COVINGTON – The Covington wrestling team had a great performance on Saturday at the Division III Sectional Tournament by finishing runner-up with 177 team points and qualifying eight wrestlers to next week’s district tournament.
Senior Chase Vanderhorst and sophomore Caleb Ryman won individual championships in their respective weight classes. Vanderhorst advanced to the finals with pins over Brenden Well of Southeastern and Garrett Bollock of Triad. He won the 138-pound weight class with an 11-0 major decision victory over Riggins Hansgen of Miami East in the finals.
Caleb Ryman opened the tournament with a 38 second pin of L.J. Newman of Legacy Christian and advanced to the finals with an impressive 3-1 victory over Layton Hughes of Miami East. Ryman closed out the tournament with another impressive victory by defeating Czar Dickson of Indian Lake 2-1 in the 144-pound finals.
Four Buccaneer wrestlers finished runner-up in their individual weight classes – Carson Taylor (113), Jericho Quinter (126), Michael Hagan (132) and Aveyen Meek (165).
Carson Taylor captured his 150th career win in his opening match by pinning Zach Whiteted of Middletown Madison. He advanced to the finals with a 5-2 victory over Taven Norris of Legacy Christian and then defaulted his championship match to Spencer Shore of Miami East.
Jericho Quinter advanced to the finals at 126 pounds with a bye and a 16-1 technical fall victory over Issacc Sherman-Morgan of Northeastern. He fell to Nathan Attisano of Legacy Christian in the finals.
Michael Hagan recorded back-to-back pins over Memphis Hughes of Miami East and Matthew Wheeler of Middletown Madison to advance to the finals at 132 pounds. In the finals Hagan lost Dillon Campbell of Legacy Christian, who is pursuing a goal of winning his fourth straight state championship.
Aveyen Meek started off with a 19-4 technical fall victory over Rylan Haney of Tri-County North and advanced to the finals at 157 pounds by pinning #2 seed Braylen Davis of Northeastern in 3:50. Meek dropped his match in the finals 18-5 to #1 seed Hunter Randall of Miami East.
Two more Buccaneers advanced to districts by finishing fourth, Eddie Deaton at 106 pounds and Mason Epperson at 175 pounds. Epperson’s path to districts was extremely impressive as he bounced back from an opening loss by winning three consecutive matches to secure a spot at districts.
Freshman Diego Lopez earned district alternate status by taking fifth place at 150 pounds, while Kaden Thompson (157) and Hayden Brown (215) both finished in sixth place.
Also competing well for the Buccs were Jonny Miller (120) and A.J. Reyes (190).
106 LBS. – EDDIE DEATON – 4TH PLACE
Quarterfinal: Eddie Deaton (Covington) Bye
Semifinal: Logan Moraleja (S. Char. SE) pin Eddie Deaton (Covington) 2:54
Consolation Semifinal: Eddie Deaton (Covington) Bye
Consolation Final: Brian Fulton (Miami East) dec. Eddie Deaton (Covington) 4-2
113 LBS. – CARSON TAYLOR – 2ND PLACE
Quarterfinal: Carson Taylor (Covington) pin Zach Whiteted (Mid. Madison) 1:04
Semifinal: Carson Taylor (Covington) dec. Taven Norris (Legacy Christian) 5-2
Final: Spencer Shore (Miami East) Default Carson Taylor (Covington)
120 LBS. – JONNY MILLER
First Round: Jonny Miller (Covington) pin Erik Cortinas (Troy Christian) 1:41
Quarterfinal: Eli Campbell (Legacy Christian) tech. fall Jonny Miller (Covington) tf17-2
Second Consolation: Jonny Miller (Covington) pin Asher Garman (Day. Christian) 2:44
Third Consolation: Wyatt Smith (Triad) dec. Jonny Miller (Covington) 7-0
126 LBS. – JERICHO QUINTER – 2ND PLACE
Quarterfinal: Jericho Quinter (Covington) Bye
Semifinal: Jericho Quinter (Covington) tech. fall Issacc Sherman-Morgan (Northeastern) tf16-1
Final: Nathan Attisano (Legacy Christian) pin Jericho Quinter (Covington) 3:19
132 LBS. – MICHAEL HAGAN – 2ND PLACE
Quarterfinal: Michael Hagan (Covington) pin Memphis Hughes (Miami East) 1:12
Semifinal: Michael Hagan (Covington) pin Matthew Wheeler (Mid. Madison) 1:50
Final: Dillon Campbell (Legacy Christian) pin Michael Hagan (Covington) 0:30
138 LBS. – CHASE VANDERHORST – 1ST PLACE
Quarterfinal: Chase Vanderhorst (Covington) pin Brenden Wells (S. Char. SE) 2:41
Semifinal: Chase Vanderhorst (Covington) pin Garret Bollock (Triad) 1:19
Final: Chase Vanderhorst (Covington) maj. dec. Riggins Hansgen (Miami East) md11-1
144 LBS. – CALEB RYMAN – 1ST PLACE
Quarterfinal: Caleb Ryman (Covington) pin L.J. Newman (Legacy Christian) 0:38
Semifinal: Caleb Ryman (Covington) dec. Layton Hughes (Miami East) 3-1
Final: Caleb Ryman (Covington) dec. Czar Dickson (Indian Lake) 2-1
150 LBS. – DIEGO LOPEZ – 5TH PLACE
Quarterfinal: KJ Gustin (Miami East) pin* Diego Lopez (Covington) 2:58
Third Consolation: Diego Lopez (Covington) pin Tyler Craft (Dixie) 2:16
Consolation Semifinal: Kody Clark (Mid. Madison) pin Diego Lopez (Covington) 0:31
Fifth Place: Diego Lopez (Covington) pin Isaac Garman (Day. Christian) 0:33
157 LBS. – KADEN THOMPSON – 6TH PLACE
Quarterfinal: Carson Dyer (Troy Christian) pin Kaden Thompson (Covington) 1:36
Third Consolation: Kaden Thompson (Covington) pin Josiah Smith (Day. Christian) 2:04
Consolation Semifinal: Jack Kerridge (Valley View) dec. Kaden Thompson (Covington) 11-4
Fifth Place: Jackson Conner (Dixie) pin Kaden Thompson (Covington) 3:39
165 LBS. – AVEYEN MEEK – 2ND PLACE
Quarterfinal: Aveyen Meek (Covington) tech. fall Rylan Haney (Tri-County North) tf19-4
Semifinal: Aveyen Meek (Covington) pin Braylen Davis (Northeastern) 3:50
Final: Hunter Randall (Miami East) maj. dec. Aveyen Meek (Covington) md18-5
175 LBS. – MASON EPPERSON – 4TH PLACE
Quarterfinal: Ryan Culp (Indian Lake) maj. dec. Mason Epperson (Covington) md10-0
Second Consolation: Mason Epperson (Covington) maj. dec. Zavior Cline (Miami East) md18-5
Third Consolation: Mason Epperson (Covington) maj. dec. Conner Wyatt (National Trail) md19-7
Consolation Semifinal: Mason Epperson (Covington) pin Draven Gierek (Valley View) 0:48
Consolation Final: Ryan Culp (Indian Lake) pin Mason Epperson (Covington) 2:33
190 LBS. – A.J. REYES
Quarterfinal: Eric Coleman (Stivers) pin* A.J. Reyes (Covington) 0:58
Third Consolation: Lucas Schreiber (Valley View) def. A.J. Reyes (Covington) Default
215 LBS. – HAYDEN BROWN – 6TH PLACE
Quarterfinal: Adrian Crumley (Indian Lake) pin Hayden Brown (Covington) 1:49
Third Consolation: Hayden Brown (Covington) Bye
Consolation Semifinal: Andrew Drew Harris (Northeastern) pin Hayden Brown (Covington) 2:06
Fifth Place: Shawn Collier (Day. Christian) pin Hayden Brown (Covington) 2:13
