By Cort Reynolds

VAN BUREN – Several Bluffton High School grapplers finished in the top four of their individual weight brackets at the Div. III wrestling sectionals in Van Buren Saturday, February 25.

The Pirates finished a solid fifth at the 13-team competition. Liberty-Benton won the sectional team title, followed by Elmwood and Carey.

Bluffton sophomore Jett Blackburn went 2-1 with a pin and a 13-2 decision in the 138 lbs. bracket to finish second. In the title bout, he lost a 10-2 decision to Hopewell-Loudon’s Isreal Ortiz.

Freshman Micah Rehm took second at 132 lbs. with two pin wins. He lost by pin in the finals to Peyton Schafer of Elmwood.

Pirate senior Isaiah Mikesell took fourth in the 165 lbs. division. After a first round bye, he won his semifinal bout by a 7-1 decision. He then lost by pin at 3:33 in the third-place match.

Bluffton sophomore Jaiden Smith finished fourth in the 126 lbs. bracket by going 2-2 with two pins.

Freshman Zyven Smith came in third in the three-man 106 lbs. bracket after going 0-1.

Pirate freshman Wyatt Knaus went 1-1 at 113 lbs. to finish fifth.

Top four finishes at the sectional tournament typically qualify a wrestler for the district meet March 3-4 at Rossford.

Bluffton placers by weight class (with Pirate season records):

Place - Name - School - Year

Weight:  106

1  Patrick Ebright - Arcadia  - 9  

2  Jimmy Eisentrager - Liberty-Benton - 9  

3  Zvyen Smith - Bluffton - 9   

 

Weight:  113

1 Kaylor Reynolds - Calvert -12  

2 RJ Coldren - Liberty-Benton - 12  

3 Brooks Hill - Van Buren - 9  

4 Grady Nekoranec - Elmwood - 12  

5  Wyatt Knauss - Bluffton - 9 (6-12)

6  Noah Locke - Riverdale - 9   

 

Weight:  126

1 Zach Ponx - Liberty-Benton - 11  

2 McKoy Morlock - Elmwood - 9  

3 Trenton Coppler - Riverdale - 11   

4  Jaiden Smith - Bluffton - 10   

5  Aiden Bisignano - Cory-Rawson - 10  

6  Carter Aufdencamp - Arcadia - 9   

 

Weight:  132

1 Peyton Schafer - Elmwood - 10  

2  Micah Rehm - Bluffton - 9  (11- 12)

3  Lee Woods - Liberty-Benton - 11  

4  Jaidem Rutter - Patrick Henry - 9  

5  Eli Benner - Hopewell-Loudon - 9   

6  Levi Crawford - Arcadia - 10  

 

Weight:  138

1 Isreal Ortiz - Hopewell-Loudon  - 12  

2 Jett Blackburn, Bluffton  - 10  (14- 9)

3 Colin Campbell - Elmwood  - 11  

4 Trevor Weyer - Liberty-Benton  - 10   

5 Kayden Burgei - Carey  - 10  

6 Blake Francis - Van Buren  - 11  

 

Weight:  165

1 Collin Wagner - Van Buren - 11  

2 Thomas Tyson - Elmwood - 11  

3 Reid Blankenmeyer - Carey - 10  

4 Isaiah Mikesell - Bluffton - 12  (14-13)

5 Cale Parkins - Cory-Rawson - 12  

6  Lane Bideersteadt - Patrick Henry - 9  

 

Team scores:

1 - 226.5 points Liberty-Benton

2 - 171 Elmwood  

3 - 111.5 Carey  

4 - 105 Van Buren 

5 - 78 Bluffton 

6 - 77.5 McComb  

7 - tie 73 Cory-Rawson 

7 - tie 73 Patrick Henry  

9 - 68 Arcadia  

10 - 61 Calvert 

11 - 60 Hopewell-Loudon 

12 - 16 Riverdale  

13 - 0 Pandora-Gilboa

2022-2023 BHS WRESTLING TEAM ROSTER:

Jett Blackburn 11

Evan Grothause 09

Wyatt Knauss 09

Ethan Kohli 10

Isaiah Mikesell 12

Micah Rehm 09

Jaiden Smith 10

Zyven Smith 09

Kaedence Ingram, manager

Riley Herriman, manager

Nick Siferd, Head Coach

Mike Nuzum, Asst. Coach

Tyrel Nuzum, Asst. Coach

Jeff Kleman, Asst. Coach