FC wrestles to runner-up finish
January 19, 2022 at 4:48 p.m.
FC wrestles to runner-up finish
By Will Fehlinger-
In Wildcat Gym Saturday, all 13 host wrestlers who entered the competition placed in the top six – out of eight spots – while 10 were among the top four and freshman Colin Troyer improved to 22-3 with a conference title at 106 pounds. Heavyweight was the only class vacated by FC on the day.
Freshman Cole Freese (21-8) was runner-up at 113 and senior Andrew Merritt (26-4) battled to second place in the 132-pound division. Junior Hayden Newell won the consolation match at 170 to take third place and move to 21-8 overall.
Just four grapplers were entered in the 106 class, so Troyer had a bye to the semifinals where he faced Kaitlyn Fischer of South Dearborn. This was a fall in the second period to send him to the finals. Against Greensburg's Tristan Smith, Troyer earned another pin late in the first period.
Five competed at 113 but Freese received a forfeit to the semis as well. He had little trouble in pinning Connersville's Aidan Maize before suffering a second-period pin to Bryant Merritt of Greensburg. FC's Merritt also got to the semifinal with a forfeit, there being too strong for Aric Fox of Connersville (13-2 major decision). In an extremely close finals against SD's Isaiah Otto, the Knight senior won 3-1 on the first tiebreaker criteria.
Newell ran into Batesville's Josh Mobley after pinning Cooper Barker of South Dearborn in the first round. Mobley won by fall in the first period and then won a close decision for the title. Newell quickly pinned Rushville's Alan Busche before a 3-2 win over CHS' Jarred Barrett.
Six other Wildcats were in the consolation match but ended up in fourth place. Junior Lendon Sizemore at 220 decisioned Batesville's Christian Garcia 10-5; he took EC's Brayden Rouse (220 champ) to the third period before taking a pin. Sizemore (17-11) earned another decision (7-5) vs. Greensburg's Gabe Jones, then was pinned by the Spartans' Levi Degroat.
Down at 120, sophomore Roger Zurborg (15-6) won by decision over EC's Gavin Hicks, 9-4. He was pinned by eventual champ Alex Murphy of BHS, then pinned Landin Shepherd of Greensburg. Javier Payne of Lawrenceburg had a quick pin in the 3rd-place match.
Freshman Avery Crouch is 17-11 after a 4th at 126. He received a forfeit, then fell to Connersville's Gavin Lemen in the second period. Crouch pinned LHS' Seth Merkel before getting pinned by Rushville's Kian Nash. Unbeaten Blake Wolf of EC won the bracket. 152-lb. Karter Smith (9-12), another FC freshman, won by major decision over CHS' Jahmel Carter but was pinned by unbeaten Corbin Walston of Lawrenceburg. Smith then pinned Tanner Thompson of Greensburg ahead of a pin loss to Damien Dance of Batesville.
Sophomore Breck Bohman (19-12) wrestled to 4th at 160. He worked a pin over SD's Corbin Cassidy but suffered a 22-9 major decision against eventual champ Charlie Euson of EC. Bohman pinned Connersville's Wesley Wise before taking a 10-2 major decision loss to Cassidy in the rematch. Senior Eric Schwab (19-9) pinned SD's Clayton Gentry at 182 before going down to class champ David Nash of EC. Schwab pinned Greensburg's Hayden Butz but lost a 10-5 decision to the Bulldogs' Jy'lil Chappell.
Sophomore Owen Darwish (12-9) and junior Jadon Napier (10-5) were both 5th at 145 and 195, respectively. Darwish edged SD's Landon Walton 4-2 ahead of a pin loss to division champ Rider Searcy of EC. After a tight 3-2 loss to Greensburg's Sean Slagle, Darwish recovered for a 5-2 win over Walton. Napier was pinned by SD's Andrew Kemper in the first round, then went 2-1 in the consolation bracket with a pair of forfeits and a loss by pin to BHS' Chase Hamilton. EC's Ryan Bovard won at 195.
Senior Ben Maze (21-12) was 6th at 138. He pinned Batesville's David Maher but suffered the same fate against 138 champ Dylan Lengerich of EC. Maze was forced to forfeit his final two bouts with an injury.
Lawrenceburg's Jackson Goodall won the 285 class.
FC hosts Milan and SD tonight, Jan. 19. Seniors will be honored.
At Rushville (Jan. 11)
FC won a 52-19 dual decision over Rushville earlier in the week.
Freese, Crouch, Maze, Smith, Newell, Schwab and Sizemore all won by fall for a total of 42 points. Troyer added six more with a forfeit win and Merritt's major decision netted four more.
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In Wildcat Gym Saturday, all 13 host wrestlers who entered the competition placed in the top six – out of eight spots – while 10 were among the top four and freshman Colin Troyer improved to 22-3 with a conference title at 106 pounds. Heavyweight was the only class vacated by FC on the day.
Freshman Cole Freese (21-8) was runner-up at 113 and senior Andrew Merritt (26-4) battled to second place in the 132-pound division. Junior Hayden Newell won the consolation match at 170 to take third place and move to 21-8 overall.
Just four grapplers were entered in the 106 class, so Troyer had a bye to the semifinals where he faced Kaitlyn Fischer of South Dearborn. This was a fall in the second period to send him to the finals. Against Greensburg's Tristan Smith, Troyer earned another pin late in the first period.
Five competed at 113 but Freese received a forfeit to the semis as well. He had little trouble in pinning Connersville's Aidan Maize before suffering a second-period pin to Bryant Merritt of Greensburg. FC's Merritt also got to the semifinal with a forfeit, there being too strong for Aric Fox of Connersville (13-2 major decision). In an extremely close finals against SD's Isaiah Otto, the Knight senior won 3-1 on the first tiebreaker criteria.
Newell ran into Batesville's Josh Mobley after pinning Cooper Barker of South Dearborn in the first round. Mobley won by fall in the first period and then won a close decision for the title. Newell quickly pinned Rushville's Alan Busche before a 3-2 win over CHS' Jarred Barrett.
Six other Wildcats were in the consolation match but ended up in fourth place. Junior Lendon Sizemore at 220 decisioned Batesville's Christian Garcia 10-5; he took EC's Brayden Rouse (220 champ) to the third period before taking a pin. Sizemore (17-11) earned another decision (7-5) vs. Greensburg's Gabe Jones, then was pinned by the Spartans' Levi Degroat.
Down at 120, sophomore Roger Zurborg (15-6) won by decision over EC's Gavin Hicks, 9-4. He was pinned by eventual champ Alex Murphy of BHS, then pinned Landin Shepherd of Greensburg. Javier Payne of Lawrenceburg had a quick pin in the 3rd-place match.
Freshman Avery Crouch is 17-11 after a 4th at 126. He received a forfeit, then fell to Connersville's Gavin Lemen in the second period. Crouch pinned LHS' Seth Merkel before getting pinned by Rushville's Kian Nash. Unbeaten Blake Wolf of EC won the bracket. 152-lb. Karter Smith (9-12), another FC freshman, won by major decision over CHS' Jahmel Carter but was pinned by unbeaten Corbin Walston of Lawrenceburg. Smith then pinned Tanner Thompson of Greensburg ahead of a pin loss to Damien Dance of Batesville.
Sophomore Breck Bohman (19-12) wrestled to 4th at 160. He worked a pin over SD's Corbin Cassidy but suffered a 22-9 major decision against eventual champ Charlie Euson of EC. Bohman pinned Connersville's Wesley Wise before taking a 10-2 major decision loss to Cassidy in the rematch. Senior Eric Schwab (19-9) pinned SD's Clayton Gentry at 182 before going down to class champ David Nash of EC. Schwab pinned Greensburg's Hayden Butz but lost a 10-5 decision to the Bulldogs' Jy'lil Chappell.
Sophomore Owen Darwish (12-9) and junior Jadon Napier (10-5) were both 5th at 145 and 195, respectively. Darwish edged SD's Landon Walton 4-2 ahead of a pin loss to division champ Rider Searcy of EC. After a tight 3-2 loss to Greensburg's Sean Slagle, Darwish recovered for a 5-2 win over Walton. Napier was pinned by SD's Andrew Kemper in the first round, then went 2-1 in the consolation bracket with a pair of forfeits and a loss by pin to BHS' Chase Hamilton. EC's Ryan Bovard won at 195.
Senior Ben Maze (21-12) was 6th at 138. He pinned Batesville's David Maher but suffered the same fate against 138 champ Dylan Lengerich of EC. Maze was forced to forfeit his final two bouts with an injury.
Lawrenceburg's Jackson Goodall won the 285 class.
FC hosts Milan and SD tonight, Jan. 19. Seniors will be honored.
At Rushville (Jan. 11)
FC won a 52-19 dual decision over Rushville earlier in the week.
Freese, Crouch, Maze, Smith, Newell, Schwab and Sizemore all won by fall for a total of 42 points. Troyer added six more with a forfeit win and Merritt's major decision netted four more.
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