SAINT PARIS — With seven wrestlers competing in their first full year at the varsity level, Eaton coach Mark Silvers thought his team would have some steep learning curves this season — and they did.
But the end results have been more than Silvers could have asked for, as the Eagles claimed the Division II, Graham 2 sectional championship Saturday, Feb. 25, just a week after winning their sixth-straight Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division title.
Eaton qualified nine grapplers, including four sectional champions, to next weekends district tournament at Wilmington High School, beginning on Friday, March 3, and concluding Saturday, March 4.
“Wow. At the start of the season, if anyone told me we would win the Southwest Division of the SWBL and then we would win the sectional, sending nine guys to the District tournament, I would have told you you were a dreamer,” Silvers said. “Well, don’t wake me up. I don’t want this dream to end.”
The opening day of the sectional tournament didn’t go as well as Silvers hoped. Eaton lost four of seven matches.
“I felt like we could do really well going in to the sectional. Friday night we didn’t wrestle real well, losing four matches of seven. The guys came back with a passion, winning five of seven semi matches. Five was a good number and I thought that might be the number to make it to the district tournament,” Silvers said. “Then the four we had in the consolation semis came through with big wins to qualify on to next week. You’ve got to figure, we had seven guys in their first year as full time varsity.”
Leading Eaton was Wade Monebrake at 120 pounds, who came from behind to beat Isaiah Worthham of Chaminade Juliene, 7-5 for a sudden victory.
Coleman Manning, at 132, beat Jacob Mikesell of Greenville by a major decision, 14-0.
Seth Hodapp, at 170, beat Robert Chambers of Greenville, 12-8 .
Spencer Reynolds, at 182, came from behind to beat Mitch Current of Ben Logan, 10-9.
The championships were the first of the high school careers for all four wrestler, according to Silvers.
At 160, Isaac Ilo finished second, losing to Gunnar Dawson of Midddletown Madison, 4-2.
At 195, Christian Michael placed third, pinning Matt Evers of Carroll in the consolation final.
At 285, Seth Bowman placed third, pinning Michael Winfield of Trotwood in the consolation final.
At 126, Chris Weadick qualified, placing fourth, losing to Gavyn Grim of Urbana in the second round and then in the consolation final, 9-4.
Also placing fourth was Tyler Schmidt at 220. He lost to Drake Miller of Oakwood in the second round and then in the consolation final.
Also competing for the Eagles this weekend were 138 pounder Cameron Schmidt, Logan Chapin at 145 and Spencer Leaker at 152.
“The learning curve has been steep. To say we are proud of how this group has worked and grown is a gross understatement. Now we build for this weekend with the district tournament at Wilmington,” Silvers said.
Sect. Tournament: Div. II – Graham 2 Scores:
1. Eaton 174.0; 2. Cham. Julienne 136.5; 3. Carroll 132.0; 4. Oakwood 127.0; Urbana 127.0; 6. Greenville 101.5; 7. Ben. Logan 98.5; 8. Mid. Madison 96.5; 9. Spr. Shawnee 77.0; 10. Tippecanoe 66.0; 11. Ponitz CTC 59.0; 12. Trotwood-Madison 24.0;
First Place
106: Kaleb Ream (Spr. Shawnee) dec. Sean Conway (Carroll) 6-2;
113: Austin Murray (Urbana) dec. A.J. Lewandowski (Oakwood) 11-5;
120: Wade Monebrake (Eaton) dec. Isaiah Wortham (Cham. Julienne) 7-5 SV;
126: Cole Houser (Ben. Logan) dec. Thomas McGraw (Cham. Julienne) 14-10;
132: Coleman Manning (Eaton) maj. dec. Jacob Mikesell (Greenville) md14-0;
138: Micah Marshall (Cham. Julienne) dec. Caleb Blake (Tippecanoe) 3-2;
145: Jakob Nelson-Mays (Oakwood) dec. Nicholas Machuca (Cham. Julienne) 5-0;
152: Jesse Younce (Carroll) dec. Braeden Lehman (Urbana) 9-8;
160: Gunnar Dawson (Mid. Madison) dec. Isaac Ilo (Eaton) 4-2;
170: Seth Hodapp (Eaton) dec. Robert Chalmers (Greenville) 12-8;
182: Spencer Reynolds (Eaton) dec. MItch Current (Ben. Logan) 10-9;
195: Zach Banks (Mid. Madison) pin Issac Craft (Urbana) 3:07;
220: Grant Carlson (Tippecanoe) dec. Jamen Hill (Carroll) 2-1;
285: Mike Morris (Oakwood) dec. Elijah Cochran (Cham. Julienne) 2-1;
Third Place
106: Devin Lucas (Oakwood) pin Lucas Chess (Urbana) 0:14;
113: Austin Lacey (Greenville) pin Blake Ballard (Tippecanoe) 2:42;
120: Drew Price (Mid. Madison) dec. Demiri Randle (Trotwood-Madison) 9-2;
126: Gavyn Grim (Urbana) dec. Chris Weadick (Eaton) 9-4;
132: Connor McCune (Spr. Shawnee) pin Steele Boysel (Ben. Logan) 3:55;
138: Joel Abbott (Ben. Logan) pin Nick Humphreys (Spr. Shawnee) 2:14;
145: Damion Williams (Urbana) pin Jacob Goldsmith (Greenville) 1:42;
152: Hunter Johns (Cham. Julienne) dec. Dominic Finch (Spr. Shawnee) 5-4;
160: Blake Coy (Carroll) pin Massiyah Smith (Ponitz CTC) 1:30;
170: Noah Hoagland (Carroll) pin Brock LeVan (Ben. Logan) 0:22;
182: Trenton Randall (Carroll) dec. Zane Mancillas (Greenville) 3-1;
195: Christian Michael (Eaton) pin Matt Eavers (Carroll) 2:03;
220: Drake Miller (Oakwood) pin Tyler Schmidt (Eaton) 2:54;
285: Seth Bowman (Eaton) pin Michael Winfield (Trotwood-Madison) 2:50;
Fifth Place
106: Jorden Zigo (Cham. Julienne) maj. dec. Andrew Stachler (Greenville) md17-3;
113: Lance Roberts (Cham. Julienne) Bye Bye Bye;
120: Chris Raterman (Ben. Logan) pin Nick Bowman (Oakwood) 0:49;
126: Jason King (Carroll) def. Jordan Eslick (Mid. Madison) Default;
132: Travis Hall (Ponitz CTC) pin Seth Helter (Oakwood) 2:18;
138: Jake Burgard (Oakwood) pin Joseph Edwards (Greenville) 1:15;
145: Lucas Moore (Tippecanoe) maj. dec. De`Angelo Edwards (Ponitz CTC) md8-0;
152: Quincy Brown (Mid. Madison) dec. Greg Campbell (Ponitz CTC) 13-8;
160: Louis Ramris (Urbana) dec. Sam Matthews (Spr. Shawnee) 5-3 SV;
170: Kaliq Crutch (Ponitz CTC) Bye Bye Bye;
182: David Lane (Ponitz CTC) pin Ben Thomas (Cham. Julienne) 2:11;
195: Quincy Hazard (Ponitz CTC) Bye Bye Bye;
220: Landin Brown (Greenville) pin Austin Fisher (Urbana) 0:53;
285: Joey Kendrick (Mid. Madison) pin Jeffrey Shunk (Greenville) 0:32
