July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

Three Patriots reach regional (01/31/05)

JCHS wrestling
Three Patriots reach regional (01/31/05)
Three Patriots reach regional (01/31/05)

By By RAY COONEY-

PORTLAND — Jay County’s wrestling team is sending the same number of wrestlers to the regional tournament as it did last season. And that was not happy news for coach James Myers.

Only three Patriots — Kurtis Hess, Bill Spahr and Josh Thornburg — finished in the top four to earn regional berths, and there were no sectional titles for the host team as it finished seventh overall with 101.5 points.

That total was more than 20 points better than last season, when Jay County also finished seventh. It placed eighth in 2003, which was the first-year of the current nine-team sectional format.

“We hoped for more out,” said Myers. “We realistically thought we’d get seven or eight out — at least half the guys. We caught some bad breaks and didn’t finish matches real strong. The guys who got out wrestled real hard today.

“I know they’re probably all disappointed at not winning a sectional, especially here at home. ... But they wrestled well.”

Bellmont, Adams Central and Norwell dominated the action overall, winning 13 out of 14 championships. Bellmont took five individual titles and three runner-up spots as it won the event with 263.5 points. Adams Central had four titles and was second with 224, edging Norwell (four titles) for the second spot in Wednesday’s team regional competition at Muncie Central.

Bellmont will take on Delta Wednesday, and Adams Central will battle Bellmont. The top four individuals in each weight class will wrestle in regional action at Jay County Saturday at 9 a.m.

South Adams, which was eighth behind Jay County last year, improved to fourth this year with 140 points on the strength of its lower weight classes.

Hess (140), the 2004 135-pound champion, was the only Patriot to wrestle for a sectional title. He battled James Lewis of Norwell, who had beaten him 6-3 for the East Central Indiana Classic championship earlier this year, and came up on the short end again.

Lewis scored a takedown 35 seconds into the match, picked up two more back points in the closing seconds of the first period and never let up. He scored a 7-0 victory as Hess finished as the sectional runner-up

“I don’t know if it’s a mental block or if Lewis has watched him so much that he can defend him so well,” said Myers “... We’ve got to find something to do on our feet that we can score with.”

Hess will be hoping for a better showing this week than he had last year when he was the sectional champion but lost in the first round of regional action.

“I don’t believe it’ll happen this time,” said Myers. “He’s a better wrestler than he was last year. I think he’ll be more focused and prepared for that first round.”

Spahr, who finished third at 152 points last season, repeated that third-place finish as he won the 171-pound consolation final by a pin over Bluffton’s Wes Simpson. The junior scored a takedown in the first period for a 2-0 lead, escaped to open the third and then finished off his opponent.

Simpson repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to throw Spahr. On one of those attempts, Spahr got the advantage and worked his way to a pin at that 1:04 mark of the second period.

Thornburg (112) also won his final match of the day over Bill Fraughiger of Southern Wells. He got takedowns early in each of the first two periods, nearly got a pin midway through the second and cruised to a 13-5 victory to finish in third place.

Spahr has some experience with regional success from the third-place position, having qualified for the semi-state last season.

“At regional he caught fire when he needed to (last year),” said Myers. “He’s just as sound as the two kids in the finals.

“I think all three of our wrestlers have a chance to get out next weekend.”

Nathan Conatser (189) and Jason Crouch (HVY) each finished fifth for Jay County and are regional alternates. Micah Enyart (145), Devon Huftel (152) and Tom Smith (215) each placed sixth.

South Adams didn’t manage any titles either, but finished second in three weight classes and advanced six wrestlers to the regional round.

Placing second for the Starfires were Brandon Brown (103), Josh Mann (112) and Colt Gentis (119) also moving on to the regional round were Christian Baer (130) and Adam Hirschy (152) in third place and Caleb Moore (215) in fourth place.[[In-content Ad]]
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