The Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference made its annual all-league selections in wrestling, and the 2022 honorees included all-league award winners and team champions.
In addition, the KMAC recognized one senior from every school for every sport as an All-Academic winner. The All-Academic winner must have a GPA of at least 3.5.
This year, local teams were well-represented, with three Northmor wrestlers named to the first team, along with one wrestler apiece from Centerburg and East Knox. In all, 25 local wrestlers from five schools were honored.
Northmor’s Niko Christo was selected as KMAC Wrestler of the Year, and Centerburg’s Caylan LeMaster was Co-Wrestler of the KMAC Tournament with Elgin’s James Crabtree.
Local first-team selections included Cowin Becker, Northmor, (46-9) at 113 pounds; Bryce Cooper, Northmor, (12-19) at 132 pounds; Christo (45-6) at 157 pounds; LeMaster (20-6) at 150 pounds and Blake Elliott, East Knox, (30-9) at 190 pounds.
Second-team honorees included three from Centerburg – Christopher Marshall, Andrew Banta and Charlie Sargent – and four from Mount Gilead – Gabe Simpson, Ashton Clark, Garret George and Isaiah Fisher.
Honorable mention honorees included Centerburg’s Heath Merklin, Jonah Gribben, Lane Johnson, Westlee Cantley and Mason Lanthorn; Fredericktown’s Mason Hoeflich and Xavier Platt; and Mount Gilead’s John Miller, Nick Garvey and Mason Lanthorn.
All-Academic wrestling honors went to Lane Johnson of Centerburg, Xavier Platt of Fredericktown and Gavin Whited of Northmor.
In KMAC middle school wrestling, Cardington-Lincoln was represented by Chris Kinsley, Carter Sherman and Wyatt Denney. Centerburg’s honorees were Corey Climer and Braxton Vernon. Northmor won the middle school championship, and its next generation of high school champions included Carter Thomas, Collin Beck, Brady Carr, Ethan Amens and Garrett Deisch, and Fredericktown’s middle school honoree was Dominic Wolpe.
