Five local wrestlers move on to districts

VW independent sports

A total of five Van Wert County wrestlers are bound for district wrestling competition after placing in the top four in their respective weight categories at sectionals, while four others will serve as alternates.

Division II

DEFIANCE — Van Wert sophomore Keaton Sudduth finished third at Saturday’s Division II sectionals at Defiance High School and has advanced to this Friday and Saturday’s district competition at Norwalk High School.

In his final match of the day, Sudduth captured third place in the 138 pound weight class with an exciting 2-1 win over Napoleon’s Austin Hopkins. He was the lone Cougar to advance to this week’s competition.

Freshman Renson Spear (120) and sophomore Caleb Bledsoe (190) ended their seasons by placing sixth in their respective weight classes.

As a team, Van Wert finished 11th out of 12 teams. Wauseon won the team title.

Division III

LIMA — Lincolnview and Crestview each have two district qualifiers and two alternates.

Crestview’s Gavin Grubb finished as the runner-up in the 113 pound weight class after falling via pin (1:58) to Spencerville’s Nyah Hodge-Miller in the finals at Lima Central Catholic on Saturday.

Levi Grace finished fourth at 138 pounds after losing a narrow 11-10 decision to Jacob Pinks of Allen East in the third place match.

Zayden Martin (144) and Connor Tussing (285) will both serve as district alternates. Martin won his fifth place match 11-7 over Columbus Grove’s Wyatt Watt and Tussing finished fifth by default.

In addition, Rex Gerardot (120) and Hayden Tobias (126) each finished sixth.

Lincolnview’s Dylan Bowyer qualified for districts by finishing third in the 175 pound weight class with an 8-6 win over Columbus Grove’s Kyle Lathrop.

Teammate Tyler Ulery finished fourth at 285 and qualified for this week’s competition after losing via pin (1:25) to Coldwater’s Will Fox.

Cody Ricker finished fifth and will serve as a district alternate after pinning Columbus Grove’s Levi Schroeder in 1:27, and Joey Sawyer (126) earned alternate status with a fifth place pin over Hayden Tobias (2:16).

Allen East won the team title and Crestview and Lincolnview finished eighth and ninth out of 14 teams.

The Division III district will be held at Troy on Friday and Saturday.