Shank 2nd, Kaufman 3rd

By Cort Reynolds

LIMA__The Bluffton High School wrestling team fared well in the rugged Lima Central Catholic Thunderbird Invitational tournament on Friday and Saturday, January 30-31.

A total of 43 schools competed in the Monsignor Herr Gymnasium at one of the best annual Div. III wrestling events in Ohio, with Bluffton finishing a solid 14th.

Waynedale captured the team title with 281.5 points, while Delta finished second with 225 points. Woodmore (185) came in third, followed by West Liberty Salem (121) and Miami East (114.5). 

Host LCC finished sixth with 109.5 points.

The Pirates finished 14^th with 67 points, just behind Northwest Conference foe Spencerville (69) in 13th. Backyard league rival Allen East came in 24^th with 40 points.

Bluffton junior Mason Shank, a 2025 Div. III state qualifier in the 285-pound weight class, advanced all the way to Saturday’s heavyweight championship match and finished second. 

On Friday, Shank won by pins when ahead 3-0 (34 seconds) and 7-0 (1:48). He then survived a 1-0 decision to reach the semifinals, where he triumphed 3-2 to reach the title round bout.

In the Saturday finals, he lost to Delta’s Brady Smith by a 13-2 major decision to end up 4-1 at the event.

Pirate Ronald Kaufman finished third in the 120 lbs. division. He won by pin at 2:26 when ahead 14-0, then rolled to another pin triumph when up 14-0 at 5:50. He then fell 16-1 by technical fall in the semifinals. 

He rebounded to win by fall at 3:27 when ahead 6-3 in the consolation bracket.

Kaufman then won the third-place bout over Allen East’s Langston McClain by technical fall at 3:37 while leading, 15-0.

Pirate Hephaestion Weyer compiled a 4-3 record in the 144 lbs. bracket. He amassed two pin wins and a pair of decisions.

Branden Cross went 1-2 at the 126 lbs. division. Micah Rehm authored a 1-2 mark at 150 lbs. Parker Kimmel also went 1-2 at 157 lbs. At the 175 lbs. class, Jesus Rivera fashioned a 1-2 mark. 

Brody Schneck was 0-2 at 215 lbs.