JC repeated as champion

Twenty-five years ago this week, the Patriots were celebrating their second sectional championship in a row.

The Feb. 2, 1998, edition of The Commercial Review featured coverage of the Jay County High School wrestling team edging Winchester by 1.5 points to win the sectional championship in a four-team tournament that also including Union City and Randolph Southern.

The tournament came down to the heavyweight championship match, where the Patriots needed either a technical fall or a pin to earn the victory. Aric Hartvig delivered putting the shoulders of Winchester’s Beau Fidler to the mat to give JCHS the championship.

“This is just great,” said Hartvig after the win. “I knew I needed to get the pin, and it feels great to get it.”

The chance at a repeat title wasn’t looking good for the Patriots early as senior Heath Alexander’s title at 119 pounds was their only win in the lower weight classes. They suffered losses at 125, 135, 140 and 145 pounds.

Shawn Jordan got the Jay County comeback going with a pin of Winchester’s Michael Coates at 152 pounds. Chris Nichols (160) pinned Kevin Abernathy of Winchester to continue closing the gap, and wins from Jason Million (189) in overtime over Chad Mills and James Brewster (215) put Jay County in position for Hartvig to be the hero.

“When things look to be at their lowest, someone steps up and brings us back up,” said JCHS coach Craig Campbell after the comeback victory. “Everyone on this team wrestled hard. I’m tickled to death.”

The victory sent the Patriots to the team regional at New Castle.

Thirteen JCHS wrestlers — Joe VanSkyock, Randy Timmerman, Shawn Jordan, Heath Alexander, Corrie West, Bucky LeMaster, Brandon Guingrich, Jeremiah Abbott, Chris Nichols, Kurt Hilgeford Jason Million, James Brewster and Aric Hartvig — earned individual regional berths.