MOUNT ORAB — With 185 team points Saturday the Northmont varsity wrestling team placed 5th overall out of 18 teams at the Hammer and Anvil Invitational at Western Brown High School.

Northmont had six wrestlers place in the tournament.

Marcos Velasquez (Sr.) took 1st place at 175 pounds by scoring a 14-4 major decision over Gary Reno (Sr.) of Hillsboro in the championship round.

Velasquez recorded four pins during the tournament: 1st round 0:27 vs. Deacon Howland of Turpin, 2nd round 1:10 vs. Leland Grundy of Goshen, 3rd round 3:45 vs. Cecil Piner of Xenia, 6th round 3:23 vs. Carter Creeden of River Valley.

Devin Jones (Jr.) also took 1st place at 190 pounds by scoring an 8-7 decision over Porter Rick (Sr.) of River Valley.

Jones recorded three pins in the tournament. 1st round 2:59 vs. Terry Bitzer of Goshen, 2nd round 3:49 vs. Chase Craig of Campbell County, Ky., 3rd round 1:15 vs. Alex Stacy of Xenia.

Heavyweight Charlie Henson (Jr.) placed 5th with a 5-1 decision over Jelani Hunter (Sr.) of Wilmington. Henson also recorded three pins. He opened the tourney with a pin (1:48) vs. Jerin Lacey of Licking Valley.

In the second round Henson lost by pin (4:09) to Keegan Jacks of Lakewood. He bounced back to score a pin (1:20) against Spencer Oakley of West Clermont. Henson pinned Ian Lawson of Hillsboro in 1:05 in the tournament’s sixth round.

Noah Allen (Sr.) placed 5th at 132 pounds by scoring a pin (2:37) against Evan Watterson (Jr.) of Lakota East. Allen opened the tournament with an 8-5 decision over Cooper Renner of West Clermont.

Round two saw Allen lose by pin (2:30) to Josiah Puller of Wilmington. Allen lost by pin (3:36) to Cordion Abernathy of Conner in third round action. Allen won by default over Ian Bao of Bellbrook in the sixth round.

Elijah Humphrey (Fr.) placed 6th at 106 pounds losing by pin (0:52) to Cody Lisle (Sr.) of Clinton-Massie in the battle for 5th place.

Humphrey lost by a 17-1 technical fall to Cody Lisle of Clinton-Massie in the opening round of action. He lost by pin (0:53) in the second round to Karson Jankins of River Valley and lost by pin (1:54) to Keaton Dicken of Conner in round three.

In the sixth round Humphrey scored a pin (0:58) over Mason Pardini of New Richmond.

Charlie Wendt (Fr.) also placed 6th at 157 pounds losing by pin (2:05) to Nathan Seth (So.) of Conner. Wendt opened the tournament with a pin (1:35) over Brayde Marlatt of Licking Valley.

In the second round Wendt lost by pin (3:06) to Hunter Monds of Clinton Massie. That kicked Wendt to the sixth round where he pinned Eli Stark of New Richmond in 1:33.

The Thunderbolts return to action on Thursday, Feb. 1 with a tri-meet at home with Edgewood-Trenton and Mason.

Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or by email: [email protected].