Colton Spurgeon and Gabe Shannon each took first place in their respective weight divisions to help the Mount Vernon wrestling team secure a first-place finish at the Licking Heights Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 16, in Pataskala.
Spurgeon beat out St. Francis DeSales’ Owen Eagan to win the 120-pound weight division, and Shannon bested Central Crossing’s Jamie Ramirez to take the 138-pound weight division.
All told, the Yellow Jackets won the seven-team event with a score of 278.5, beating out London (264.5), Central Crossing (253.5), DeSales (181.5), Licking Heights (160), Westland (153) and Bexley (79).
Other top standouts for Mount Vernon were Zach Mullins (second, 182 pounds), Gabe Harmon (second, 220), Nate Stradley (second, 285), Brock Blankenhorn (third, 106), Charlie Bell (third, 113), Rylan Firebaugh (third, 126), Conner Lang (third, 132) and Jesse Foster (third, 195).
SWIMMING
Skylar Hill took first place in the 100-yard fly stroke for the second year in a row to lead Mount Vernon at the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet on Saturday, Jan. 16.
The Mount Vernon girls team was fourth out of six teams with 234 points behind champion and host Wooster (500), and the boys team was sixth with 110 points behind champion Lexington (506) at the Ellen Shapiro Natatorium in Wooster.
Hill finished with a time of 1 minute, 3.68 seconds, to take top honors in the event.
She was also a part of the 200-yard freestyle relay team with Bre McCluskey, Julie King and Bekah Lebold that finished third (1:50.8); the 400-yard freestyle relay team with McCluskey, Lebold and Liz Cline that took third (4:10.34); and the 200-yard medley team with King, McCluskey and Rylee Jarosz that finished fourth (2:03.65).
McCluskey also had a solid showing in the 200-yard individual medley, placing fourth (2:36.41).
Leading the boys was the 400-yard relay team of Ethan Brooks, Steve Brazeal, Joey Kennedy and Will Laymon; which finished fourth in the 400-yard freestyle with a time of 4:18.89.
HIGH SCHOOL BOWLING
Justin Zollars rolled a game-best 245 to lead the Fredericktown boys bowling team to its ninth consecutive win, a 2,073-1,965 victory over Centerburg in Knox Morrow Athletic Conference play on Friday, Jan. 15, at Colonial City Lanes in Mount Vernon.
Zollars finished with a 435 series to lead the Freddies, and John Wharton led the Trojans with a 344 series.
Macy Neer and Ana Kraus eached rolled a 368 series to help the Freddie girls team complete the sweep with a 1,918-1,517 win over Centerburg.
Madi Dennis paced the Trojans with a 353 series.
Jackets sweep Utica
Trevor Bell and Jace Kyle each rolled a pair of 200 games to lead the Mount Vernon boys and girls teams to a sweep over Utica in non-league action on Monday, Jan. 18, at Colonial City Lanes in Mount Vernon.
Kyle came through with a 425 series to lead the Yellow Jacket girls team to a 2,070-1,678 win over Utica. Chelsea King was also solid for MV with a 397 series, and Karen Lightle paced Utica with a 421 series.
Bell rolled a 417 series to lead the Jacket boys to a 2,214-1,936 victory. Pierce Stephens led Utica with a 384 series in the setback.
East Knox 1,526, Gilead Christian 1,051
Will Jensen rolled a game-best 256 to lead the Bulldogs to a 1,526-1,051 victory over Gilead Christian in non-league play on Monday, Jan. 18, at Colonial City Lanes in Mount Vernon.
Jensen finished with a 447 series to lead East Knox, and Olivia Morrison paced Gilead Christian with a 246 series.
Jackets split with Big Walnut
Trevor Bell and Jacob Tucker both rolled a pair of 200 games to lead the Mount Vernon boys bowling team to a 2,187-2,171 victory over Big Walnut in non-league play at Capri Lanes in Columbus.
Bell rolled a team-best 233 and an overall 433 series, with Tucker backing him with a 405 series to lead the Yellow Jackets.
Brayden Buchs led the Golden Eagles with a 424 series on the strength of a game-best 265.
Jace Kyle led the Mount Vernon girls team, which fell to Big Walnut 1,795-1,714. Ashleigh Westervelt led the Eagles with a 354 series.
Central District Preview
John Wharton rolled a 584 series to finish tied for 28th out of 88 bowlers at the Central District Preview at Palace Lanes in Columbus.
Zachary Jagger was also solid, posting a 560 series to finish 38th in the mostly Division I showcase.
Allyson Fields led the Trojan girls team with a 381 series to finish tied for 43rd out of 79 bowlers. Katlyn Schaeferle was also solid with a 358 series to finish 48th.
COLLEGE BOWLING
The Mount Vernon Nazarene University women’s bowling team rolled a 3,351 to finish eighth out of 10 teams at the Buckeye Baker Classic on Saturday, Jan. 16, at HP Lanes in Columbus.
The University of Pikesville took top honors with 4,799.
The men’s team finished eighth out of eight teams with a score of 3,752 behind Pikesville (4,941).
