JANUARY 29, 2009 – TROY
The Covington high school wrestling team had a big night on Thursday as they traveled to Troy for a “super-tri” meet with the host Trojans, along with Tipp City and Miami East. The Buccs defeated Tipp City, 51-27, in the opening round while Troy defeated Miami East, 42-22. The final round – which paired the winners of the first round on one mat and the losers on the other – saw Covington pull of an impressive victory as they bested the Trojans, 37-36 – winning every match but two and surrendering 24 points to forfeits.
In the opening round, Tipp City took the early lead with as Nuthapol Suppakitjarak picked up a forfeit at 112 lbs. The Buccs would quickly answer at 119 lbs as Sam Herron earned a first period fall over Ben Patzek. Sam Angle then picked up a forfeit at 125 lbs to give Covington a 12-6 lead. Covington’s Matt Breisch (130) followed suit with a pin over Conner Thomas, before Ben Wilson (135) picked up another forfeit for the Buccs to extend their lead to 24-6. Tipp City would answer at 140, though, as Joe O’Brien came from behind to best Tyler Tebbe, 9-4. Covington’s Cory Ely then earned another forfeit at 145 lbs, before the marquee match of the dual.
Covington’s Andrew Dehart bumped up a weight class to 152 lbs to face Tipp City’s Jake Watkins in a match featuring wrestlers who each claimed the championship in their respective weights at the Troy Invitational a few weeks ago. Both wrestlers put on a display of outstanding wrestling as DeHart would go on to win 7-4.
The Buccs would then put the dual out of reach as they picked up pins in the next three weight classes – Jake Jennings (160) over Matt Gay, Aaron Devenport (171) over Jeremy Hitchens and Josh Shefbuch (189) over Mitch Vogler – to take a 51-9 lead. The Red Devils would close out the dual by picking up forfeits at 215 (Nathanial Graham), 285 (Zach Watkins) and 103 (Kyle Buehrer) to give the Buccs a 51-27 victory.
Covington squared off against Troy in the final round, with the opening dual starting at 119 lbs. Sam Herron got the Buccs started off with a pin over Troy’s Riley McCormick. At 125, Covington’s Matt Breisch opened up a close match in the third period with a 12-5 victory over Adam Sturwold, before Brandon Flora’s forfeit at 130 lbs gave the Buccs a 15-0 start.
The next bout would be a key one for Covington as Tyler Tebbe faced Troy’s returning state qualifier, Blake Stradling at 135 lbs. Tebbe came out on top of a scramble to gain the opening takedown before Stradling knotted the score 2-2 going into the second period. Stradling would extend his lead to 4-2 with a reversal in the second and had the match going his way in the third with this 2-point advantage. With time running out in the final period, Tebbe executed a reversal to the back and gained near fall points to pull of the upset with a 7-4 victory.
Cory Ely then picked up a forfeit at 140 lbs, followed by Andrew DeHart’s pin over Nick Harmon at 145 lbs to extend Covington’s lead to 30-0. Covington’s Josh McMillion and Troy’s Conner Haren then were part of another key match that saw four lead changes. McMillion would come out on top 6-5, however, to boost the Buccs’ margin to 33-0. Covington’s Jake Jennings (160) then put the dual out of reach as he used a pair of third-period near falls against Neil Mezache to turn a regular decision into a major decision giving four valuable points to Covington for a 37-0 lead.
Troy would win the next two bouts by fall as Ryan Crabtree pinned Aaron Devenport at 171 lbs and Jesse Browning earned a fall over Josh Shefbuch at 189 lbs to cut the team score to 37-12. The Trojans would then pick up four consecutive forfeits at 215 (Nick Smith), 285 (Joe Brading), 103 (Thomas Caughill) and 112 lbs (Tyler Sparks), but it wouldn’t be enough as Covington held on for the 37-36 victory.
The Buccs varsity competes this Saturday at the Ben Logan Invitational while the reserve team travels to the Vandalia Butler JV Invitational.
