December 10, 2017 at 12:06 a.m.
Three in a row
Jay County wrestling team goes undefeated to win third straight ACAC dual championship
Three in a row
Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
Heading into his match against Dylan Zurcher of South Adams, all Kaimen Sanders had to do was win.
A victory secured an undefeated record for his Patriots and kept them in command of first place in the conference.
If Zurcher won by decision, the match would be decided by tiebreaking criteria. Anything more and the Starfires would upset the two-time defending champions.
Sanders scored a 14-0 major decision, securing the Jay County High School wrestling team’s victory over South Adams on Saturday, and Jay County carried the momentum into the final round as the host Patriots went undefeated to capture the Allen County Athletic Conference dual tournament.
“I knew my match depended on whether we won the (team) match or not,” said Sanders. “I was trying definitely to get a pin, but points was OK too.”
It was the third consecutive year the Patriots went undefeated to win the ACAC dual tournament.
Adams Central was 5-1 over the two-day tournament to finish second. Southern Wells finished third at 4-2, South Adams went 3-3 for fourth, Woodlan was 2-4 for fifth, Bluffton finished sixth at 1-5 and Heritage did not register a win.
“Kind of a tradition now days,” senior Gaven Hare said of winning the conference title. The individual conference tournament, of which Jay County is also defending champion, is Jan. 20 at Woodlan.
“To live up to your expectations you have to win this tournament,” Hare added. “I feel like our team did a good job this weekend. We won some big matches. We won ones we had to, even when the match was riding on it.”
Sanders, who wrestled mostly at 132 pounds but bumped up a weight class to take on Zurcher, expected his Starfire opponent to be stronger than him, but the Patriot was in control the entire match. He led 2-0 after the first period and pushed the score to 9-0 heading into the third.
“He wrestled really well,” said JCHS coach Eric Myers. “He hasn’t been with us as long as everyone else. He’s still shaking some rust off. He looked really good today.
“He’s got to feel good about what he’s doing on a little over two weeks of practice.”
The team victory over South Adams — 43-36 — kept the Patriots a perfect 5-0, and they dominated Southern Wells in the seventh and final round 57-18. The Patriots beat Heritage in the third round — the first of the day — 66-6 before defeating Bluffton 65-15.
Jay County was able to win such lopsided contests because of the versatility of its lineup. Hare bounced from the 220-pound weight class to heavyweight (285), Dylan Racster alternated between 106 and 113, and Chandler Chapman and Mitchell Frasher alternated at 170 and 182 pounds.
“We have some pretty smart coaches,” Hare said. “They know what weight classes kids need to go to to make sure we are looking good in the points race for the team.”
Despite the mobility of the roster, Myers said his team has a long way to go before the lineup is perfect.
“Right now in dual format, we’re able to move people around to mask some of our holes a little bit,” he said. “Eventually we’ll work to solidify it.”
Zakk Atkins, Mason Winner, Chapman, Frasher and Hare were each 6-0 for the tournament. Atkins did his damage at 120 pounds, and Winner was hardly challenged at 160 pounds. Hare was 4-0 in the 220-pound weight class and won both of his heavyweight matches.
Sanders finished 5-1, while Dylan Racster and Thomas Hemmelgarn were both 4-2. Racster bounced between 106 and 113 pounds and Hemmelgarn competed at 152 pounds.
Ian Liette and Jordan Schricker finished 3-3 at 126 and 145 pounds respectively. Nathanael Lykins (195) and Taylor Klarer (113) were both 3-1. At heavyweight, Connor Davis was 2-2.
“Connor Davis is improving every time he goes out there,” Myers said. “That kid, it is a really neat thing that he’s willing to do that as a senior (who’s) never wrestled before.”
South Adams was 1-0 entering the day having defeated Bluffton on Friday in the opening round and getting a bye in round two.
The Starfires were stunned by Southern Wells, 35-34, in their opening match of the day. It was tied at 34 following the conclusion of all 14 bouts. The tiebreaker came down to total number of wins, in which the Raiders held an 8-6 edge.
The Stars rebounded with a 66-12 win over Woodlan in the fourth round before the defeat to Jay County. South Adams got back above .500 by knocking off Heritage 60-12 in round six, but lost to county rival Adams Central 50-28 in the final match of the day.
All Rights Reserved
Heading into his match against Dylan Zurcher of South Adams, all Kaimen Sanders had to do was win.
A victory secured an undefeated record for his Patriots and kept them in command of first place in the conference.
If Zurcher won by decision, the match would be decided by tiebreaking criteria. Anything more and the Starfires would upset the two-time defending champions.
Sanders scored a 14-0 major decision, securing the Jay County High School wrestling team’s victory over South Adams on Saturday, and Jay County carried the momentum into the final round as the host Patriots went undefeated to capture the Allen County Athletic Conference dual tournament.
“I knew my match depended on whether we won the (team) match or not,” said Sanders. “I was trying definitely to get a pin, but points was OK too.”
It was the third consecutive year the Patriots went undefeated to win the ACAC dual tournament.
Adams Central was 5-1 over the two-day tournament to finish second. Southern Wells finished third at 4-2, South Adams went 3-3 for fourth, Woodlan was 2-4 for fifth, Bluffton finished sixth at 1-5 and Heritage did not register a win.
“Kind of a tradition now days,” senior Gaven Hare said of winning the conference title. The individual conference tournament, of which Jay County is also defending champion, is Jan. 20 at Woodlan.
“To live up to your expectations you have to win this tournament,” Hare added. “I feel like our team did a good job this weekend. We won some big matches. We won ones we had to, even when the match was riding on it.”
Sanders, who wrestled mostly at 132 pounds but bumped up a weight class to take on Zurcher, expected his Starfire opponent to be stronger than him, but the Patriot was in control the entire match. He led 2-0 after the first period and pushed the score to 9-0 heading into the third.
“He wrestled really well,” said JCHS coach Eric Myers. “He hasn’t been with us as long as everyone else. He’s still shaking some rust off. He looked really good today.
“He’s got to feel good about what he’s doing on a little over two weeks of practice.”
The team victory over South Adams — 43-36 — kept the Patriots a perfect 5-0, and they dominated Southern Wells in the seventh and final round 57-18. The Patriots beat Heritage in the third round — the first of the day — 66-6 before defeating Bluffton 65-15.
Jay County was able to win such lopsided contests because of the versatility of its lineup. Hare bounced from the 220-pound weight class to heavyweight (285), Dylan Racster alternated between 106 and 113, and Chandler Chapman and Mitchell Frasher alternated at 170 and 182 pounds.
“We have some pretty smart coaches,” Hare said. “They know what weight classes kids need to go to to make sure we are looking good in the points race for the team.”
Despite the mobility of the roster, Myers said his team has a long way to go before the lineup is perfect.
“Right now in dual format, we’re able to move people around to mask some of our holes a little bit,” he said. “Eventually we’ll work to solidify it.”
Zakk Atkins, Mason Winner, Chapman, Frasher and Hare were each 6-0 for the tournament. Atkins did his damage at 120 pounds, and Winner was hardly challenged at 160 pounds. Hare was 4-0 in the 220-pound weight class and won both of his heavyweight matches.
Sanders finished 5-1, while Dylan Racster and Thomas Hemmelgarn were both 4-2. Racster bounced between 106 and 113 pounds and Hemmelgarn competed at 152 pounds.
Ian Liette and Jordan Schricker finished 3-3 at 126 and 145 pounds respectively. Nathanael Lykins (195) and Taylor Klarer (113) were both 3-1. At heavyweight, Connor Davis was 2-2.
“Connor Davis is improving every time he goes out there,” Myers said. “That kid, it is a really neat thing that he’s willing to do that as a senior (who’s) never wrestled before.”
South Adams was 1-0 entering the day having defeated Bluffton on Friday in the opening round and getting a bye in round two.
The Starfires were stunned by Southern Wells, 35-34, in their opening match of the day. It was tied at 34 following the conclusion of all 14 bouts. The tiebreaker came down to total number of wins, in which the Raiders held an 8-6 edge.
The Stars rebounded with a 66-12 win over Woodlan in the fourth round before the defeat to Jay County. South Adams got back above .500 by knocking off Heritage 60-12 in round six, but lost to county rival Adams Central 50-28 in the final match of the day.
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