Fini

A review at this time was deemed more important (and a lot easier) than editing 1,945 photos.  These results of course, are available on TrackWrestling (aside from the Stanley Rauch Duals final results, for which thanks go to Tracie Sonnier), but many of the photographs may be new to some readers.  The events are presented in chronological order, and any inferred implications are solely the opinion of the editor.

Bulldog Brawl - Fontainebleau High School - November 18th

Fontainebleau High School hosted and won the Bulldog Brawl with 208 points, followed by Brother Martin (192.5) and Ouachita Christian (175).  The Bulldogs' four individual championships were won by William Broussard at 145 lbs., Adam Lampo at 182 lbs., Kyle Boell at 195 lbs. and Collin Schneider at 285 lbs. 

Griffin Open - Dutchtown High School - November 18th

St. Amant put eight wrestlers in the finals and won the Dutchtown Griffin Open with 201 points.  They were followed, for the third time this season, by East Ascension, who scored 156 points.  Basile, with only five wrestlers, placed third with 98 points.  Winning championships for the Gators were Tyree Morris at 113 lbs., Ethan Lemoine at 145 lbs., Nakie Brown at 152 lbs., Hunter Hawkins at 160 lbs. and Alex Newman at 182 lbs.  Corey Brownell, Cody Comeaux and Joseph Cagayao were also finalists for St. Amant.

With only five entrants, Basile placed third in the team race, with four champions and a third-place finisher.   Photo above, L-R: Alex Menier (1st), Hunter Langley (3rd), Gavin Christ (1st), Blake Menier (1st) and Ethan Langley (1st).

Back to Top

Live Oak 8 - Live Oak High School - November 18th

Host Live Oak won the Live Oak 8 with 185 points.  Shaw, with 137.5 points, and John Curtis, with 128.5, finished second and third.  Winning titles for the Eagles were Jordan Griffin at 138 lbs., Camdyn Ingram at 152 lbs., Karson Jones at 220 lbs. and Anthony Ingram at 185 lbs.  The Ingram brothers are undefeated so far this season.  Camdyn has won four tournament titles and is 23-0, a record which includes wins over defending Division III state champion Robert Christman of St. Louis, four-time Division III runner-up Matthew Matherne of Ouachita Christian and 2017 Division II third-place winner Dylan Hezeau of Rummel.  Anthony is 16-1 and also has four tournament championships.  Due to the format of the 285 lbs. weight class at the Spartan Invitational, Anthony lost a match to Comeaux's Donald Paul, but the defeated Paul in the championship bracket finals.

Third Annual Dale Ketelsen Memorial - St. Paul High School - November 22nd

St. Paul's ran away with the third Dale Ketelsen Memorial Tournament, putting twelve wrestlers in the finals and winning by 133.5 points over the runner-up Teurlings Catholic Rebels.  The Wolves scored 286 points.  Teurlings Catholic scored 152.5 points and Holy Cross scored 116 points to place third.  Winning championships for the Wolves were Brandon Stein at 126 lbs., Ben Davidson at 132 lbs., Cole Houser at 138 lbs., Grant Hughes at 145 lbs., Jared Thieler at 152 lbs. and Jake Arena at 182 lbs.  Carter Duet, Peyton Ward, the Ulfers brother Evan and Cole, Ben Bobrowski and Gavin Patti each placed second.

South Walton Border Wars - South Walton High School - Santa Rosa Beach, Florida - December 1st-2nd

As previously reported, Holy Cross repeated as champions of the South Walton Border Wars, followed by St. Paul's, Soddy Daisy, TN, Wakulla, FL, and Jesuit.  The Tigers did not have any individual champions but had finalists in Jacob Frost, Caruso Signorelli, Michael Lundin, Cameron Frost and Spencer Rayes.  Six other Tigers placed in the top-six spots.

St. Paul's was 4-0 in finals matches, with wins by Brandon Stein at 126 lbs., Cole Houser at 138 lbs., Grant Hughes at 145 lbs. and Jared Thieler at 152 lbs.  Jesuit's Paul Treuting won the 170 lbs. weight class for the Blue Jays.

The Holy Cross Tigers won their second consecutive South Walton Border Wars team championship.

St. Paul's placed second to Holy Cross at the south Walton Border Wars.  The Wolves, however, won four championships.  Above right are 2017 SWBW champions Jared Thieler (152 lbs.). Grant Hughes (145 lbs.), Brandon Stein (126 lbs.) and Cole Houser (132 lbs.).

Much more on this event will be published later this week (with luck!).

Back to Top

Ronnie Suarez SPOT District - Sulphur High School - December 2nd

Winning seven individual titles, Comeaux won the Ronnie Suarez SPOT District tournament with 230 points.  Sulphur finished second with 168 points and Lafayette was third with 128 points.  Winning titles for the Spartans were Seth Menard at 106 lbs., Hunter Broussard at 126 lbs., Dyllon Bernard at 138 lbs., Dylan Ames at 145 lbs., Charles Hudson at 152 lbs., Evan Richards at 170 lbs. and Ralph Lastrape at 285 lbs.

Left: Dyllon Bernard (1st), Dylan Ames (1st) and Shelby Savoie (3rd).  Right: The championship Comeaux team placers.

Back to Top

Stanley Rauch Duals - Archbishop Shaw High School - December 2nd

Teurlings Catholic won the Archbishop Shaw Stanley Rauch Duals.  The Rebels defeated Rummel 52-21, St. Michael 76-6, Belle Chasse 67-10 and, in the finals, Fontainebleau 52-27.

Holy Cross 47-St. Paul's 12 - Dual Meet at St. Paul's - December 5th

Holy Cross started their GNO Catholic League schedule 2-0 with wins over St. Paul's and John Curtis. 

Against St. Paul's the Tigers won 10 of the 14 matches, and their four losses came from St. Paul's' best so far, in Brandon Stein, Cole Houser, Grant Hughes and Jared Thieler.  Jacob Frost, Caruso Signorelli, Michael Lundin, Logan Lacoste, Matthew Gerrets, Caden Mumme, Logan Hefner and Brady Maillet won for the Tigers, who also received two forfeits.

If anything, this match should serve as a "wake-up call" for both teams, in that not much is guaranteed when Wolves and Tigers meet again this season.  Six matches were decided by four points or less.  Houser and Thieler should know they have "targets" on their backs as defending state champions, but it is a safe bet that Wolves coach Craig Ketelsen has prepared them for that.

Stein (19-0), Houser (21-0) and Thieler (20-0) are undefeated so far this season.   Grant Hughes had a record of 19-1, with his only loss coming from Brother Martin's Patrick Evans.

Curtis is learning what is like to be a member of the GNO Catholic League.  St. Paul's defeated the Patriots 63-12 and Holy Cross beat Curtis 78-6.

Back to Top

R.L. Turner XMAS Tournament - R.L. Turner High School, Carrollton, Texas - December 8th-9th

Parkway won the R. L. Turner XMAS Tournament by six points over runner-up Creekview High School of Carrollton, TX, by a score of 218 points to 212 points.  Winning titles for the Panthers were Joshua Keeler at 106 lbs., Carson Sanders at 170 lbs. and Kaleb Garcia at 182 lbs.  Trey Fontenot placed second at 132 lbs. in a close 8-6 finals match.

Eagle Open - Evangel High School - December 9th

Airline High School wrestlers won eight individual titles en route to a team championship at the Eagle Open.  The Vikings scored 286 points, which was 102.5 points more than scored by runner-up St. Thomas Catholic of Texas.  Crossing Christian of Oklahoma placed third with 89 points.  Winning titles for the Vikings were Dakota Brace at 113 lbs., Tyler Eckman at 120 lbs., Peyton Bass at 126 lbs., Josh Franklin at 132 lbs., Thomas Barringer at 138 lbs., Tucker Almond at 145 lbs., D.J. Evans at 182 lbs. and Matt Salinas at 195 lbs.

Airline also captured the two Outstanding Wrestler awards.  Tucker Almond won for the lower weight classes and D.J. Harvey won for the heavier weight classes.  Almond faced defending Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) state champion Alex Jacobs of St. Thomas Catholic of Texas in the finals, and prevailed 5-1.  Evans only had two matches, but he crushed his opponents in a combined matches time of 1:28 (0:33 and 0:55).

Left: Eagle Open team champions, the Airline Vikings.  Center: Outstanding Wrestler award winners Tucker Almond and D.J. Evans of Airline.  Right: Tucker Almond, Thomas Barringer and D.J. Evans - three of Airline's eight Eagle Open champions.

Several teams between Lafayette and Shreveport did not make the trip due to the cold weather, and Ouachita Christian missed it due to a flu outbreak. 

Back to Top

Jefferson Invitational - John Ehret High School - December 9th

Brother Martin won the Jefferson Invitational behind championships won by Jake Spellman at 106 lbs., Michael Clap at 182 lbs. and Kyle West at 220 lbs.  The Crusaders scored 125.5 points, had a runner-up finish by Chase Scott, and three other Crusaders placed fourth.

Rummel placed second with 113 points behind wins by Chris Montalbano at 126 lbs. and Dawson Mire at 152 lbs.  Montalbano defeated Rayne's defending Division II state champion Cooper Simon 7-2 in the first round, and John Ehret's Gage Sonnier 9-3 in the semifinals.  In the finals Montalbano defeated Holy Cross' Jake Romig by a 12-0 Major Decision.  For his efforts, Montalbano won the Outstanding Wrestler award.

Basile's half-team managed another third-place finish behind wins by Gavin Christ at 132 lbs. and Isaac Cortez at 195 lbs.  Gabe Duplechain placed second at 182 lbs. and Blake Menier placed third at 120 lbs.  As anyone interested (Master Christ in particular) had to read this far to learn, Christ is another undefeated wrestler this season, sporting a 15-0 record and wins at the Warrior Open, the Griffin Open, the Spartan Invitational and this event.

Jefferson Invitational Champions - Brother Martin Crusaders.

Left: The runner-up Rummel Raiders.  Right: Outstanding Wrestler Chris Montalbano.

Left: Six of the seven Basile wrestlers entered into the event.  Right: Top-three place winners Blake Menier (3rd), Gabe Duplechain (2nd), Gavin Christ (1st) and Isaac Cortez (1st).

Much more on this event will be published later, just later.

Back to Top