Bluffton matmen 3rd at county invite; Kleman three-peats
The Bluffton High School wrestling team finished third and won two individual weight class titles at the 11-team Allen County Tournament hosted by Delphos St. John's Saturday, December 18.
Pirate junior Thayne Kleman won his third straight Allen County tourney championship in the 113 lbs. weight class. Kleman won all three of his matches by pin.
Pirate senior Micah Minnig won the 138 lbs. bracket crown by default. Minnig also won one match at 132 lbs. by pin to finish fourth.
Perennial power Allen East won the team tournament crown with 257.5 points. Spencerville was second (210), followed by the Pirates (161) in third.
Bluffton senior Dustin Mortimer went 4-0 in pool play with four pins to reach the finals of the 144 lbs. bracket. He lost an 8-3 decision to Ezekiel Burkholder of Bath in the title bout to finish second.
Pirate senior Kaden Basil also surpassed 100 wins for his career as he finished second in the 175 lbs. division. Basil posted a 4-0 pool play record, but lost in the finals by pin to Mason Vonderwell of tourney host St. John's.
Freshman Jett Blackburn took third at 132 lbs. with a 2-2 record and one pin. Classmate Ethan Kohli went 1-4 at 150 lbs. with a pin to finish fifth in his weight class.
Senior Trent Howard finished 3-0 with three pins in pool play at the 215 lbs. bracket. He lost in the semifinals, but rebounded to capture the third-place match by pin to finish 4-1.
Junior Isaiah Mikesell took fifth in the 165 lbs. division by going 2-3 with a pair of pins in the tournament rounds.
Allen East junior Kaden Wireman, the 157 lbs. bracket champion, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Wrestler.
Team results:
1 Allen East 257.5 points
2 Spencerville 210
3 Bluffton 161
4 Lima Senior 134
5 Shawnee 119
6 Bath 117
7 Elida 104.5
8 Delphos Jefferson 64
9 Delphos St. John's 32
10 Pandora-Gilboa 22
11 LCC 7.5
Pirate top-six placers by weight class:
113:
1st Thayne Kleman
132:
3rd Jett Blackburn
4th Micah Minnig
138:
1st Micah Minnig
144:
2nd Dustin Mortimer
150:
5th Ethan Kohli
165:
5th Isaiah Mikesell
175:
2nd Kaden Basil
215:
3rd Trent Howard
Bluffton hosts Carey in a dual match Tuesday, December 21 at 6 p.m. The Pirates then compete at the Defiance Border War Invitational Dec. 28.
Stories Posted This Week
Friday, June 5, 2026
- Stay tuned for Pirate action at OHSSA state track and field coverage
- Ada Icon headlines, June 5
- Wheeler graduates from Ohio Bankers League Bank Leadership Institute
- Ellerbrock awarded Lima Memorial Nursing Alumnae Scholarship
- Pirate speedsters Wright and Miller each advance to 2 state finals
- Golfers, sponsors invited to support American Legion fundraiser
- Letter: Alternatives to Village mosquito fogging
Thursday, June 4, 2026
- Eileen Ruth Garmatter was a homemaker
- Elnore Ruth (Rosenberger) Yost taught at Marimor
- WGTE and WBGU create broadcasting partnership
- ICYMI: May 2026 Bluffton Icon Highlights
- Shoppers' journey with Bluffton Small Business Passport has begun
- Middle and high school student activities at BPL
- Local artist Crumrine to teach Watercolor Workshop at Library
- Lacrosse or La Crosse: Game versus virus
- 2027 Senior Center trip planning, June 11
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
- Cory-Rawson High School honor roll for fourth quarter, 2025-2026
- Bluffton High School 4th Qtr. Honor Roll for 2025-2026
- June 4 Business Collective speed networking event
- K-2 students invited to weekly dinosaur adventures
- Library program explores indigenous agriculture and heirloom seeds
- May 2026 land transfers in the Bluffton school district
- Register June 18-19-20 garage sales with Bluffton Chamber
- Create a Bike & Flowers painting at BPL
Monday, June 1, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, June 1
- Geraldine "Gerry" Fett was a homemaker
- UPDATED Bluffton gas station employee threatened, suspect arrested May 30
- Maurice “Bill” William Croft, Jr. was a coach and high school teacher
- UPDATE Bluffton pool opening June 1
- What brings you to Bluffton, Ohio in June 2026?
- About free and paid Icon classified ads
- Mennonite Children’s Choir of Lancaster to perform June 12