{"id":23124,"date":"2025-01-11T21:50:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-12T02:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/?p=23124"},"modified":"2025-01-21T07:30:48","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T12:30:48","slug":"4-braves-finish-fourth-in-talented-2a-bracket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/11\/4-braves-finish-fourth-in-talented-2a-bracket\/","title":{"rendered":"#4 Braves finish fourth in talented 2A bracket"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An opening-round drubbing of Mount Vernon (Posey) did not give the Bellmont Braves enough momentum to overcome eventual champions Garrett in the semifinal or New Prairie in the third-place match, leaving the team with a fourth-place finish at Saturday’s 2A Team State tournament at Jay County. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Will Franze, Ben Mills and Ethan Curtis all dropping down to wrestle new weight classes for the first time this season, the Braves hoped to have enough firepower to compete with the state’s top teams in 2A. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The lineup shift worked to perfection as all three boys won by fall against Mount Vernon and the Braves won easily, 68-9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Austin Manley works for nearfall against his opponent from Mount Vernon in the quarterfinals of the 2A Team State tournament Saturday. (Photo by Patrick Gunsett)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The team then looked on as the other three top seeds all faced more difficult challenges and won by smaller margins. Coming into the day as the #4 seeds with head-to-head losses against the three teams in front of them, the Braves had a challenge if they wanted to reach the final. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their semifinal opponent was the Garrett Railroaders, who beat Bishop Chatard (49-21) in the quarterfinals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Head coach Tim Myers had the first decision to make in the very first bout with the dual starting at 144, and he chose correctly, sending out Will Franze. After a scoreless first period, Franze scored the takedown in the second and then got the fall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bellmont then bumped away from Carter Fielden, this year’s Al Smith runner-up at 144, at 150, conceding the six points by inserting freshman Kade Cutler and moving Sam Wolpert up to 157. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sam Wolpert shoots in on Brian Barrett of Garrett in the semifinals. (Photo by Patrick Gunsett)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A late reversal by Brian Barrett turned a win for Wolpert into an overtime match and Barrett secured the takedown for a 10-7 decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That win gave the Railroaders the momentum they needed, taking the first real toss-up of the dual ahead of a run of bouts that featured mismatches on either side and Garrett were heavy favorites in six of the next nine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gavin Davis has his hand raised after one of his three victories Saturday at Team State. (Photo by Patrick Gunsett)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Braves did their parts in the matches they were supposed to win, with Gavin Davis, Xavior Palacios and Grady Baker all scoring solid victories, but it left the team down 16 points with just three bouts remaining. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Xavior Palacios cradles up his Garrett opponent for a fall at 190 pounds Saturday. (Photo by Patrick Gunsett)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Garrett won the dual meet and advanced to the finals with first-minute falls at 126 and 132, leaving Henry Faurote to wrestle for himself in the final bout. That bout was a terribly important one for Faurote, however, with Ryan Kochendorfer one of the very best 138s in the local semi-state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Garrett up 49-21, Faurote and Kochendorfer were hit with double stalling midway through a scoreless first period. Henry found his groove in the second, scoring a pair of takedowns and pinning Kochendorfer after building a 6-2 lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The loss put Bellmont up against New Prairie, who somehow gave up a 33-7 lead to Delta in the other semifinal. The Eagles won the final six bouts to upset the #2 seed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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