By Cort Reynolds

TROY__The Bluffton High School wrestling team finished a solid seventh at the 16-team Troy Invitational Saturday, January 6.

Miami East won the team title with 272 points, with Ben Logan second at 221. The Pirate grapplers amassed 118 points to tie Wayne Trace for seventh.

Senior Kyle Basil and sophomore Evan Grothause each finished second in their respective weight classes to post the top Pirate finishes.

Basil was 3-1 on the day with three pins to advance to the title round. He lost in the 175 lbs. finals to Troy junior Griffin Shepherd by pin in the bracket championship bout.

Grothause also posted a 3-1 record with two pins. He lost in the title round to senior Hunter Randall of Miami East by pin at 3:31.

Junior Jett Blackburn was a perfect 3-0 in pool play at 144 lbs. before losing in the semifinals to Piqua senior Max Kaye by pin. He then lost the third-place bout via pin to finish 3-2 at the event.

Freshman Mason Shank was 2-0 with a pair of pins and a bye in pool play at the 215 lbs. bracket. He won by pin in the quarterfinals of the eight-man tournament.

Shank was subsequently pinned in the semifinals, and then lost by pin in the third-place match to finish 3-2 and fourth.

Sophomore Wyatt Knauss was 2-0 with two pins and a bye in the 113 lbs. pool B. He lost in the quarterfinals but rebounded to win a consolation bout in a pin at 36 seconds. 

Knauss then lost the fifth-place match by pin to end up 3-2 and sixth.

Junior Ethan Kohli went 1-1 in pool play with a pin at 190 lbs. He lost 18-2 in the quarterfinals, then won a consolation match by pin. Kohli then fell in the fifth-place bout to end up 2-3 at the event.

Bluffton placers by weight class:

165:
2nd Evan Grothause 10, Bluffton

175:
2nd Kyle Basil 12, Bluffton

144:
4th Jett Blackburn 11, Bluffton

215:
4th Mason Shank 9, Bluffton

113:
6th Wyatt Knauss 10, Bluffton

190:
6th Ethan Kohli 11, Bluffton

Team scores:

1. Miami East 272 points

2. Ben. Logan 221

3. Covington 184

4. Piqua 158.5

5. Troy 144

6. Xenia 136

7. Bluffton 118

8. Wayne Trace 118

9. Greenville 104

10. Fairborn 100

11. St. John's 81.5

12. Milton-Union 68

13. Urbana 65

14. Wayne 58

15. Arcanum 41

16. Meadowdale 8