St. Joseph-Ogden finishes 7th holiday wrestling tournament
SPRINGFIELD - The Spartans defeated Hoopeston Area 60-18 to finish in 7th place in the Bronze Division at ABE's Rumble.
Banded together, the top 16 grapplers from St. Joseph-Ogden competed in nine duo meets in two days at the Bank of Springfield Center.
After enjoying a first-round bye in the four-match pool round, Brandon Goodwin, Logan Xiao, Devan Swisher, Khaden Hallowell, Emmitt Holt, and Holden Brazelton delivered victories in the ten-point loss to their first opponent, Anna-Jonesboro, 43-32.
In the third bout, SJO won four of the 14 possible matches, falling 42-19 to Auburn.
Devan Swisher pinned Jasen Verry in the third period of the 157-pound match at 4:12. Wrestling at 106 pounds, Holt, a senior, stuck George Piazza at the one minute and seven seconds mark for six points.
Jackson Walsh picked up his first W at the two-day event with an 8-2 decision in the 113-pound division over Jasmine Brown. SJO got a major decision from Landen Butts after he shut out Noah Duncan 8-0.
Brazelton (10-1) suffered his first loss of the season at the hands of Trojan Anthony Ruzic in their 132-pound match. Ruzic outmanuevered the Spartan junior, 8-3
Recovering their composure after the dominating loss at the hands of the Trojans, SJO rolled over Mercer County, 51-29.
Swisher (157), Vance McComas (165), Khaden Hallowell (190), Holt (106), Walsh (113), Maddie Wells (126), and Goodwin logged wins by fall or forfeit.
Only two matches went the distance. Sophomore Camden Getty won his over Mercer County's Miles Ward, 18-13, while Butts fell 18-2 to Eagles' Ethan Monson.
In their final pool match, the Spartans fell to Olympia, 60-24. SJO notched four wins thanks to Brazelton, Holt, McComas, and Swisher.
McComas was awarded a forfeit at 165-pounds, and Swisher, as well at 157 pounds. Holt beat Olympia's Noah Whiteside by pin at 3:09 in their 106-pound match, and Brazelton made quick work of the Oly's Landon Smith via 30-second pin.
The Spartans finished 4th pool action behind Olympia in first, Anna Jonesboro in second place, and Auburn in third. Mercer County finished under SJO in 5th place.
Advancing to the Bronze Division, St. Joseph-Ogden defeated Shelbyville 48-33. The team dropped the next two matches, first Tremont (51-29) and then against Robinson (48-34).
In the final dual for the squad in 2023, the Spartans won ten bouts by fall or forfeit.
Brodie Harms, Wells, Brazelton, Xiao, and Hallowell recorded first-period wins by pin. Holt secured his final victory of '23 in the second period, sticking Cornjerkers' Charlie Flores at 2:57.
The Spartans tallied 60 points against Hoopeston Area to secure a 7th-place finish out of a pool of 16 teams in the division.
This year's contingent competing at the annual holiday grappling event included Brodie Harms, Khaden Hallowell, Chaz Bowlin, Vance McComas, James Barron, Jonathan Moore, Nathan Daly, Logan Xiao, Thomas Ware, Brandon Goodwin, Landen Butts, Holden Brazelton, Maddie Wells, Camden Getty, Jackson Walsh, Emmitt Holt, Corbin Smith, and Devan Swisher.
