Untitled 1

WE ARE ADAPTIVE

WRESTLING-SPECIFIC MEDIA

Louisiana Classic - 126 pounds
Ernie Perry, III joins an elite club of four-time LACL winners

March 31st, 2023 | Written by: Staff writer

CHAMPION
(1) Ernie Perry, III
Airline

2nd	3rd	4th
(2) Cole Mire Dutchtown	(3) Kristian Scott Catholic	Brennan Boyer Teurlings Catholic

In four Louisiana Classic tournaments Airline's Ernie Perry, III competed in 18 matches. He won 18 matches. Fifteen of them were via falls. In six of his matches during that span (2020-2023) he defeated one future Division I state champion, a future three-time Division II state champion, a future Division I runner-up (twice), a future Division II runner-up and a future Texas UIL 6A runner-up. Nine other wins were over future Division I or II state placers. After this win he joined fellow Airline Viking Matt Rabinowitz (2007-2010) and Korey Miller of St. Paul (2008-2011) as winners of four Louisiana Classic (or Lee High Invitational) championships. Unlike his three previous LACLs, this year Perry pinned all five of his opponents en route to winning the Outstanding Wrestler award.

The biggest question in this weight class was who would face Perry in the finals. As it turned out, Dutchtown's Cole Mire, the runner-up to Perry in the 2022 Division I 120 lbs. finals, won that Shirley Jackson themed lottery. Mire moved up from the "10th circle of hell" that was the 120 lbs. weight class after the Public-School Wrestling Championships. The higher weight class was a bit, a bit, mind you, easier for Mire due to weight and injuries, but he persevered over Teurlings Catholic's Brennan Boyer 5-3 in the quarterfinals and Catholic freshman Kristian Scott 6-3 in the semifinals. The resulting match was not unlike the last time Mire and Perry met, in the 2022 Division I 120 lbs. finals. Then, Perry pinned Mire in 1:24. This match was over in 1:35. Yet Mire got to the finals, which, as talented as he is, he only did twice in six events at 120 lbs.

Preliminary Rounds