December 3-4 Recap

The best two teams went out-of-state last weekend to compete in tournaments, but there was enough action in Louisiana to make it feel like it is wrestling season, and possibly a very good one at that (fingers crossed, masks on when in doubt, etc.)

The Rummel Raiders swept the weight classes from 113 lbs. to 132 lbs., and tacked on another title at 145 lbs., en route to winning the 36th annual George Trygg Memorial Tournament.

The Raiders finished with 197 points, 41 better than runner-up De la Salle. The Cavaliers had four individual champions. Teurlings Catholic placed third and had three champions, followed by Chalmette, who did not have any individual winners) and Pearl River, who had two champions. The top-five team scores are below.

The event is named for East Jefferson coach George Trygg, who won individual state titles for the Warriors in 1967 and 1968, and who, as a coach, led the Warriors to the first Division I team championship by a public school in 1978. With the exception of 2002 and 2020, the event has been held since 1983, the year after Coach Trygg unexpectedly passed away, making it the oldest event in the greater New Orleans area.

Pearl River's 285 lbs. champion Gabriel Whittington won his second tournament of the season (Bulldog Brawl), who improved his record to 8-0, pinned his quarterfinals and finals opponent, but had a hard-fought match with De la Salle's Tim Donelon, prevailing 5-3. His efforts earned him the Sam Sara MVP (Outstanding Wrestler) awards, which was presented to him by Mrs. Stephanie Sara, wife of the late Sam Sara, who started coaching in 1981 when the Rebels put their first wrestling team on a mat.

Also recognized for the Revels was Kaleese Halbrook, who won the Jacob Romig Warrior Award, named in honor of a Grace King wrestler who died in service in Afghanistan. Halbrook, competing at 120 lbs., may not have won a match, but she lost to the eventual champion and third-place winners. She does have two "notches on her belt" this season, one from the Rumble on the River and another from a dual meet.

Coach Rod Cusachs, a 1994 Division I fifth-place winner for the King Fighting Irish, and a coach of state championships in Division I with Rummel (2011) and in Division III with De la Salle (2016 and 2017) was awarded the Ray Gremillion Coaching Distinction Award. The award is named in honor of Coach Ray Gremillion, who coached East Jefferson to a state team title in 1966, a team on which George Trygg was a member, and then coached the Bonnabel Bruins, including Grace King head coach Roberto Furtado, to the last public-school Division I team championship in 1988 (tied with Jesuit and Holy Cross).

Brother Martin took their show on the road, again, last weekend, traveling to Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee, for the Stewart Schay Black Horse Invitational. And for the third time in as many out-of-state tournaments, the Crusaders won. Brother Martin scored 293 points which was 39.5 points better than runner-up Christian Brothers. The Crusaders are always within a golf shot of winning the event (a wedge rather than a 3-wood) but have not taken home the championship trophy since 2016, which was their third consecutive one. The event was not held in 2020 and was canceled due to inclement weather in 2013.

The Crusaders were not the only Louisiana team to Participate. Defending Division II state champions Teurlings Catholic also made the trip, and the Rebels placed fourth with 206 points. They were without Brandt Babineaux, John Paul Travasos and John Wayne Prejean, III, though, who were busy winning titles at the George Trygg Memorial.

The event did provide the Louisiana Classic seeding committee with some early-season help. The Crusaders' Richie Clementi and Mason Elsensohn faced-off against their November 27th Crusader Duals opponents from Teurlings Catholic, but with the same results. at 113 lbs. Clementi defeated Ashton Sonnier 4-2 in the finals (3-0 on November 27th) and Elsensohn, at 132 lbs., match-up with Ethan Boudreaux for the fourth time this season, winning their finals match via fall in 3:19 (7-2) at the Crusader Duals and 3-0 and 3-1 earlier this season). On the other end of that spectrum, on November 27th Brother Martin's Hunter Chabert pinned Coen Begnaud of Teurlings Catholic in 1:26 at 126 lbs. In the consolation semifinals of this event, Begnaud returned the favor in 0:56. At 152 lbs. on November 27th, the Crusaders' Samuel Riles defeated the Rebels' Braydon Hebert in a nail-biter, 10-9. This time, competing for 5th place, Hebert pinned Riles in 0:56.

Not only the Louisiana Classic seeding, but the season became much more interesting after the 120 lbs. semifinals matchs. At the Crusader Duals Brother Martin's undefeated sophomore pinned Teurlings Catholic's Brennan Boyer in 0:32. Boyer was having none of that in Tennessee. He forced a 5-4 match on Elsensohn, the young Crusader's closest match this season. (Actually, Boyer is also a sophomore.)

Five Crusaders took home individual titles. Three, Richie Clement (16-0), Jacob Elsensohn (22-0) and Rocco Horvath (22-0), remained undefeated on the season. Mason Elsensohn won his second tournament title (he won the Gulf Coast Clash) and Burandt merited his first of the season. Brandt is 15-4, with his only Louisiana loss from November 6th, which he has since avenged. He is feeling just fine at 145 lbs.

Teurlings Catholic had three top-seeded wrestlers but only two advanced to the finals and neither advance from there with a win. But they made their presence known and, had they Babineaux, Travasos and Prejean, would certainly have gained the required 12 points to place third.

Crusader and Rebel Placers

Weight Name School Place

106 Logan Dacuyan BM 4th

106 Trey Trainer BM 5th*

106 Dylan Daspit TC 7th

113 Richie Clementi BM 1st

113 Ashton Sonnier TC 2nd

113 Brennan Romero TC 5th

120 Jacob Elsensohn BM 1st

120 Brennan Boyer TC 3rd

120 Bryce Hite BM 7th

126 Coen Begnaud TC 4th

126 Hunter Chabert BM 5th

126 Pascal Cazayoux TC 7th

132 Mason Elsensohn BM 1st

132 Ethan Boudreaux TC 2nd

138 Nick Cusimano BM 3rd

138 Layne Rivette TC 5th

Weight Name School Place

145 Kent Burandt BM 1st

145 Rory Horvath BM 4th

152 Brayden Hebert TC 5th

152 Samuel Riles BM 6th

160 Ryan Corca BM 4th

160 Gabriel Pierre BM 5th*

160 Owen de Boisblan TC 7th

170 Rocco Horvath BM 1st

170 Zack Watkins TC 5th

182 Reid Bourgeois TC 2nd

182 Matthew Schneider BM 6th

182 Hayden Rooks BM 7th

195 Christopher Sulli BM 4th

195 Eric Levert TC 6th

220 Joel Lanclos TC 5th

220 Evan Huling BM 7th

285 Chaney Phillips BM 2nd

* Forfeited match to scoring teammate Scoring wrestlers are in boldfaced type

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South Walton Border Wars - South Walton High School, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida - December 3rd-4th

The defending Division I state champion St. Paul Wolves traveled to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, to compete in the South Walton Border Wars. St. Paul placed second to the 2020 Alabama 7A state champion Vestavia Hills Rebels. Jesuit placed 5th and Holy Cross broke the top-10 at #9 in the 21-school competition. The Wolves won the event by two points in 2019.

Top-five Team Scores

Team	Vestavia Hills, AL	St. Paul	Fleming Island, FL	Wakulla, FL	Jesuit
Place	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
Points	314	274	268	212	182.5

St. Paul had three champions, the only Louisiana ones in the event At 138 lbs. Jacob Houser won his second Border Wars via a 16-0 TF. In 2019, as a sophomore, Houser won the 106 lbs. weight class 8-3 over the top seed from Oak Mountain, Alabama. Junior Landry Barker, who had quietly posted a 5-0 2021-22 record, whipped out a bullhorn at South Walton High School, going 9-0 over the two-day event, capping it off with a finals fall in 2:58. A few matches later he lent the bullhorn to teammate Ian Lyons, who went to Florida 2-0 and came home with a Border Wars championship and a 9-0 record.

Trey Faherty of the Wolves and Jesuit's Bodi Harris made the finals but had to settle for runner-up finishes. Four Blue Jays placed third, as did one of the Wolves.

Oddly placing fourth was St. Paul senior defending Division I state champion Grant Nastasi, particularly after he avenged a December 1st 3-1 loss to Holy Cross freshman Nick DiGeralamo. The two met in the quarterfinals and were tied 3-3 after two rounds. After DiGeralamo escaped to take a 4-3 lead, Nastasi scored a double-leg takedown, let DiGeralamo escape again to tie the match at 5-5, and then scored on another Double-leg shot. DiGeralamo escaped but time ran out before either could score again. Nastasi prevailed 7-6, but was subsequently injured in his semifinals match, and he forfeited the contest for 3rd place. The Louisiana Wrestling News has learned Nastasi suffered a relatively minor leg injury.

Louisiana Placers

Weight	Name	School	Place
106	Bodi Harris	Jesuit	2nd
113	Conlan Enk	St. Paul	3rd
113	Conrad Roberson	Jesuit	6th
120	Trey Faherty	St. Paul	2nd
120	Chase Haydel	Jesuit	4th
120	Matthew Krail	Holy Cross	6th
132	Nick Sauerwin	Holy Cross	6th
138	Jacob Houser	St. Paul	1st
138	Luc Colomb	Jesuit	3rd

3rd

Weight	Name	School	Place
145	Jackson Ballay	Jesuit	3rd
145	Gunner Guidry	Holy Cross	5th
152	Grant Nastasi	St. Paul	4th
152	Nick DiGeralamo	Holy Cross	6th
160	Landry Barker	St. Paul	1st
182	Winn McConnell	Jesuit	3rd
182	Jackson Peak	St. Paul	4th
195	Jackson Calderano	Jesuit	3rd
220	Ian Lyons	St. Paul	1st

Riot on the Red - Parkway High School - December 4th

Parkway won the Riot on the Red by 98 points over runner-up Caddo Magnate, outscoring the Mustangs 230 to 138. Haughton was a distant third with 87 points, followed by Bossier. The Panthers won 11 weight classes. Caddo Magnate, Haughton and Bossier accounted for the other three.

Northwest Louisiana generally starts a little quieter than the rest of the state, but quietly do not forget Parkway's David Viers at 138 lbs. Viers placed fifth at the 2021 state championship.

Riot on the Red - Parkway High School - December 4th

Northwest Louisiana generally starts a little quieter than the rest of the state, but quietly do not forget Parkway's David Viers at 138 lbs. Viers placed fifth at the 2021 state championship.

Riot on the Red Champions

Weight	Name	School	Weight	Name	School
106	Brayden Holmes	Parkway	152	Ashten Dean	Parkway
113	Matthew Gallman	Parkway	160	Brendon Earnest	Parkway
120	Christopher	Parkway	170	Jason Zahn	Haughton
126	Isaiah Lam	Caddo Magnate	182	Christian Johnson	Bossier
132	Christopher Bacot	Parkway	195	Jace Parks	Parkway
138	David Viers	Parkway	220	Abdul Alaz Zeidan	Parkway
145	Jonathan Weissbach	Parkway	285	Matavious Burns	Parkway

Catholic High Duals - December 4th

Catholic won the 10-team Catholic Duals Saturday, defeating Alabama's Hoover High School 42-28 in the championships dual meet. Baton Rouge defeated Dutchtown to placed third, followed by East Ascension, St. Amant, Live Oak, Brusly, Hahnville and Jesuit.

The Bears' closest match with a local squad was against Baton Rouge, a match the Bears won 48-36. Of particular interest to some may be that Catholic's Richard Carroll handed a second loss, in Sudden Victory again, to the Bulldogs' 2021 Division I runner-up, Kade Moran. Carroll defeated Moran 3-1 SV at the Brusly Eight and won in the fifth round of Pool B 5-3 SV. Carroll's only losses have come from East Ascension's Cory Holmes, bin his first match of the season on November 3rd, at 182 lbs. At 170 lbs. Carroll has only succumbed to Brother Martin's Rocco Horvath in a 10-1 MD on December 1st. Moran's 2021-22 season losses have only been to Carroll, to date.

Going undefeated for the Bears, aside from Carroll (5-0) were Grant Grizzaffi (4-0 at 113 lbs.), John Michael Cuba (5-0 at 132 lbs.), Thomas Domangue (4-0 at 195 lbs.),and Nicholas Migliacio (5-0 at 195 lbs. and 220 lbs.).

Ronnie Suarez SPOT District - Sulphur High School - December 4th

Sulphur won the Ronnie Suarez SPOT District championship over a game Sam Houston squad. The Golden Tornado scored 211 points while the Broncos scored 170.5. Comeaux placed third, followed by Southside and Lafayette.

For those looking for a Roach-Reaux rematch of the 113 lbs. dual meet between undefeated Bronco sophomore Tyson Roach and Southside's Division I state champion and OW Landon Reaux, they got, well, a Roach-Reaux match, just not that one. Roach moved back to 106 lbs. and defeated Southside freshman Kael Reaux.

Does anyone recall the article about the December 1st action in which it was said 195 lbs. was already stacked, without Brother Martin's Luke Ohler? That article did not mention the 2021 Division I 195 lbs. champion Corey Hyatt. You know, the sophomore who pinned four of his five opponents at that event. Just sayin'...you might add him to that list.

Ronnie Suarez SPOT District Champions

Weight	Name	School	Weight	Name	School
106	Tyson Roach	Sam Houston	152	Trent Trouth	Sulphur
113	Landon Reaux	Southside	160	Nick LeBlanc	Sulphur
120	Pollex Coleman	Sam Houston	170	Shannon Fray	Lafayette
126	Caleb Lavine	Sam Houston	182	John Lambousy	Comeaux
132	Wiley Boudreaux	Southside	195	Corey Hyatt	Sulphur
138	Seth Choate	Acadiana	220	Colt Fisher	Sam Houston
145	Peyton Miller	Sam Houston	285	Blayden Laidlaw	Sulphur

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Rayne Jennings-McCrory-Petit Jean Duals - Rayne High School - December 4th

The Rayne White team (their starters) dominated the Jennings-McCrory-Petit Jean Duals on Saturday, defeating St. Louis 66-18 in the final dual. Lakeshore placed third with a 52-30 win over Terrebonne. The White Wolves squad won via scores of 72-12, 81-0, 77-6 and 71-12 before the finals match. The Wolves cannot be discounted in Division II. as their roster includes Daylon Dugas, Gaven Guidry, Jakarion Fontenot, Garrett Louvierre and Tre`Von Williams, all of whom placed in Division II in 2020 and/or 2021.

Mike McReady Memorial Tournament - Cypress, Texas - December 4th

Evangel travelled to Cypress, Texas, to compete in the Mike McReady Memorial Tournament. Seven Eagles made the trip to the event, which was won by Arlington Martin, who placed second in the 2021 Texas 6A state championships.

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106 Pounds	113 Pounds	120 Pounds	126 Pounds	132 Pounds	138 Pounds	145 Pounds

Dylan Duvernay De la Salle	Jake Brandstetter Rummel	Stephen Kimball Rummel	Dylan Stubbs Rummel	Carter Burgess Rummel	Brandt Babineaux Teurlings Cath.	Austin Shook Rummel

152 Pounds	160 Pounds	170 Pounds	182 Pounds	195 Pounds	220 Pounds	285 Pounds

Spencer Hughes De la Salle	John P. Travasos Teurlings Cath.	Luke Robertson De la Salle	Jason Krail De la Salle	John W Prejeans Teurlings Cath.	Riley Halbrook Pearl River	Gabriel Whittington Pearl River


Sam Sara OW Gabriel Whittington Pearl River	Romig "Warrior" Winner Kaleese Halbrook Pearl River	Gremillion Coach Award Rod Cusachs Rummel	Master of Ceremonies: Grace King Head Coach Roberto Furtado

Team	Rummel	De la Salle	Teurlings Catholic	Chalmette	Pearl River
Place	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
Points	197	156	136	99	86

Team	Brother Martin	Christian Brother, TN	Blackman, TN	Teurlings Catholic	Bartlett, TN
Place	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
Points	293	253.5	236.5	206	148


Champions Rummel	Runners-Up De la Salle