Injuries hold Jay back

FORT WAYNE — The Patriots haven’t been gifted with health this season.

That came into play and bit them as the Patriots won five of nine matches against the Spartans, but couldn’t come away with the victory.

The Class 2A No. 4 Jay County High School boys wrestling team was forced to forfeit points in four matches as the Homestead Spartans beat the Patriots 41-36 in the final dual meet of the regular season.

The injury-riddled Patriots (16-4) gave up the 150-, 157-, 165- and 175-pound weight classes on forfeits while taking one at 113.

Jay County walked away with five victories. Grant Linville (106) and No. 16 Cody Rowles (126) both won matches. Linville pinned John Grimes in 1 minute, 18 seconds, and Rowles took only four seconds longer to put Kaeden Benedict’s back on the mat.

No. 16 Bryce Wenk (190) and Alan Ortiz (285) won by fall to take care of the upper weight classes. Wenk only needed 47 seconds to force a fall from Henry Knipscheer while Ortiz’s match went down to the wire, securing the win over Collin Grayless with only 44 seconds left remaining in the match.

No. 4 Tony Wood earned the other win for the Patriots, as he put Jordan Mangan on the mat at 0:40 at 138.

Defense locks down

MONROEVILLE — The Jay County Junior High School girls basketball teams held the Heritage Patriots to a combined 10 points in a pair of dominant performances on Thursday.

The seventh grade squad earned a 44-6 victory, followed by the eighth graders winning 43-4.

The eighth grade team (12-1) had three players score in double digits, headlined by 15 from Natalie May. Elizabeth Brunswick and Gabi Petro joined her with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Karsyn Schwieterman and Charlee Peters powered the seventh graders (13-0) with 18 and 14 points, respectively. Claudia Dirksen added six.