By Cort Reynolds
NAPOLEON - Five members of the Bluffton wrestling team competed at the Div. III district meet in Napoleon Friday and Saturday. All five Pirate matmen won at least one match and advanced to the second day of the tournament.
Two Pirates qualified for the state meet by finishing third and fourth in their individual bracket tournaments. A top-four finish at the district event qualifies any wrestler to the state meet in Columbus March 13-15 at the Ohio State University Schottensten Center.
Milan Edison won the tournament with 227 points. Delta was a distant second with 118, while Bluffton finished a solid 16th with 40 points.
A total of 224 wrestlers representing over 50 schools from sectionals at Archbold, Oak Harbor, Plymouth and Van Buren competed at the two-day, double-elimination event.
Pirate freshman Thayne Kleman won his first two matches in the 106 lbs. division Friday to put himself in good stead for state qualification.
He beat sophomore Eli Guyton (7-2) of Millbury Lake in round one, and then won an 8-0 decision in the second round to advance to the semifinals Saturday.
In the semis, he lost to freshman Max Hermes of Milan Edison by a 9-1 decision. Hermes went on to win the 106 lbs. title.
In the ensuing third-place bout vs. sophomore Evan Hanefeld of Delta, Kleman squeaked out a 3-2 decision victory to finish third and up his record to 29-10.
Sophomore Kaden Basil won his first two matches Friday in the 138 lbs. division. He won by a 7-3 decision in round one over Blake Steele of Otsego, and then recorded a quick pin in 18 seconds to win his second bout.
In the semifinals Saturday, Basil lost to senior Antonio Lecki of Millbury Lake by pin in 45 seconds. Lecki ultimately won the 138 lbs. crown.
Then in the third-place bout vs. senior Maguire Vollmar of Liberty Center, Basil lost 12-4 by majority decision. Basil finished the tourney with a strong 27-16 record this season.
Pirate junior Tayton Kleman won his first bout Friday over Connor Robbins of Willard by pin in 3:22, but lost in the second round. He dropped a 5-3 decision to fall into the 113 lbs. weight division consolation bracket Saturday.
Kleman won his first consolation bracket match over sophomore Jace Wilson of Tiffin Calvert by pin in just 26 seconds. But then Oak Harbor junior Tyler Davis eliminated him with a 9-1 technical fall verdict.
Tayton Kleman finished 37-9 on the season.
Bluffton junior Jeremy Sturgeon went 1-1 Friday in the 120 lbs. bracket. He won his initial bout 16-11 against senior Carson Tracy of Defiance Ayersville, but then lost via pin in round two in 1:20.
In his first consolation match Saturday, Sturgeon lost by pin at 4:59 to freshman Jace Margraf of Mohawk. He ended his season with a 22-8 mark.
Pirate junior Landen Luginbihl went 1-1 Friday in the 195 lbs. bracket to make it to the second day of competition. He won his first match 11-8 vs. sophomore Aidan Godsey of Ashland Crestview, but lost the next decision 9-5 to fall into the consolation bracket.
In his second round consolation bout Saturday morning, Luginbihl lost to sophomore Zane Finley of Lucas by pin in 4:41 to conclude his season with a 28-9 record.
Napoleon district team results:
1. Milan Edison 227 points
2. Delta 118
3. Oak Harbor 106.5
4. Eastwood 102.5
5. Archbold 65.5
6. Otsego 65.0
7. Patrick Henry 61.0
8. Genoa Area 59.0
9. Millbury Lake 56.0
10. Liberty Center 54.0
11. Gibsonburg 52.0
12. Elmwood 49.5
13. Ash. Crestview 49.0
14. Mohawk 46.0
15. Tinora 43.0
16. Bluffton 40.0
17. St. Paul 38.0
Van Buren 38.0
19. Carey 35.0
20. Woodmore 34.0
21. Liberty-Benton 32.0
22. Northwood 25.0
23. Hopewell-Loudon 24.5
24. Antwerp 23.0
Plymouth 23.0
Willard 23.0
Team Score
27. Swanton 21.0
28. Lakota 20.0
Sand. SMCC 20.0
30. Sher. Fairview 19.0
South Central 19.0
32. Ayersville 18.0
33. Paulding 13.5
34. Lucas 12.0
35. Coll Western Reserve 11.0
36. Cory-Rawson 10.0
37. Seneca East 9.0
38. Evergreen 7.0
39. No. Baltimore 6.0
40. New London 5.0
41. Bucyrus 3.0
Calvert 3.0
Edgerton 3.0
Monroeville 3.0
Riverdale 3.0
46. Arcadia 0.0
Fremont St. Joseph C.C. 0.0
Hicksville 0.0
Margaretta 0.0
McComb 0.0
Montpelier 0
