaidan Kessler of Wauseon squares off with Evergreen’s Jason Head in opening round match. Kessler defeated Head by fall (0:43) and went on to win the title at 175 pounds. (PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER, STAFF)
By: Mike Reeves
Led by a strong senior class the grapplers from Wauseon rose again to capture their sixth league title in a row.
The Indians had a wrestler in 11 of the14 weight classes championship matches. They outlasted a solid Delta Panther squad 234.5 to 212 but it was closer than scoreboard indicated.
The Indians started off the finals with a solid performance by freshman Zavian LaFountain, he battled an outstanding freshman Adam Mattin from Delta in a close match before falling 8-3.
At 113, sophomore Collin Twigg handled Delta’s Rylee Hanefeld pinning him in 1:32 and the Indians were on their way.
At 120 pounds, Indian senior John Martinez won his second league title with a 10-1 major decision over Drew Matthews of Liberty Center.
Junior Larry Moreno wrestled for the championship at 126 pounds facing the Panthers Carson Chiesa and Chiesa gave Delta their first champion of the day by winning 7-0.
At 132lbs, Zaden Torres manhandled his opponent Aiden Fenton from Bryan 8-1 to win championship. Up next for Wauseon at 138lbs was 38-3 senior Lawson Grime who was able to knock off Jeff Camp from Patrick Henry 8-3.
144 POUNDS … Wauseon’s Benicio Torres tries to get control of his first-round match against Cade Spisak of Bryan. Torres won by fall (3:14) and took second in the weight class after falling to Brodie Dominique of Archbold 5-0 in the title bout.
Archbold would pick up their first championship of the day as Brodie Dominique defeated Wauseon’s Benicio Torres 5-0 in the 144-pound title bout.
Wauseon was able to get back on the title train at 150 pounds as Manny Gante handled Xander Meyers from Liberty Center 5-1 for his championship.
At 157, Wauseon senior Conner Twigg controlled the entire match scoring a major decision win over Delta senior Evan Perry 12-4.
In the 165lb class, Indian senior Conner Nagel fell to Liberty Center’s Camron Foster 8-2 and at 175 Zaiden Kessler defeated Wyat Ripke from Archbold with a pin fall (3:06.)
Owen Johnson of Liberty Center took the crown at 190 pounds with a 5-4 decision over Archbold junior Hayden Dickman.
The day wrapped up with Dylan Aeschliman of Archbold beating Delta’s Rollin Robinson (8-0 MD) at 215lbs and Austin Kohlhofer from Delta taking the 285-pound championship by defeating Owen Box of Liberty Center (fall 2:31).
Next up for area wrestlers will be the Division II sectionals at Defiance High School this Saturday and the Division III sectionals at Archbold High School also on Saturday.
TEAM SCORES: 1. Wauseon 234.5; 2. Delta 212; 3. Archbold 126.5; 4. Liberty Center 126; 5. Evergreen 62.5; 6. Bryan 61.5; 7. Swanton 32; 8. Patrick Henry 28; 9. Montpelier 7
FIRST-PLACE MATCHES
106 – Adam Mattin (D) dec. Zaidan LaFountain (W), 8-3. 113 – Collin Twigg (W) p. Rylee Hanefeld (D), 1:23. 120 – John Martinez (W) MD Drew Matthews (LC), 10-1. 126 – Carson Chiesa (D) dec. Larry Moreno (W), 7-0. 132 – Zaden Torres (W) dec. Aiden Fenter (B), 8-1. 138 – Lawson Grime (W) dec. Jeff Camp (PH), 7-3. 144 – Brodie Dominique (A) dec. Benicio Torres (W), 5-0. 150 – Manny Gante (W) dec. Xander Myers (LC), 5-1. 157 – Connor Twigg (W) MD Evan Perry (D), 12-4. 165 – Camren Foster (LC) dec. Connor Nagel (W), 7-2. 175 – Zaidan Kessler (W) p. Wyat Ripke (A), 3:06. 190 – Owen Johnson (LC) dec. Hayden Dickman (A), 5-4. 215 – Dylan Aeschliman (A) MD Rollin Robinson (D), 8-0. 285 – Austin Kohlhofer (D) p. Owen Box (LC), 2:31.
THIRD-PLACE MATCHES
106 – Mason Miller (A) TF Alex Lane (B), 16-0. 113 – Brodie Setmire (E) dec. Jordan Rodriguez (A), 11-5. 120 – Evan Hanefeld (D) MD Rylan Hahrer (E), 10-0. 126 – Jackson Bartels (LC) MD Ayden Gleckler (E), 10-0. 132 – Emmett Perry (LC) dec. Shane Kruger (D), 4-2. 138 – Landon Lintermoot (D) p. Donnell Bush (B), 1:40. 144 – Devon Haven (D) dec. Austin Pennington (E), 12-6. 150 – Dakota Sintobin (D) p. Ian Grime (A), 2:42. 157 – Rusty Short (A) dec. Cody Dekoeyer (S), 6-3. 165 – Grant Richardson (E) dec. Dameon Wolfe (B), 5-1. 175 – Connor Sintobin (D) p. Trenton Eitniear (S), 3:51. 190 – Justin Duncan (W) MD Luke Schlatter (D), 12-1. 215 – Camron Kirtz (S) p. Kyle Huffman (LC), 2:30. 285 – Zain Bell (B) p. Cody Sheller (E), 4:28.