Wapakoneta’s Zane Russell (Left) faces off against Van Wert’s Owen Bates (Right) on Saturday in the WBL Championships at Kenton High School.
Jackelyn Johnson | The Lima News
KENTON – Wapakoneta went 9-0 in Western Buckeye League duals this season.
At Saturday’s Western Buckeye League Wrestling Tournament at Kenton High School, the results were the same for Wapakoneta as it easily won the WBL tournament.
Wapakoneta ended Saturday’s tournament with 180.5 points. Celina was a distant second with 148 points, while St. Marys (144) and Van Wert (141.5) rounded out the top four teams in a field of 10.
With Saturday’s victory, along with an unblemished dual record, Wapakoneta notched the overall team title.
The WBL team championship is based on two criteria – the regular-season dual record and the league tournament.
With the win, Wapakoneta coach Jason Rostorfer earned the coach of the year honors in the WBL.
Wapakoneta sent seven wrestlers to Saturday’s championship matches. At the end of the day, the Redskins had six individual champions.
“If someone would have told me this morning that we were going to score that many points and have six individual champs, I definitely would have taken that,” Rostorfer said with a grin. “Everybody on the team scored points today. Everybody contributed to the team total. A lot of people consider wrestling an individual sport, but they don’t realize the team aspect of it. We had 13 guys score points (on Saturday). Those young guys who did not get on the (awards) podium, did their job. They scored some points for us, and it adds up.”
Rostorfer said Saturday’s championships – team and individuals – have been a long time coming for his program.
“It has been a long time since we had six (individual) champs. And it has been a while since we had a team championship,” Rostorfer said. “That is number 19 (wrestling team championships) in school history. We look at this as the last team event of the season. From here on out it’s solely about individuals. We will focus on individuals and try to get guys to the state tournament in Columbus.”
On Saturday, in the first title match of the night, freshman Zane Russell set the tone for Wapakoneta in the 106-pound finals. Russell slipped out with a hard-fought 6-5 decision over Van Wert’s Owen Bates.
“I had four kids in my weight class,” Russell said. “That’s not what I wanted. I wanted to get ready for sectionals, but I think I’m ready. I’ve really trained hard for this.”
In the championship match at 120 pounds, Wapakoneta junior Caden Mellott pinned Defiance’s Quinton Simmons early in the second period.
At last season’s Division II state tournament, Mellott placed sixth in the 113-pound weight class.
“I feel like I’m in tip-top shape,” Mellott said. “Everything is where it needs to be. I’ll just keep chugging along. Last year I got second (at the WBL tournament), and then I placed at state. So, this (WBL tournament) doesn’t matter. It’s cool to win it, but the main goal is state.”
Wapakoneta sophomore Gavin Ridenour (132) won his title match on Saturday against Celina’s Payten Staughler by way of a tech-fall, 19-4.
“I think I wrestled pretty good, but there’s always room for improvement,” Ridenour said. “I now have to get ready for sectionals, districts, and state.”
In Saturday’s championship bout at 165, Wapakoneta senior Reece Schnarre defeated Celina’s Luke Lazarich in a hard-fought match, 9-8.
“This year I’m pushing for a run (in the postseason),” Schnarre said. “I want to go out with something special. I want to get my name up in the (practice) room.”
Wyatt Buell (175) and Jace Knous (215) were the other two Wapakoneta wrestlers who notched league titles on Saturday.
At last season’s Division II state tournament, Knous placed seventh at 190.
St. Marys’ Hisey shines
St. Marys junior Tate Hisey, a two-time Division II state placer, pinned Van Wert’s Xavier Leal early into the second period in Saturday’s title match at 126.
“I put it (title match) away early in the second (period),” Hisey said. “I just really try to work on my moves, with it getting late into the season. Now is not the time to close up and just go for wins. Now is the time to open up to see where you’re at, and to see what you need to work on.
“I opened up and saw what I had to work on. So, I felt good and I’m ready for the upcoming weeks.”
Other WBL champions
Other league champions on Saturday included Celina’s Zach Greber (144) Defiance’s Mason Ducat (138) and Michael Waltz (150), Kenton’s Anthony Hunt (157), St. Marys’ Cole Donovan (190), Van Wert’s Joaquin Estrada (113) and Breese Bollenbacher (285).
WBL TOURNAMENT TEAM RESULTS: 1. Wapakoneta 180.5, 2. Celina 148, 3. St. Marys 144, 4. Van Wert 141.5, 5. Defiance 116, 6. Shawnee 94, 7. Elida 53, 8. Kenton 39, 9. Bath 38, 10. Ottawa-Glandorf 17
WBL PLACERS (TOP FOUR)
106 – 1. Zane Russell (WAPA), 2. Owen Bates (VW), 3. Jerimiah Cisco (SM), 4. Brody Sherrick (EL)
113 – 1. Joaquin Estrada (VW), 2. Kaleb Krogman (CE), 3. Tate Ditto (SH), 4. Gabe Miley (EL)
120 – 1. Caden Mellott (WAPA), 2. Quinton Simmons (DEF), 3. Kael Dodson (SHAW), Carter Bledsoe (VW)
126 – 1. Tate Hisey (SM), 2. Xavier Leal (VW), 3. Aaren King (CEL), 4. Malachi Simmons (DEF)
132 – 1. Gavin Ridenour (WAPA), 2. Payten Staughler (CEL), 3. Alejandro Reyes (SHAW), 4. Noah Bruce (SM)
138 – 1. Mason Ducat (DEF), 2. Skyler Kirk (ELI), 3. Dyllan Fink (St. Marys), 4. Zach Colobongh (CEL)
144 – 1. Zach Greber (CEL), 2. Briggs Wallace (VW), 3. Shandon Smith (ELI), 4. Cole Brickner (SHAW)
150- 1. Michael Waltz (DEF), 2, Kayne Brown (SHAW), 3. Noah Russell (CEL), 4. Sam Mattox (ELI)
157 – 1. Anthony Hunt (KENT), 2. Bo Hertenstein (SM), 3. Nolan Deppe (BATH), 4. Dawson Ware (WAPA)
165 – 1. Reece Schnarre (WAPA), 2. Luke Lazarich (CELI), 3. Caleb Turner (SM), 4. Maddox Workman (VW)
175 – 1. Wyatt Buell (WAPA), 2. Drew Neidemire (SHAW), 3. Luke Waltz (DEF), 4. Wes Greber (CELI)
190 – 1. Cole Donovan (SM), 2. Brody Presar (WAPA), 3. Morgein Bigham (VW), 4. Preston Coppler (SHAW)
215 – 1. Jace Knous (VW), 2. Tanner Mele (SM), 3. Carter Ly (CEL), 4. Austin Haley (OG)
285 – 1. Breese Bollenbacher (VW), 2. Alex Hinojosa (DEF), 3. Kyle Sklaght (BATH), 4. Matthew Murray (SM
COLUMBUS GROVE WINS THE NORTHWEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Columbus Grove won the NWC title on Saturday at Ada High School. It was their second straight NWC team title.
The Bulldogs ended the tournament with 286.5 points, while second-place Allen East scored 263 points.
Rounding out the rest of the field on Saturday were Bluffton (212.5), Crestview (142), Spencerville (138), Ada (93), Lincolnview (83), and Delphos Jefferson (34).
Individual champions on Saturday included Ada’s Clayton McClain (150), Allen East’s Aizik Myers (113), Jordan Neal (144), Trenton Gatchell (157), Braylen Paxson (175), Brogan Paxson (215), Kyden Culbertson (285), Bluffton’s Branden Cross (120), Kyle Basil (190), Crestview’s Gavin Grubb (126), Columbus Grove’s Boat Thompson (132), Kyle Lathrop (165), and Lincolnview’s Joey Sawyer (138).
Complete NWC results can be found on baumspage.com
Toledo City League
Lima Senior placed sixth out of eight teams at Saturday’s Toledo City League Championships at Start High School. The Spartans scored 29 points. Start won the team title with 192.5 points.
Lima Senior’s Aaron Parrish won the title in the 157-pound weight class.
Other top-four placers for Lima Senior included Corbin Phillips (third, 106) and Noah Talbert (fourth, 150).
