Seventh in state

INDIANAPOLIS -- For the second year in a row, the Patriots have the seventh-best 138-pound wrestler in the state.

Tony Wood, a Jay County High School junior, bounced back from a couple of losses earlier in the day to defeat Warren Central’s Christian Arbrry in the seventh place match Saturday during the IHSAA Wrestling State Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Wood finished his season at 43-2 and followed classmate Cameron Clark, who was seventh at 138 pounds last season.

He is the 18th state medalist in school history.

Wood, who entered the tournament ranked fourth, set the tone for the match against Arberry when he got a reversal just 11 seconds into the second period for a 2-0 lead. The stronger of the two wrestlers on the mat, he rode Arberry out for the remainder of the period.

Arberry then chose to go neutral to start the third period, but it was Wood who was able to take advantage. A takedown with 25 seconds left gave him his 4-0 final margin an one step up on the state podium.

Wood guaranteed himself a state medal with a pin of 10th-ranked Max McGinley of Cathedral in the opening round of the state finals Friday night. JCHS has had at least one state medalist in seven of the last eight seasons.

His shot at a state title disappeared Saturday morning with a 3-1 loss to ninth-ranked Reese Courtney of Center Grove, who went on to finish as the state runner-up. He then fell behind 5-0 in his consolation semifinal match against No. 6 Michael Major of Carmel and was unable to complete a comeback in a 6-4 defeat.

Fellow Patriots Cody Rowles, Cameron Clark and Christian Wittkamp lost in the opening round of the state tournament Friday night.

All four JCHS state qualifiers will return to the team next season.