Benjamin Logan’s wrestling team saw its big season continue as the Raiders advanced nine individuals into the postseason and finished fourth as a team Saturday in the Division III sectional tournament at Lehman Catholic High School. The Raiders had four finalists, including one champion.
“I was excited to get nine to districts,” said Ben Logan head coach Kyle Seeley. “I was a little disappointed in how we finished, though. We definitely could have gotten more out and we did not wrestle a very good final round. Going into this week we definitely have to step up our game if they want to be able to move on.”
Versailles won the sectional title with 216 points, Mechanicsburg was runner-up with 206.5 points, Xenia Legacy Christian came in third with 163.5 points, the Raiders had 155 points and Triad was fifth with 69.5 points.
The top four in each weight class moved on to the Division III district tournament Friday and Saturday at Troy’s Hobart Arena. Steele Boysel led the way again for the Raiders by winning the 170-pound championship. He went 2-0 with a pin in the semifinals and defeated Triad’s Isaiah Leasure by a 14-4 major decision in the finals.
Finishing second for Ben Logan were Jayden Sturgell (120), Joel Abbott (145) and Noah Clark (195).
Sturgell had two pins to reach the finals, but then lost to Legacy Christian freshman standout Boede Campbell by a 9-6 score.
Abbott had a pin and a decision to reach the finals, but lost to Legacy Christian’s Nick Alvarez 9-2.
Clark recorded two pins, but also came up short in the finals. He lost to Versailles’ returning state qualifier Isaac Grilliot 8-6.
“Steele had another dominating weekend,” said Seeley. “Our other guys wrestled some tough kids, but had close matches. Jayden had to wrestle a kid who beat us 8-1 earlier in the year, but we lost 9-6 and got him on his back Saturday. Joel had a projected state placer and lost 9-2 and Noah lost to a state qualifier 8-6.”
Placing third for the Raiders were Owen O’Brien (113) and Matthew Creamer (220), while fourth-place finishes came from Kade Thomas (106), Levi Hunter (126) and Cadman Roose (285). Matthew Beikman (152) finished sixth, but did not advance to the district tournament.
“Matthew Creamer has really turned it around the last couple of weeks,” said Seeley. “He has been wrestling extremely well. He was able to place third and we’re excited for him.”
Triad qualified four individuals to the district tournament. Isaiah Leasure was the top finisher with a second-place effort at 170 pounds. Coming in fourth were Coleman Hauck (145), Blake Boldman (152) and Dalton Overfield (160). The Cardinals also saw Thomas Ford finish sixth at 182 pounds. Look for a Division III district preview in Thursday’s Examiner.
Benjamin Logan’s Steele Boysel, left, and Triad’s Isaiah Leasure, prepare to wrestle during their 170-pound championship match in the Division III sectional tournament Saturday in Sidney. (SUBMITTED PHOTO | DAWNDEE ZIZZO)