Bates, Wallace win WBL wrestling titles

VW independent sports/submitted information

WAPAKONETA — Van Wert competed in the WBL Wrestling Championships at St. Marys Memorial High School and the Cougars had two individual champions and finished with a strong fourth place finish in the team standings with 94.5 points. For the third consecutive season, Wapakoneta won the tournament and the WBL championship.

Overall, Van Wert was paced by five All-WBL wrestlers. Owen Bates was crowned as the champion in the 113 pound weight class and Briggs Wallace won the 157 pound weight class. Other places for the Cougars were Breese Bollenbacher (second, 285), Ryan Wallace (third, 126) and Gavin Gonzalez (fourth, 138). Individual results for Van Wert are as follows:

113 pounds: Owen Bates, champion

Quarterfinals: bye

Semidinals : 18-2 technical fall over Dylan Melson (Shawnee)

Finals: 15-8 decision over Westen Mast (Defiance)

120 pounds: Heath Calvelage

Quarterfinals: lost by pin, 1:08, to Briceton Sampson (Defiance)

Consolation quarterfinals: lost by pin, :56, to Gabe Ditto (Shawnee)

126 pounds: Ryan Wallace – third place

Quarterfinals: won via pin, 5:56, over David Modd (Kenton)

Semiinals: lost by pin, 3:11, to Urijah Cordray (Wapakoneta)

Consolation semifinals: 20-4 technical fall over Mason Homan (Celina)

Finals: 14-4 major decision over Kamar Morris (Elida)

132 pounds: Roman Martin

Quarterfinals: lost via pin, :32, to Romeo Simmons (Defiance)

Consolation quarterinals: 7-5 decision over Harrison Brien (Kenton)

Consolation semifinals: lost via pin, 4:22, to Josiah Shoup (Elida)

138 pounds: Gavin Gonzalez – fourth Place

Quarterfinals: lost 16-7 major decision to Carson Pummell (Wapakoneta)

Consolation quarterfinals: bye

Consolation semifinals: won via pin, 2:59, over Logan Homan (Celina)

Finals: L lost via pin, 2:01, to Gavin Kirk (Elida)

150 pounds: Carter Bledsoe

Round 1: lost 4-3 decision to Zachary Myers (St. Marys Memorial)

Consolation round 1: won 19-6 major decision Van Foreman (Defiance)

Consolation quarterfinals: won via pin, 1:20, over Jonathon Espinoza (Bath)

Consolation semifinals: lost 14-2 major decision to Zachary Myers (St. Marys Memorial)

157 pounds: Briggs Wallace – champion

Round 1: won via pin, 1:31, over Conner Wita (Elida)

Quarterfinal: won 15-8 decision over Evan Davis (Defiance)

Semifinal: won via pin, 1:31, over Trey Williams (Wapakoneta)

Finals: 22-5 technical fall over Cole Brickner (Shawnee)

165 pounds: Nate Hill

Quarterfinal: lost by pin, 1:19, to Matt Eicher (Celina)

Consolation quarterfinals: lost by pin, :32, to Trevor Maxwell (Elida)

175 pounds: Carter Heath

Quarterfinal: lost by pin, :24, to Abel Paxton (Defiance)

Consolation quarterfinal: lost by pin, 1:11 to Tyler Holsinger (St. Marys Memorial)

190 pounds: Auston Welker

Quarterfinal: lost by pin, 1:59, to Zach Kreider (Shawnee)

Consolation quarterfinal: won via pin, 2:06, over Jean Daniel Sweeney (Elida)

Consolation semifinal: lost by pin, 1:58, to Evan Rosengarten (Ottawa-Glandorf)

285 pounds: Breese Bollenbacher – second place

Quarterfinal: won via pin, 2:40, over Brison Laubis (Kenton)

Semifinal: won 12-1 major decision over Alex Hinojosa (Defiance)

Final: lost via injury default to Cash Patrick (Celina)

Wapakoneta was the team champion with 204.5 points, while Defiance was the runner-up with 196.5 points. Celina was third (159), Van Wert fourth (94.5 points), and St. Marys Memorial fifth (93.5), followed by Elida (82.5), Shawnee (54), Kenton (42.5), Ottawa-Glandord (34.5) and Bath (16).