VERSAILLES – The Covington Buccaneers had a great day in the toughest sectional tournament in the state of Ohio as five wrestlers placed in the top four of their weight classes to qualify for the district meet next week at Hobart Arena in Troy.
It was obvious how brutal this sectional tournament was due to so many outstanding programs in the lineup. Fortunately, the Buccaneers put together an impressive performance despite having two wrestlers out of the lineup – one due to a skin condition and another due to failing to make weight.
As a team, Covington finished in fifth place out of 22 teams. The Buccs compiled 117 points and had five wrestlers place in the top four – Caleb Ryman, Mason Epperson, Brody Taylor, Henry Skaggs and Trenton Havenar.
Caleb Ryman won the sectional championship in the 150 pound weight class by capturing four wins to improve his overall record to 45-0. He started off with a 1:07 pin on Alex Ballentine of Springfield Catholic Central and then pinned Jake Myer of Fort Recovery in 55 seconds. Ryman advanced to the finals with an 8-0 major decision victory over Quentin Grillot from Versailles and closed out the tournament win an 11-6 victory over Jonas Mannier from Graham.
Mason Epperson was unseeded in the 190 pound weight class, but put together an amazing performance to finish in third place. Epperson lost his first match to #2 seed Tristan Shoffner of Indiana Lake, but won four straight matches throughout the rest of the day. He started off with a 25 second pin against Mason Kendig from Arcanum and followed up with a 58 second pin against Owen McKee from Twin Valley South. He followed up with a very impressive 10-3 victory over #4 seed Cale Henry from Versailles and then defeated #5 seed Zach Lawson from National Trail by the score of 10-8 in the consolation final.
Brody Taylor finished fourth in a very tough 106 pound weight class as he opened up with a 3:09 pin against Wyatt Shoemaker from West Liberty-Salem. He then lost to #1 seed Braden Root from Graham, but secured his path to district with a 1:38 pin over Cash Scott from Indian lake. He finished with a loss to #3 seed Hud Randall from Miami East.
Henry Skaggs was another unseeded Buccaneer wrestler who was able to excel at the tournament by finishing fourth place in the 120 pound weight class. Skaggs opened with a default loss to #1 seed Spencer Shore from Miami East, but followed with three straight wins to secure a spot in districts. He defeated Owen Grieshop from Fort Recovery with a 1:10 pin and then pinned #5 seed Jamarial Jordan from Dixie in 2:42. Skaggs advanced to the consolation final with a dominating 35 second pin victory over #6 seed Ross Wagner from Arcanum. His final match was a loss to #4 seed Reece Magoteaux from Versailles.
The final Buccaneer to advance to districts was Trenton Havenar, who finished fourth in the 215 pound weight class. Havenar started off with two straight wins by pin over Brock Gillam from Northeastern and Jayden Bradley from Twin Valley South. He then lost to #1 seed Danny Hoke from Graham, but rebounded with a 1:31 pin victory in a rematch with Brock Gillam from Northeastern. His final match ended in a loss to #3 seed Brody Adams from Springfield Catholic Central.
Five more Buccaneers wrestled well, but came up short in hoping to advance to the district meet. Isaiah Mumford (126 pounds) and Jack Blumenstock (157 pounds) finished sixth in their weight classes as each finished 2-3 on the day. Kaden Thompson (175 pounds) and Liam Geeding (144 pounds) both went 1-2 in tough weight classes, while Jonny Miller (132 pounds) finished 0-2, but the losses came against wrestlers who were seeded 5th and 6th.
TEAM RESULTS
- Graham Local – 307.0
- Versailles – 214.5
- Indian Lake – 167.0
- Miami East – 158.0
- Covington – 117.0
- Milton-Union – 95.0
- Triad – 92.5
- West Liberty-Salem – 88.0
- National Trail – 71.0
- Legacy Christian – 56.5
- Springfield Catholic Central – 52.5
- Dixie – 47.5
- Southeastern – 29.0
- Northeastern – 21.0
- Arcanum – 16.0
- Twin Valley South – 15.5
- Greenon – 13.0
- Troy Christian – 8.0
- Ft. Recovery – 7.0
- Tri-County North – 3.0
- Cedarville – 0.0
Lehman Cath. – 0.0
BUCCANEER RESULTS:
CALEB RYMAN – 1ST PLACE – 150 POUNDS
Caleb Ryman (Covington) pin Alex Ballentine (Spr. Cath. Cent.) 1:07
Caleb Ryman (Covington) pin Jake Myer (Ft. Recovery) 0:55
Caleb Ryman (Covington) maj. dec. Quentin Grillot (Versailles) md8-0
Caleb Ryman (Covington) dec. Jonas Mannier (Graham Local) 11-6
MASON EPPERSON – 3RD PLACE – 190 POUNDS
Tristan Shoffner (Indian Lake) pin Mason Epperson (Covington) 0:50
Mason Epperson (Covington) pin Mason Kendig (Arcanum) 0:25
Mason Epperson (Covington) pin Owen McKee (Twin Valley So.) 0:58
Mason Epperson (Covington) dec. Cale Henry (Versailles) 10-3
Mason Epperson (Covington) dec. Zach Lawson (National Trail) 10-8
BRODY TAYLOR – 4TH PLACE – 106 POUNDS
Brody Taylor (Covington) pin Wyatt Shoemaker (West Liberty-Salem) 3:09
Baden Root (Graham Local) tech. fall* Brody Taylor (Covington) tf18-1
Brody Taylor (Covington) pin Cash Scott (Indian Lake) 1:38
Hud Randall (Miami East) maj. dec. Brody Taylor (Covington) md10-2
HENRY SKAGGS – 4TH PLACE – 120 POUNDS
Spencer Shore (Miami East) Default Henry Skaggs (Covington) Default
Henry Skaggs (Covington) pin Owen Grieshop (Ft. Recovery) 1:10
Henry Skaggs (Covington) pin Jamarial Jordan (Dixie) 2:42
Henry Skaggs (Covington) pin Ross Wagner (Arcanum) 0:35
Reece Magoteaux (Versailles) pin Henry Skaggs (Covington) 1:19
TRENTON HAVENAR – 4TH PLACE – 215 POUNDS
Trenton Havenar (Covington) pin Brock Gillam (Northeastern) 1:25
Trenton Havenar (Covington) pin Jayden Bradley (Twin Valley So.) 5:36
Danny Hoke (Graham Local) pin Trenton Havenar (Covington) 0:39
Trenton Havenar (Covington) pin Brock Gillam (Northeastern) 1:31
Brody Adams (Spr. Cath. Cent.) maj. dec. Trenton Havenar (Covington) md14-4
ISAIAH MUMFORD – 6TH PLACE – 126 POUNDS
Isaiah Mumford (Covington) pin Aydin Ryan (Dixie) 1:29
Isaiah Mumford (Covington) pin Isaac Sowers (Milton-Union) 4:50
Lucas Merriman (West Liberty-Salem) tech. fall Isaiah Mumford (Covington) tf17-2
Ke`Shawn Blackwell (Indian Lake) maj. dec. Isaiah Mumford (Covington) md15-5
Michael Gregg (Triad) maj. dec. Isaiah Mumford (Covington) md13-4
JACK BLUMENSTOCK – 6TH PLACE – 157 POUNDS
Matt Nye (Spr. Cath. Cent.) pin Jack Blumenstock (Covington) 2:20
Jack Blumenstock (Covington) maj. dec. Gary Kline (Milton-Union) md12-2
Jack Blumenstock (Covington) pin Cayden Everhart (Triad) 2:05
Henry Toschlog (National Trail) pin Jack Blumenstock (Covington) 1:57
Matt Nye (Spr. Cath. Cent.) tech. fall Jack Blumenstock (Covington) tf18-2
JONNY MILLER – 132 POUNDS
Bronx Dickson (Indian Lake) tech. fall Jonny Miller (Covington) tf18-3
Isaac Brown (Versailles) pin Jonny Miller (Covington) 2:12
LIAM GEEDING – 144 POUNDS
Brandt Patton (Versailles) tech. fall Liam Geeding (Covington) tf16-1
Liam Geeding (Covington) pin Ethan Cooley (Northeastern) 0:43
Ben Thomas (Spr. Cath. Cent.) dec. Liam Geeding (Covington) 5-4
KADEN THOMPSON – 175 POUNDS
Kaden Thompson (Covington) pin Chase Hamann (Milton-Union) 3:29
Landyn Knapke (Versailles) pin* Kaden Thompson (Covington) 1:34
Julian Zaragoza (Dixie) dec. Kaden Thompson (Covington) 5-4
