Shank wins heavyweight title

By Cort Reynolds

LIMA – The Bluffton High School wrestling team finished a strong second at the 12-team Allen County Invitational meet on December 21 that was hosted by Shawnee High School. 

Allen East beat out the Pirates 249.5 points to 206.5 to win the team title.

Bluffton’s Mason Shank won the heavyweight division championship with a perfect 5-0 mark on the day. 

Shank went 4-0 in pool play with three pins. He then decisioned Bath’s Kyle Slaght 9-4 in the bracket championship match to win the crown.

Freshman Ronald Kaufman went 3-0 in the 106 lbs. bracket and beat Lima Senior’s Corbin Phillips 15-2 in a majority decision for first place.

Junior Evan Grothause took second in the tough 190 lbs. division. He went 2-0 in pool play with two pins. He then pinned two more foes in the quarterfinals and semifinals to reach the title bout.

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Grothause lost to freshman Carter Lester of LCC in the championship finals to end up 4-1 on the day with four pins.

Sophomore Branden Cross finished second in the 120 lbs. class. He went 2-1 in pool play, then won a 7-4 decision in the semifinals. Cross lost to AE freshman Kellen Wireman in the finals.

Pirate freshman Alex Nance went 2-1 in pool play at 120, then won a third-place match by default.

Freshman Hephaestion Weyer finished 3-1 with two pins in pool play at 126 lbs. to finish second. 

Junior Micah Rehm authored a 3-1 pool play mark at 144 lbs. with two pins. He then won the third-place match 9-7 over Spencerville’s Austin McMichael.

Pirate senior Jett Blackburn finished third at 150 lbs. with a 3-2 record in pool play.

Junior Javen Crawfis sported a 2-2 mark at the 157 lbs. bracket.

Pirate senior Isaiah Glasscox took sixth in the 175 lbs. division. He fashioned a 2-2 record in pool play, then was pinned in the fifth-place match.

Bluffton wrestles next at the Defiance Tournament December 27-28.

Top Pirate finishers:

106 lbs. 1st place match Ronald Kaufman (Bluffton) maj. dec. Corbin Phillips (Lima Senior)  15-2

120: 2nd place match Branden Cross lost to AE Kellen Wireman 8-0 md

126: 2nd place Hephaestion Weyer (Bluffton) 5th Andrew Brodman*BLU  

132: 3rd-place Wyatt Knauss (Bluffton)  

144: 3rd place Micah Rehm (Bluffton) dec. Austin McMichael (Spencerville)   9-7

150: 3rd place Jett Blackburn (Bluffton) 

175: 5th place match Landon Oglesbee (Bath) pin Isaiah Glasscox (Bluffton) 0:23

190: 1st place match Carter Lester (L. C.C.) tech. fall over Evan Grothause (Bluffton) tf16-0

215: 5th place match Bobby Compton (L. C.C.) maj. dec. Jesus Rivera (Bluffton) 12-4

285: Mason Shank (Bluffton) dec. Kyle Slaght (Bath) 9-4

Team Scores:

1. Allen East 249.5 points

2. Bluffton 206.5

3. Shawnee 156

4. LCC 148.5

5. Spencerville 148

6. St. John's 126.5

7. Elida 101.5

8. Bath 82.5

9. Lima Senior 77

10. Delphos Jefferson 35

11. Perry 31

12. Pandora-Gilboa 12

Pirate placers by weight:

106: 1x4 Placers
1st Ronald Kaufman 9, Bluffton

120: 2x4 Placers
2nd Branden Cross 10, Bluffton
3rd Alex Nance*BLU 9, X1, Default

126: 1x5 Placers
2nd Hephaestion Weyer 9, Bluffton
5th Andrew Brodman*BLU 9, X1

132: 1x3 Placers
3rd Wyatt Knauss 11, Bluffton

144: 2x5 Placers
3rd Micah Rehm 11, Bluffton, Dec 9-7

150: 1x6 Placers
3rd Jett Blackburn 12, Bluffton

175: 2x5 Placers
6th Isaiah Glasscox 12, Bluffton

190: 4x3 Placers
2nd Evan Grothause 11, Bluffton

215: 2x4 Placers
6th Jesus Rivera 9, Bluffton

285: 2x5 Placers
1st Mason Shank 10, Bluffton, Dec 9-4
4th Braylon Goings*BLU 11, X1