WE ARE ADAPTIVE WRESTLING-SPECIFIC MEDIA

All things wrestling in Gonzales Parish seem to land in one place: the Lamar-Dixon EXPO Center.  Its website describes it as "a multi-use events facility – with an emphasis on equestrian and 4-H activities."  It lists 23 types of events for which it is "ideal," but not wrestling.  Yet it has hosted the Louisiana Classic since 2018.  Later this year, it will host the Public-School State Championships, and now it can add the Spartan Invitation to its list.  The 2022 Spartan Invitational varsity tournament was held there on Wednesday, November 23rd.  The venue may not have the luxuries of a concert arena, or the seating capacity, but it can hold some mats.  That was particularly important for the Spartan JV/9th-grade Invitation held the day before.  That event consisted of 14 JV weight classes, 14 9th-grade weight classes and 10 JV-Select weight classes (which means girls only, but that phrase is taboo to the LHSAA). 

The "new and improved" Holy Cross Tigers won their second tournament in four days, capturing the 2022 Spartan Invitational by 39.5 points over their nearest competitors.  The Tigers won three individual championships, three runner-up spots and had two third-place finishers.  One Holy Cross grappler,  junior Kohen Johnson, placed fourth and compiled a 3-2 record.  The remaining Tiger, a freshman, had to withdraw from the event after a Round One loss.  That young man, Caleb Miller, had done enough already.  On the previous day he went 4-0 and won the Spartan 9th-grade Invitational.  If you are counting, believe yourself.  That only amounts to 10 Holy Cross wrestlers.  That is all they entered. Matthew Krail, Nick Sauerwin and Rylee Reeves won championships for the Tigers.  Sebastian Vidacovich, Gunner Guidry and Nicholas DiGeralamo placed second.

The Tigers will be much better than previously expected this season.  The addition of the Vidacovich brothers, junior Vincent and senior Sebastian, will prove fortuitous for the Tigers and, after seeing them in only one tournament, good for Louisiana wrestling in general.  Holy Cross was not analyzed on the September 23rd Louisiana Wrestling News season preview, but they would be now.  Solid performances by freshmen Matthew Krail and Rylee Reeves, and sophomores Landon Smith, Gunner Guidry, Antwon Parks and Nicholas DiGeralamo, will augment juniors Nicholas Sauerwin, Vidacovich the Younger, and seniors Riley Barneveld and Vidacovich the Elder. 

[PHOTO LEFT]  106 lbs. champion, senior Johnny Laris, accepts the team runner-up trophy for St. Amant.  The Gators scored 120 points, 39.5 less than Holy Cross, but five more than the third-place team, host East Ascension.  Laris was St. Amant's only champion, but the Gator effort was ably assisted by runner-up finishes from Ephraim Craddock and Cole Didier. [PHOTO RIGHT] Fontainebleau's 160 lbs. champion Aiden Lindsey was voted the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler.  The Bulldog senior defeated 2022 Division I third-place winner Nicholas DiGeralamo of Holy Cross 6-4 in the finals.  Prior to that match, Lindsey pinned Sam Houston's Peyton Miller in 1:35.  Miller, who placed third, won the Griffin Open the previous Saturday and, a week before that, won the Tiger Invitational.

Baton Rouge won two titles as Adam Landry (220) and Eli Latilois (285) remained undefeated.  Southside's Kael Reaux (113) and Wiley Boudreaux (138) won titles.  Dutchtown had two winners in Foster Shank (152) and William Mathis (170).  The remaining titles were won by St. Amant's Johnny Laris (106), Sam Houston's Tyson Roach (120), Fontainebleau's Aiden Lindsey (160), Collin Crochet of St. Thomas More (182) and host team East Ascension's Jacob Schexnaydre (195).

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The event was ably run by East Ascension coaches Patrick Mahoney and Michael Bernard, as well as Pat. Mahoney, Jr. and former St. Michael state champion Lance Armstrong.  Hahnville coach Dan Erwin provided moral support.

Coach Mahoney's second son, Trent Mahoney, also assisted.  A three-time Division I state champion for East Ascension, Trent now competes in Division II of the NCAA for Bristol, Tennessee's King University...Old Funnels?  Of late, Trent underwent what could be referred to a "cosmetic surgery" on his legs.  When asked what was on Trent's legs Coach Mahoney, not lifting his head from the computer screen, said, "about two-thousand dollars' worth of tattoos - you should see Brad's arm." He was referring to son Brad Mahoney, currently competing for Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri.

The top 10 team placers.

All brackets in PDF

[LEFT] 2022 Spartan Division I runner-up Santos Ramos was on hand, as was Mrs. Phayne Waguespack Braud, the ever-loyal Spartan wrestling photographer. [RIGHT] Dutchtown's Cole Gros just hangin' out.

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Of course there are movie sections...

Peter Quill, also known as Star-lord, challenges 152 lbs. finalist Gunner Guidry of Holy Cross to a "Dance-off". (This is what happens to one who purchases the HULU Bundle and accidentally watches one Avengers movie.)

And then I'll meet with...

Don Barzini  and Tattaglia,   Mario,  Strachi,  Cuneo... ...all the heads of the five families.

Southside's Wiley Boudreaux started his senior year stylishly coifed and determined to do well on the applied math sections of college entrance exams.

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