WILLIAMSBURG — With three champions and 10 top four finishers, Wilmington made it back-to-back titles Saturday at the SBAAC Wrestling Championship at Williamsburg High School.

Wilmington had 188 points while runnerup Clinton-Massie had 160.5. East Clinton finished with 73 points and Blanchester 72.

Wilmington coach Kelly Tolliver and his staff believed Clinton-Massie would be the team to challenge the Hurricane and they were right.

“As we (coaching staff) initially thought, the tournament was a race with Clinton-Massie for most of the day until the final rounds,” Tolliver said. “Our light-weights really stepped up as they have all season and were performing well on their feet, keeping the pressure constant and forcing mistakes from their opponents when it counted. We have been focusing the last few weeks on the mental mindset to enter these post-season tournaments and how to properly prepare yourself. This team was ready and focused, knowing that every point counted, and put together one of their best tournaments this season.”

Champions for the Hurricane were Josiah Puller at 126, Mythias Stuckey at 132 and Caydn Denniston at 150. WHS had runnersup in Alonzo Woody at 106, Max McCoy at 120, Darius Stewart at 138, Paul McKnight at 215 and Jelani Hunter at 285.

Tolliver knew beyond the champions, each top finisher would play a key role in the Hurricane title run.

“We had five in the finals that were runner-up,” he said. “We couldn’t be happier with his (Woody) progress as we prepare for sectionals. He’s (Tristan Skinner) done a great job in a short amount of time. (Max McCoy) continues to produce results. His season has been fun to watch and has been full of success. Having just returned from sickness Darius (Stewart) battled through that adversity and had one of his best tournament finishes of the year. Paul McKnight, one of the team leaders with Caydn Denniston, is having a great season and he’ll use that (loss go Groh) for motivation in the coming week. Lastly, Jelani has stepped up and done an outstanding job in a very short amount of time.”

Tournament runnerup Clinton-Massie had three champions as well — Cody Lisle at 106, Conner Musser at 113 and Elijah Groh at 215 pounds. Groh, who has dominated most of his competition all season long, was voted co-wrestler of the year for the American Division.

“It’s definitely disappointing to fall short of our team goal of winning league but our guys were able to keep us in the mix for the majority of the day,” Clinton-Massie head coach Spencer Running said. “Wilmington has some great coaches that run a really well-rounded program but we’re going to be working to get one back on them next week at sectionals. We’re excited with the potential that we’re seeing headed into the post-season.”

East Clinton was sixth overall — the tournament combines wrestlers from the American Division and National Division — and runnerup to Williamsburg. East Clinton had the smallest number of any of the 11 teams in the tournament, coach Doug Stehlin said.

“I was very proud of how the team showed up and wrestled,” Stehlin said. “All six wrestlers won matches to contribute points to the team score and four wrestlers ended up on the podium. We had a very good second round winning five of the six matches to get us in a good position in the team standings. We continued to wrestle really well the rest of the day.”

Stehlin said seven of 14 wrestlers advanced to the consolation finals and passed the Astros.

”Our six guys put up a good fight and made a good run at it,” said Stehlin. “Sixth overall and National Division runner-up is the highest placements that we have finished as a team in the SBAAC.”

Curtis Singleton was runnerup at 144 and Avery Hughes was runnerup at 150 pounds for the Astros.

Blanchester was one point behind East Clinton in the standings. Caleb Sears at 138 and Tristen Malone at 190 were SBAAC championship for the Wildcats.

Among the notable matches were Lisle defeating Woody of Wilmington 18-2 for first at 106, Puller decisioning Massie’s Gatlin Newkirk 20-5 for the 126 title, Sears pinned Darius Stewart of Wilmington in 3:15 for the 138 crown, Denniston defeating Hughes of East Clinton 10-3 in the 150 title bout, Malone edging out Brendan Musser of Massie 7-6 for the 190 belt, Groh pinning McKnight of WHS in 2:56 for the 215 championship.

Malone was the only county wrestler to win matches over each of the county schools en route to the championship — Eli Hibbs of WHS, Mason Rack of EC and Musser of CM.

Rack, though he did not place, had a big win for the Astros in his first match. His pin at 4:43 came after he trailed 14-4 at one point in the match.

“This team was ready and focused, knowing that every point counted, and put together one of their best tournaments this season,” Tolliver said. “We now head back to the Hurricane practice room and prepare for our favorite part of the season. It will all be geared for preparing them for the post-season run. We would like to thank all the parents, administration and fans that came to support us (Saturday). We truly appreciate it.”

SUMMARY

Feb 17, 2024

SBAAC Wrestling Championship

@Williamsburg High School

TEAM SCORES

Wilmington 188 Clinton-Massie 160.5 Goshen 137 Williamsburg 90.5 Western Brown 74 East Clinton 73 Blanchester 72 Clermont NE 63 Bethel-Tate 58.5 New Richmond 44 Batavia 25

106: Cody Lisle (CM) pinned Pardini (NR) 0:45; dec Woody (Wil) 18-2. Finished first.

106: Alonzo Woody (WIL) dec Vining (CNE) 10-2; dec Stith (BAT) 19-4; was dec by Lisle (CM) 18-2. Finished second.

113: Tristan Skinner (WIL) was pinned by Musser (CM) 3:00 pinned Evans (BT) 0:54; dec Neukam (CNE) 10-8 SV. Finished third.

113: Conner Musser (CM) pinned Skinner (WIL) 3:00 dec Neukam (CNE) 5-4 TB; pinned Moore (WB) 3:21. Finished first.

120: Evan Jett (CM) was pinned by Sturwold (Wbg) 4:43; pinned Opoka (NR) 1:51; was dec by Hite (WB) 6-2. Did not place.

120: Max McCoy (WIL) pinned Opoka (NR) 0:50; pinned Sturwold (Wbg) 3:49; was dec by Dean (BT) 19-4. Finished second.

126: Josiah Puller (WIL) pinned Ogden (WB) 0:47; pinned Pastura (BAT) 1:38; dec Newkirk (C) 20-5. Finished first.

126: Gatlin Newkirk (CM) pinned Deemer (G) 0:51; pinned Stober (BT) 5:32; was dec by Puller (WIL) 20-5. Finished second.

132: Mythias Stuckey (WIL) pinned Griffin (WB) 1:17; dec Daniel (Wbg) 5-3; dec Kessen (G) 14-5. Finished first

132: Chris Back (CM) was dec by Daniel (Wbg) 19-1; pinned Griffin (WB) 3:49; was pinned by Musselman (BLA) 1:58

132: Zack Musselman pinned Dwertman-Phillips (BAT) 0:40; was pinned by Kessen (G) 2:42; pinned Back (CM) 1:58; was pinned by Daniels (Wbg) 2:29. Finished fourth

138: Caleb Sears (BLA) pinned Cunningham (WB) 1:08; dec Rider (EC) 14-5; pinned Stewart (WIL) 3:15. Finished first

138: Darius Stewart (WIL) pinned Harvey (BT) 0:42; pinned Leadmon (G) 3:57; was pinned by Sears (BL) 3:15. Finished second.

138: Christopher Rider (EC) pinned Morris (WIL) 1:36; was dec by Musselman (BL) 14-5; pined Harvey (BT) 2:47; was dec by Morris (WIL) 13-5. Finished fourth

144: Curtis Singleton (EC) pinned Brausch (WIL) 0:44; dec Dick (WB) 17-4; was pinned by Croley (G) 1:59. Finished second

144: Matthias Brausch (WIL) was pinned by Singleton (EC) 0:44; was pinned by Waldman (NR) 2:53. Did not place

150: Cadyn Denniston (WIL) pinned Quick (BAT) 1:00; pinned Kelley (BAT) 0:46; dec Royse (Wbg) 6-3; dec Hughes (EC) 10-3. Finished first

150: Avery Hughes (EC) pinned Johnson (BL) 1:10; pinned Martinez (NR) 5:21; was dec by Denniston (WIL) 10-3. Finished second.

150: Dillon Mounce (CM) was pinned by Martinez (NR) 3:17; pinned Kelley (BT) 2:19; was pinned by Moore (WB) 0:54. Did not place

150: Alex Johnson (BL) was pinned by Hughes (EC) 1:10; was dec by Matthews (G) 12-8. Did not place.

157: Hunter Monds (CM) pinned Taylor (BL) 1:59; pinned Riesenberger (G) 1:21; was dec by Moore (CNE) 8-4. Finished second

157: Odin Taylor (BL) was pinned by Monds (CM) 1:59; was pinned by Stark (NR) 2:59. Did not place

157: Thomas Hood (EC) was pinned by Moore (CNE) 0:52; pinned Ballou (WB) 1:44; was dec by Riesenberg (G) 9-6. Did not place

165: Jude Huston (BL) was pinned by Villardo (BT) 2:22; pinned McBrayer (WIL) 0:34; pinned Braden (CNE) 4:07; pinned Doyle (CM) 4:49. Finished third

165: Kyle McBrayer (WIL) was pinned by Walriven (NR) 1:02; was pined by Huston (B) 0:34. Did not place

165: Jackson Doyle (CM) was dec by Keltz (G) 12-6; dec Parlier (Wbg) 6-0; dec Walriven (NR) 6-3; was pinned by Huston (BL) 4:49. Finished fourth.

175: Alex Smith (WIL) was dec by Groeber (CNE) 5-2; lost to McClanahan (NR) by default. Did not place

175: Zach Wiley (BL) was pinned by Collins (Wbg) 0:32; was dec by Sayer (BT) 15-0. Did not place

175: Cash Mounce (CM) pinned Sayer (BT) 1:01; pinned Collins (Wbg) 5:50; was pinned by Groeber (CNE) 1:48. Finished second

190: Tristen Malone (BL) pinned Hibbs (WIL) 1:19; pinned Rack (EC) 4:43; dec Musser (CM) 7-6. Finished first

190: Eli Hibbs (WIL) was pinned by Malone (BL) 1:19; pinned Raines (BT) 1:28; pinned Snow (WB) 3:45; pinned Bitzer (G) 4:47. Finished third

190: Mason Rack (EC) pinned Raines (BT) 4:43; was pinned by Malone (BL) 0:27; was pinned by Bitzer (G) 0:09. Did not place.

190: Brendan Musser (CM) dec Bitzer (G) 7-1; pinned Snow (WB) 3:37; was dec by Malone (BL) 7-6. Finished second.

215: Elijah Groh (CM) pinned Stockton (NR) 0:16; pinned Zirkle (G) 1:04; pinned McKnight (WIL) 2:56. Finished first.

215: Eli Holley (BL) was dec by Barnhart (Wbg) 10-0; dec Propek (WB) 6-0; was dec by Zirkle (G) 4-3. Did not place

215: Paul McKnight (WIL) pinned Propek (WB) 0:49; pinned Barnhart (Wbg) 2:40; was pinned by Groh (CM) 2:56. Finished second.

285: Kane Scott (BL) was pinned by Owens (G) 1:26; was pinned by Bryant (CNE) 2:10. Did not place

285: Justin Beekman (CM) pinned Bryant (CNE) 0:32; was pinned by Owens (G) 2:44; was pinned by Reedy-Boling (WB) 3:48. Did not place.

285: Jelani Hunter (WIL) pinned Henderson (Wbg) 1:05; pinned Reedy-Boling (WB) 3:31; pinned Roberts (EC) 0:55; was dec by Owens (G) 5-2. Finished second.

285: Owen Roberts (EC) pinned Trees (NR) 1:07; was pinned by Hunter (WIL) 0:55; pinned Bryant (CNE) 0:54; pinned Reedy-Boling (WB) 1:18. Finished third