DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
PORTLAND – The Adams Central BAGUBAs captured six individual titles, including four in a row, and gathered up 250 points to go along with a total of 12 regional qualifiers on a great day of wrestling at the Jay County Sectional Saturday.
The point total might have been enough to sneak past Bellmont in the event of a big mistake from the Braves, but they never faltered, advancing all 14 to regional with six champs of their own to take home the trophy.
Nevertheless, the team result Saturday in no way weakens the Jets’ chances to capture a regional title this coming weekend. The race between Bellmont, Adams Central and Delta should be awfully entertaining for those in attendance or listening at home on WZBD.
“What a fun day,” remarked AC head coach Ryan Landis. “We are proud of the boys’ effort up and down the lineup.”
The Jets put seven into the finals with a great semifinal round and nearly had a perfect elimination round, winning five of six in the consolation semifinals. That left only two wrestlers as not advancing for the team. One of those was freshman Clay Fiechter at 144, who was an unlucky participant in the opening rattail round and did not have a chance to wrestle back.
Cruz Bowers and Max Nussbaum both bounced back from semifinal losses to win two in a row and claim third place at 106 and 190, respectively. Both are poised to have a good 50/50 shot at making it to semi-state with that finish.
Owen Macklin, Ezra Liechty and Ryan Beer each did enough to survive for another week.
The story at the end of the day for the Jets, though, was about the finalists.
After Kale Beer took a forfeit in the quarterfinals at 132, the Jets did not lose another match in the round, putting a total of eleven into the semis.
It was Beer again kicking off a big run in the middle weights when he reached the finals by taking out Connor Fojtik. That spurred Myles Kaehr to a dominating tech fall win at 138. Expected wins by Ogg, Dubach, Schortgen and Schwartz followed. Ethan Funk made it a seventh finalist by winning a close match with former state-ranked heavyweight Alan Ortiz, reaching the finals at 215 with a 4-1 decision.
All six titles by the Jets came in dominating fashion, all by bonus points. While the first five were expected, it was the sixth that got everyone extra excited.
“It was a good day,” agreed assistant coach Eric Myers, who enjoyed his first postseason tournament back with his alma mater.
After losing the 215 championship bout last week to Jake Boots, Ethan Funk looked like a different man, or at least one who went online, looked up a cheat code, and then went crazy with it, turning last week’s loss into an insane, 16-0 demolition of a quality opponent.
As previously mentioned, the success of sectional Saturday will certainly lead to extra chances on Regional Saturday.
Team Scores: 1st-Bellmont 273.5; 2nd-Adams Central 250; 3rd-South Adams 199; 4th-Jay County 166.5; 5th-Bluffton 116; 6th-Norwell 76; 7th-Southern Wells 56; 8th-Union City 54.5; 9th-Blackford 51
Rattail Round
144-Jace Johnson (N) t.f. Clay Fiechter, 28-12
Quarterfinals
106-Cruz Bowers p. William Foust (SA), 1:50
113-Ezra Liechty p. Malaki Crowder (UC), 1:50
120-Oliver Faurote (B) t.f. Owen Macklin, 16-1
126-Dakota Sprunger (SA) p. Coltan Everett, 1:24
132-Kale Beer WBF
138-Myles Kaehr p. Timothy Smith (SW), :18
150-Dylan Ogg p. Roman Meyer (N), 1:11
157-Maverick Dubach p. Chase Gerber (N), 1:33
165-Brason Schortgen p. Blayne Durbin (SW), :39
175-Xander Schwartz p. Colton Huss (N), :49
190-Max Nussbaum p. Alden Dollar (SW), 5:11
215-Ethan Funk t.f. Tre Jones (UC), 17-2
285-Ryan Beer m.d. Jordan Barron (UC), 10-0
Semifinals
106-Jacob Binegar (B) d. Cruz Bowers, 7-2
113-Bradley Baker (B) p. Ezra Liechty, 2:49
132-Kale Beer p. Connor Fojtik (N), 4:55
138-Myles Kaehr t.f. Jason Landers (JC), 21-4
150-Dylan Ogg t.f. Parker Nash (Blf), 22-5
157-Maverick Dubach p. Cameron Simpson (Blf), :29
165-Brason Schortgen t.f. Caleb Sibray (JC), 20-4
175-Xander Schwartz p. Corbin Batten (Blk), 1:07
190-Wes Summersett (SA) t.f. Max Nussbaum, 21-6
215-Ethan Funk d. Alan Ortiz (JC), 4-1
285-Grady Baker (B) p. Ryan Beer, 3:30
Consolation Quarterfinals
120-Owen Macklin p. Eli Thomas (N), 2:52
126-Coltan Everett p. Lane McCune (SW), 2:29
Consolation Semifinals
106-Cruz Bowers p. Carter Bryant (Blk), 1:56
113-Ezra Liechty p. Maddox Affolder (N), 2:45
120-Owen Macklin p. Roberto Rodas (Blf), 3:33
126-Crete Edwards (N) d. Coltan Everett, 9-5
190-Max Nussbaum p. Isaiah Thompson (N), :38
285-Ryan Beer p. Clayton Heflin (Blk), 4:52
Championship Bouts
132-Kale Beer p. Will Patterson (SA), 2:53
138-Henry Faurote (B) t.f. Myles Kaehr, 19-3
150-Dylan Ogg m.d. Sam Wolpert (B), 9-0
157-Maverick Dubach p. Charles Faurote (B), 3:39
165-Brason Schortgen t.f. Nathan Plattner (SA), 17-1
175-Xander Schwartz p. Bryan Fields (JC), 3:02
215-Ethan Funk t.f. Jake Boots (Blf), 16-0
Third-Place Bouts
106-Cruz Bowers d. Corbin Lothridge (JC), 3-0
113-Drake Hicks (SW) m.d. Ezra Liechty, 16-5
120-Oliver Faurote (B) p. Owen Macklin, 1:37
190-Max Nussbaum p. Brady Bannister (Blk), 2:27
285-Spencer Smitley (SW) p. Ryan Beer, 2:29
Fifth-Place Bouts
126-John Mangen (UC) t.f. Coltan Everett, 19-3
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