DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
DECATUR – The weather was no issue Wednesday as the Bellmont Braves determined their lineup for the opening segment of the season with an old-fashioned wrestle-off, mixed with some solid exhibition matches in front of a large crowd on the Madison Street Plaza downtown.
Two weights needed an extra round to set up the true wrestle-off round, with Doug Hamilton taking care of Joe Hakes at 215, despite trailing 6-1 at the start, and Isaiah Herman pinning Blake Christner to reach the deciding match at 175.
Those matches stirred the appetite of the Bellmont wrestling faithful, who were ready to give the eye test to five weight classes and the subsequent winners.
One wrestling fan in attendance who had attended the very first match ever wrestled in Adams County put it best Wednesday night when he said, “I’d imagine Gary (Giessler) never thought we’d make it to this when he sat us all down and told us what this sport was. Look at these people, you don’t have to tell them twice what is going on.”
The first spot up for grabs was at 113 when Ben Mills, last year’s 106 as a freshman, welcomed Jacob Bleeke to the spotlight of being on the mat downtown. A takedown to start the bout was followed by a full period of riding and Mills doubled his lead with another three-pointer after his freshman opponent chose neutral.
Knowing what he could do on top, Mills chose that position in the third and took the varsity spot with a 6-0 win. Mills will seek to up his tally of wins from last year of 24.
Senior Ethan Curtis then snapped up the 126 spot with a win over freshman Landon Sielschott. The ninth grader closed the score to 8-4 with a reversal in the dying seconds.
Isaiah Herman looked well on his way to taking the varsity spot at 175 when he took Landon Rich down and on his back in the first period, reminding the local fans that the old five-point move is now a seven-pointer with the new rule changes.
Rich (shown below), who has already seen 24 varsity matches in his career, did not relent, scoring takedowns in the second and two more in the third to draw even before winning the match with nearfall to win his spot.
Xavior Palacios (190) and Ryne Fawbush (215) each won their spots with first-period pins to finish off the true wrestle-off matches before coach Myers set up a few exhibitions to give everyone a shot to wrestle in front of the crowd.
The Braves will open their season with a Friday dual next week against Wawasee. Each individual dual on the Bellmont schedule will be broadcast by WZBD again this season.
Bellmont Lineup after Wednesday’s Crimson & Navy Dual
106 – Jacob Binegar – Fr.
113 – Ben Mills – So.
120 – Jordan Burkholder – Fr.
126 – Ethan Curtis – Sr.
132 – Gabriel Myers – Fr.
138 – Henry Faurote – So.
144 – Will Franze – Sr.
150 – Kade Cutler – Fr.
157 – Austin Manley – Fr.
165 – Gavin Davis – Sr.
175 – Landon Rich – Jr.
190 – Xavior Palacios – Jr.
215 – Ryne Fawbush – Sr.
285 – Grady Baker – Jr.
Full Results from Wednesday’s Action
Semifinal Round
175 – Isaiah Herman p. Blake Christner, 2:20
215 – Douglas Hamilton p. Joe Hakes, 3:05
Wrestle-Off Round
113 – Ben Mills d. Jacob Bleeke, 6-0
126 – Ethan Curtis d. Landon Sielschott, 8-4
175 – Landon Rich m.d. Isaiah Herman, 16-8
190 – Xavior Palacios p. Xavier Bodle, :27
215 – Ryne Fawbush p. Douglas Hamilton, 1:00
Exhibition Matches
Ethan Curtis p. Jordan Burkholder, 3:11
Gabe Myers t.f. Landon Sielschott, 18-3
Will Franze p. Kade Cutler, :37
Austin Manley p. Landon Rich, 3:42
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