The undefeated Bellmont Braves entered Friday night’s opening rounds of the NE8 duals with intentions of reversing two losses at last year’s event and exiting Saturday evening with a spotless 21-0 record and a hopeful #1 ranking in 2A.
Mission accomplished.
With the help of two seniors, Duke Myers and Keagan Martin, who are also 21-0 individually on the year, the Braves slammed their way through the field at New Haven with impressive performance and impressive performance.
Here’s a match-by-match analysis of each dual:
The Braves were beaten by Norwell last season at Huntington North, but even without senior Cole Mendez, who was still nursing a tweaked knee he suffered against South Adams, the Braves won ten bouts.
Devin Gephart subbed in for Mendez, but lost his opening bout, while Henry Faurote was leading 6-2 before yielding a defensive fall and suffering his only loss of the weekend.
Bellmont 51 Norwell 16
190-Zach Wilson (N) m.d. Devin Gephart, 13-1
215-Keagan Martin (B) WBF
285-Grady Baker (B) p. Ethan Michael, 4:28
106-Ben Mills (B) p. Eli Thomas, :44
113-Ethan Curtis (B) WBF
120-Jason Prough (N) p. Henry Faurote, 4:11
126-Will Franze (B) d. Connor Fojtik, 5-3
132-Keven Loshe (B) d. Jake Gruss, 6-0
138-Chace Behning (N) d. Chandler Thomas, 12-6
144-Sam Wolpert (B) t.f. Wyatt Lukins, 21-5
150-Blake Luginbill (B) p. Luke Dreiband, :49
157-Gavin Davis (B) p. Nolan Weedman, :41
165-Duke Myers (B) m.d. Cody Cox, 16-5
175-Elijah Behning (N) d. Xavior Palacios, 3-0
The Braves took on what looked to be an improved Huntington North team from a year ago in the second round Friday night. Grady Baker picked up a second close win with a takedown in overtime, while Huntington North got wins from Sawyer Teusch and Luke Teusch.
Bellmont 54 Huntington North 22
215-Keagan Martin (B) p. Craig Rowley, 3:40
285-Grady Baker (B) d. Carson Moyer, 8-6, OT
106-Ben Mills (B) WBF
113-Ethan Curtis (B) p. Trentan Walker, 2:17
120-Henry Faurote (B) p. Braedon Hilyard, 3:35
126-Patrick Flowers (HN) p. Will Franze, 3:58
132-Sawyer Teusch (HN) p. Keven Loshe, :37
138-Chandler Thomas (B) p. Soloman Barnum, 1:30
144-Sam Wolpert (B) d. Devin Spencer, 12-6
150-Luke Teusch (HN) m.d. Blake Luginbill, 14-3
157-Gavin Davis (B) p. Charlie Close, :53
165-Duke Myers (B) p. Korbin Kalhoefer, :48
175-Xavior Palacios (B) p. Dean VanRyan, :30
190-Kayden Moyer (HN) p. Devin Gephart, 4:00
Bellmont 69 Columbia City 9
106-Ian Berry (CC) p. Ben Mills, 1:56
113-Ethan Curtis (B) d. Izaac Driver, 5-4
120-Henry Faurote (B) WBF
126-Will Franze (B) p. Parker Tincher, 2:20
132-Keven Loshe (B) p. Tanner Ellis, 3:15
138-Chandler Thomas (B) p. Devin Meinika, :31
144-Sam Wolpert (B) p. Raymon Farris, 1:59
150-Blake Luginbill (B) p. Arrow Mullinax, :45
157-Gavin Davis (B) p. Eli Patrick, :52
165-Duke Myers (B) WBF
175-Xavior Palacios (B) p. Jace Pettigrew, 1:02
190-Cole Mendez (B) WBF
215-Keagan Martin (B) WBF
285-Vincent Parke (CC) d. Grady Baker, 5-3
The most anticipated match of the day was against New Haven. The Braves won by 13 points, but New Haven wrestled well, scoring falls at 106 and 113 with sisters Julianna and Ysabelle O’Campo. The Bulldogs also won three in a row at 132, 138 and 144, with the Braves not willing to risk Sam Wolpert’s injured arm against the highly-touted Easton Doster at 144. Cole Mendez was also back in action to continue his win streak. The senior won his 13th match in a row with a second-period fall.
Bellmont 46 New Haven 33
113-Julianna O’Campo (NH) p. Ethan Curtis, 2:55
120-Henry Faurote (B) m.d. Timmy Rocha, 15-1
126-Will Franze (B) p. Karrington Cooper, 3:09
132-Brayden Clauser (NH) d. Keven Loshe, 14-7
138-Lucas Barkley (NH) p. Chandler Thomas, 2:47
144-Easton Doster (NH) WBF
150-Blake Luginbill (B) p. Aiden Elkins, :23
157-Gavin Davis (B) p. Ian Amstutz, 1:32
165-Duke Myers (B) p. Luke Beckman, 1:07
175-Xavior Palacios (B) p. Theseus Beetz, 3:04
190-Cole Mendez (B) p. Vince Lepera, 2:58
215-Keagan Martin (B) p. Matt Poiry, 2:35
285-Charles McGrant (NH) p. Grady Baker, :48
106-Ysabelle O’Campo (NH) p. Ben Mills, 1:09
The Braves also got revenge on East Noble after the Knights beat them in a tiebreaker at last year’s event.
Bellmont 53 East Noble 19
120-Henry Faurote (B) m.d. Blake Byerley, 10-2
126-Will Franze (B) p. Conner Mosley, 1:46
132-Keven Loshe (B) p. Aymen Ahmed, 1:24
138-Andrew Wilson (EN) m.d. Chandler Thomas, 12-3
144-Sam Wolpert (B) p. TJ Knox, 1:03
150-Blake Luginbill (B) d. Rylee Biddle, 6-2
157-Gavin Davis (B) p. Benjamin Barker, 4:19
165-Duke Myers (B) m.d. Dallas Plattner, 10-2
175-Alex Sprague (EN) d. Xavior Palacios, 16-10
190-Cole Mendez (EN) p. Connor Leins, 1:14
215-Keagan Martin (B) p. Dylan Krehl, 1:06
285-Zack Leighty (EN) p. Grady Baker, :41
106-Ben Mills (B) p. Awad Awad, 4:37
113-Kealen Fuller (EN) p. Ethan Curtis, :45
The match against Leo was closer than the scorebook looked, with several spirited bouts. None was more spirited than the 120 matchup, where freshman Henry Faurote moved to 18-2 by showing his scrambling abilities. He found two takedowns in the third period to beat his man.
Bellmont 57 Leo 20
126-Will Franze (B) p. Nolan Butcher, 1:59
132-Keven Loshe (B) p. Asher Pence, :32
138-Chandler Thomas (B) p. Jackson Klopfenstein, 1:00
144-Sam Wolpert (B) p. Joseph Perkins, 3:14
150-Blake Luginbill (B) p. Daniel Espinosa, 1:14
157-Gavin Davis (B) p. Max Wiler, :29
165-Duke Myers (B) p. Paul Woods, :41
175-Xavior Palacios (B) p. Scott McClintock, :46
190-Eli Coolman (L) p. Ryne Fawbush, :54
215-Keagan Martin (B) p. Isaiah Coolman, :12
285-Jason Chen (L) p. Grady Baker, 1:59
106-Jiler Gould (L) d. Ben Mills, 4-3
113-Brayden Juday (L) p. Ethan Curtis, 5:03
120-Henry Faurote (B) d. Sean Harris, 7-3
(Leo deducted one team point for misconduct at conclusion of 120 bout)
The Barons are headed to 3A Team State but their lineup at the end of the day was a rough one according to head coach Tanner Boman, who conceded defeat before the match began, noting at least three forfeits in the lineup due to injury and illness.
Keven Loshe was in control and finished off his day with a nice win over William Arney to get the ball rolling and Xavior Palacios ended his weekend on a high note with a 4-2 win over Graham Blythe, whose grandfather once wrestled for Decatur High School.
Ryne Fawbush deputized for the Braves at 190, rewarded for his hard work in the practice room.
Grady Baker finished off an incredibly tough day against the #1 wrestler in the semi-state, but gained some valuable experience in wrestling older and stronger heavyweights.
Bellmont 61 DeKalb 12
132-Keven Loshe (B) d. William Arney, 5-0
138-Chandler Thomas (B) p. Blayne Koch, 2:44
144-Sam Wolpert (B) p. Kyson Yoder, 2:41
150-Blake Luginbill (B) WBF
157-Gavin Davis (B) WBF
165-Duke Myers (B) m.d. Dominic Dunn, 19-7
175-Xavior Palacios (B) d. Graham Blythe, 4-2
190-Brady Long (D) p. Ryne Fawbush, 1:47
215-Keagan Martin (B) p. Tayden Getts, 1:58
285-James Hartleroad (D) p. Grady Baker, 1:02
106-Ben Mills (B) d. Ian Anderson, 8-5
113-Ethan Curtis (B) p. Levi Hamman, 2:40
120-Henry Faurote (B) p. Rylan Gonzales, :57
126-Will Franze (B) WBF