Saturday, January 02, 2010
The Covington high school wrestling team put in an outstanding team performance in winning their first ever Troy Invitational championship Saturday. Through the first three rounds of pool wrestling, the Buccs moved atop the team standings by winning 29 of the 33 matches they wrestled. Covington wouldn’t relinquish their lead throughout the semifinals or finals, as they built up 274.5 points to take first place at the fifteen-team tournament over runner-up Kenton Ridge. Northwestern, Indian Lake and Northmont rounded out the top five teams.
Three Buccaneer wrestlers advanced to the championship bout, with two coming away victorious. Dylan Gustin claimed the 135 lb. title by upsetting the top seed A.J. Ganger of Miami East with a first-period pin. Gustin won his semifinal bout by pinning Northmont’s Mike West. This marks the second time Gustin has wrestled in the Troy championship bout as he placed second at 119 lbs. as a freshman.
At 145 lbs, Andrew DeHart claimed his third consecutive Troy Invitational championship with a hard-fought 10-5 decision over state-alternate Jason Wray of Springfield. DeHart went 5-0 on the day, pinning his first four opponents en route to his final bout.
Justin McMillion (152) also advanced to the finals where he fell to Tipp City’s Jake Watkins. McMillion went 3-0 in the most difficult pool of his weight class, then came back in the semifinals from a 5-0 deficit to Springfield’s Tacota Fields, to take a 10-6 lead before pinning Fields in the third period.
Placing third for the Buccs were Matt Breisch (119) and Tyler Tebbe (140). Breisch earned a 12-4 major decision over Daniel McCaslin of Wayne, while Tebbe racked up a number of takedowns and near fall in earning a 16-1 technical fall over Springfield’s Chase Webber.
Brock Smith (103), Sam Angle (125) and Aaron Devenport (160) each finished in fourth place, while Kyler Deeter (130) earned seventh place, and Josh Shefbuch (189), eighth place for Covington. Brian Olson (171) also won for the Buccs, but just missed qualifying out of his pool for the placement rounds.
Covington’s ten total placers matches the most ever for the Buccs at this invitational.
The Buccs will have a little time off before returning to competition against Tipp City, Troy and Miami East at Tipp City on January 14.
Final Team Standings
Covington ………….274.5
Kenton Ridge ……..249.0
Northwestern ……..238.0
Indian Lake ……….236.0
Northmont …………225.0
Wayne ……………..210.5
Springfield …………202.0
Tippecanoe ………..177.0
Fairborn …………….176.0
Miami East …………175.0
Troy …………………174.0
Milton-Union ……….164.0
Arcanum ……………135.5
Stivers ………………..74.0
Graham Black ……….41.0
In reserve action, the Buccs traveled to the Versailles JV Invitational where six of the seven competing wrestlers placed in the top-five. Brandon Flora won the 135 lb. championship, while Jake Sowers finished as a runner-up at 125 lbs. Justin Millhouse (112) placed third, while D.J. Seger (125), Alex Bitner (130) and Lon Bitner (140) each placed fifth. Also competing and winning for the Buccs was Cody Burton (215).
