Highland’s Wetzel and Utica’s Smith win wrestling crowns at Licking Valley Invite
Highland and Utica each had a championship performance at the Licking Valley Wrestling Invitational at Licking Valley High School in Newark on Jan. 7, and Highland also saw two second-place finishes.
Highland’s Caleb Wetzel decisioned Northridge’s’ Treven Angus 14-8 to win the title at 132 lbs. Utica’s Clayton Smith won the 144-lb. class with a pin over Licking Valley’s Devyn Boyd. Highland’s Cael Gilmore was decisioned 3-2 in the 138-lb. final by Carrollton’s Josh Carman and fellow Scot Landon Pedigo was pinned in the finals at 285 lbs. by Newark Catholic’s Griffin Halenar.
Among 16 scoring teams, Highland placed fourth with 180.0 points and Utica placed seventh with 127.0 points. Carrollton won the event with 254.0 points, with New Lexington far behind with 208.0 and Licking Valley third with 200.5 points.
Top placers for Highland included Konner Blaney, third at 106 lbs.; Brendan Lester, third at 113 lbs.; Caleb Wetzel, won at 132 lbs.; Cael Gilmore was second at 138 lbs.; Remington Baker was fourth at 150 and Landon Pedigo was second at 285 lbs.
Top Utica performances included Brayden Hill, third at 126 lbs.; Clayton Smith won at 144 lbs.; Zach Cyphers was fourth at 165 lbs.; Andrew Lewis was fourth at 175 lbs. and Brandon Thornsberry was fourth at 215 lbs.
Marshall wins gold, Centerburg places second at Tornado Classic
Centerburg got one first-place performance and two silver medal finishes at the Tornado Classic at West Muskingum in Zanesville, Jan. 7. Christopher Marshall won gold at 126 lbs, with a 7-5 decision in the final over Crooksville’s Christian Browning. Trojan Caylan LeMaster was defeated in the 157-lb. final by Malvern’s Tyson Clear, by a 9-3 decision to settle for silver as did Charlie Sargent at 215 lbs.; after a 7-2 decision loss to Malvern’s Zach Babiczuk.
Centerburg finished second among 14 scoring teams at the event. Malvern won with 264.0 points, the Trojans were second with 165.0 and Liberty Union was third at 164.0.
Top finishers for Centerburg included Justis Schultz, third at 120 lbs.; Christopher Marshall first at 126 lbs.; Thomas Hause was third at 144 lbs.; Caylan LeMaster was second at 157 lbs.; Theodore Stygler was fourth at 175 lbs.; Charlie Sargent was second at 215 lbs. and Mason Lanthorn finished third at 285 lbs.
Northmor’s Campbell and Becker win silver at Gorman
At the 60th annual J.C. Gorman Invitational, Jan. 6-7 at Mansfield High School, Northmor finished in 10th place among 12 teams, and had two wrestlers win silver. Northmor’s Carson Campbell was second at 138 lbs. and Cowin Becker took silver at 126.
Becker faced Roman Parobek of Ashland in the 126 final and lost a 3-1 decision. Campbell lost in a fall at 4:56 to Mason Turnbaugh of Ontario.
Top finishers for Northmor included Ethan Amens, fourth at 113 lbs.; Becker, second at 128 lbs. and Campbell, second at 138 lbs.
Mount Gilead earns points at Spartan Invite
Mount Gilead earned points from two wrestlers at the Spartan Wrestling Invitational at Lima High School in Lima, Jan. 7. St. Mary’s won the event with 237.0 points, ahead of Liberty-Benton at 218 and Mechanicsburg at 199.5, among 18 scoring teams. William Hale won one of three matches at 175 lbs. and picked up four points. Carter Goodrich also won one of three matches to pick up four points at 190 lbs.
