Knights, Bulldogs meet on the mat

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CONVOY — In terms of numbers, Crestview was down entering Tuesday’s NWC dual match against Columbus Grove. Illness was the culprit but even so, the Knights remained competitive before falling 39-27 to the Bulldogs. 

“This has been a huge dual pairing that we’ve have circled all season long,” Crestview head coach Jake Sawmiller said. “If we can compete with Columbus Grove, we can legitimately put our hat in the ring for making a push for the conference championship. Tonight, these boys didn’t just put their hat in the ring, they owned the ring. We didn’t walk out victorious as a team (three kids out due to illness) but we dominated that dual pairing winning five of seven matches that were wrestled and one of our losses was a two point match until the final blow.”

Sawmiller noted the match of the night was at 175 pounds, where Crestview’s Aiden Helt pinned Columbus Grove’s Layton Blankemeyer. 

“Aiden Helt put up some great defense throughout the first period to take the match scoreless into the second,” Sawmiller explained. “After giving up an escape and a takedown, Aiden turned on his defense again as Blankemeyer tried to turn him in a cradle and Helt caught him in the action securing the reversal and eventual pin. That was a huge win for that young man and you could tell that by the reaction of his entire bench.”

“I love the recent attitude change we’ve seen in these kids over the past week,” Sawmiller continued. “They’re hungry, they are starting to believe, and tonight was a massive step in the right direction. I can’t wait to see what they do over the next three and hopefully and weeks.”

The Knights also honored the team’s two 100 match winners, Gavin Grubb and Levi Grace.

Crestview will host Bryan on Thursday. Here are the results from Tuesday’s match: 

190 – Gavin Schroeder (CG) win by void Grove 6-0

215 – Ty Meyer (CG) win by void Grove 12-0

285 – Evan Walls (CK) win by void Grove 12-6

106 – Double void Grove 12-6

113 – Owen Beam (CG) win by void Grove 18-6

120 – Ethan Beam (CG) win by void Grove 24-6

126 – Gavin Grubb (CK) over Graden Maag pin 1:58 Grove 24-12

132 – Boat Thompson (CG) over Brayden Barnes (CK) pin 2:42 Grove 30-12

138 – Jackson Marks (CK) over Collin Sauter (CG) 6-4 Grove 30-15

144 – Conner Amstutz (CG) win by VOID Grove 36-15

150 – Levi Grace (CK) over Levi Schroeder (CG) 11-5 Grove 36-18

157 – Zayden Martin (CK) over Jameson Rader (CG) 10-5 Grove 36-21

165 – Kyle Lathrop (CG) over Ayden Martin (CK) 9-5 Grove 39-21

175 – Aiden Helt (CK) over Layton Blankemeyer (CG) pin 3:25 Grove 39-27