Cougar wrestlers defeat Bath 54-24

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Van Wert took to the stage at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center on Tuesday and the Cougars enjoyed a 54-24 Western Buckeye League dual match win over Bath.

Van Wert recorded five pins in the victory, including a :31 pin by Macein Bigham (160) and lost two separate matches by a single point each. Morgein Bigham lost 7-6 at 170 and Kaedyn Swander lost 1-0 at 106 pounds.

“Our wrestlers are really starting to improve toward the end of the season,” Van Wert head coach Ben Collins said. “We didn’t wrestle great at the league meet on Saturday after our 10 day quarantine, but the guys looked a lot better tonight.”

“We really pride ourselves within this program that we improve consistently throughout the season and peak at the end of the year for the tournament run and our guys are getting to that point.”

The match was wrestled at the PAC because the boys’ basketball team was playing Crestview in the main gymnasium.

“Wrestling on the stage was a great experience for our kids,” Collins said. “We tried to do it last year and it didn’t work out and it was awesome to do it tonight. Our guys really enjoyed it and performed well under the bright lights. It was an exciting atmosphere and we were thankful for the opportunity to compete.”

“We would like to thank the administration for allowing us to compete on the stage. We would also like to thank those that helped a ton behind the scenes to make it possible including: Mr Sloan, Mrs. Reichert, Ms. Bloomfield and Mrs. Decker who allows us to use and helped prepare the stage for us to wrestle. We would also like to thanks Justin Bragg and Todd Keller for getting the lights and sound ready to go.”

The Cougars are scheduled to host Kenton on Thursday.

Individual match results

132 – Keaton Sudduth (VW) won by fall in 3:31 over Zachary Kennedy (B)
138 – Ezekiel Burkholder (B) won by forfeit
145 – Ricky Deppe (B) won by fall in 3:42 over Fletcher Smith (VW)
152 – James Smith (VW) won by forfeit
160 – Macein Bigham (VW) won by fall in :31 over Jayden Shaw (B)
170 – Mason Brown (B) won 7-6 over Morgein Bigham (VW)
182 – Nolan Deppe (B) won by fall in 3:10 over Abram Collins (VW)
195 – Spencer Blue (VW) won by fall in 1:40 over Zoran Cannode (B)
220 – Turner Witten (VW) won by forfeit
285 – Eli Kline (VW) won by forfeit
106 – Samuel Burkholder (B) won 1-0 over Kaedyn Swander (VW)
113- Matthew Dunno (VW) won by forfeit
120- Ashton Baer (VW) won by fall in 3:27 over Ashton Bonanno (B)
126- Killian Sudduth (VW) won by fall in 1:39 over Braden Binkley (B)