ACAC brackets set

One team each year gets an easier path to the Allen County Athletic Conference tournament championship.

This year, the Patriots will get the easier path.

The Jay County High School basketball teams drew a first round bye in the ACAC tournament, and instead will play their first games on Friday, Jan. 12, in the semifinals.

The Patriots will draw a matchup with the winner of game one between South Adams and Adams Central.

The girls team (12-2, 3-0 ACAC) have already beat both teams on the season. It dominated both teams with Adams Central (62-26) first on Dec. 8 and South Adams (67-39) on Dec. 16.

The boys team (2-5, 1-0 ACAC) has yet to face either team, but will travel to Monroe to face the Jets on Jan. 6 before the tournament begins.

The Bluffton Tigers currently sit on top of both the boys and girls standings in the ACAC. The boys team sits at 2-0, only one win above JCHS. The girls team is also only one victory better as they have gone 4-0 in conference play to open the season.

The Patriots and Tigers will face off at Jay County on Jan. 5 before the girls tournament starts as well.

Bluffton draws Southern Wells in the first round of the tournament, with the teams playing in Poneto. The winner will go on to play at the winner between Heritage and Woodlan.

The championship games will be played at South Adams on Saturday, Jan. 13, with the girls game beginning at 6 p.m. and the boys game to follow.

Fourth place finish

PARKER CITY — The Jay County High School junior varsity wrestling team finished fourth in the Battle at the Bear Den at Monroe Central High School on Thursday.

The Patriots went 2-1 in pool play, defeating both Lincoln and Lapel by a score of 66-18 while losing to Milan 60-24. They dropped both matches of the final four to Brownsburg (60-12) and Wabash (42-19).

Hayden Ison had the strongest day for the Patriots, competing in the 144-pound weight class.

The freshman finished the day 3-1 with wins over Brody Pucket of Lincoln (1 minute, 45 seconds), Kane Budd of Milan (1:51) and Wyatt Harden of Wabash (25 seconds).

Also with positive records on the day were Grant Linville going 2-1 in the 106 position and Taye Curtis who was 2-1 between the 157 and 150 weight classes before he had an injury forfeit in the final match of the day.