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Denova gives Panthers first Division II title since 1999
LHSAA State Wrestling Tournament
Division II - 182 Pounds
August 20th, 2023| Written by: Staff Writer





 

Place 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
Podium
Name Anthony Denova Caden Robison Luke Brunson Dylan Mesloh Kyle Stephens Jaden Harmon
School Brusly North Desoto Caddo Magnate Parkway Teurlings Rayne
Seed 2 1 3 5 4 6
Record 40-6 41-5 23-4 34-19 28-7 31-13
Class 12 11 12 9 4 6

Remember J.C. Stafford?  I do not, but I was seven years from finishing my 20-year sabbatical from the sport.  Be confident that a lot of other people do remember him.  Safford won Brusly's last Division II state championship at 125 lbs. in 1999.  The following year Brusly competed in and started to dominate the new Division III championships.

Senior Anthony Denova gave the Panthers their first Division II state championship since 1999 with a 5-3 win over top-seeded Caden Robison of North Desoto.  Denova was seeded second due to a Louisiana Classic loss to Robison in the fifth consolation round.  Denova's season was very respectable, but in tournaments he fell short in all but the Brusly Division II.  He placed third at the Warrior Open (TW match record show he placed fifth, but the Warrior Open brackets say different, and we all know brackets don't lie).  He placed second at the Griffin Open.  After his Brusly win he did not place at the LACL (thanks to Mr. Robison) and then he placed second at the Ken Cole (everyone seemed to forget that Graham Montet was a defending Division III state champion) and at the Greater Baton Rouge Championships.

Robison's season was also very respectable, but not spectacular.  He won the North Louisiana Regionals, placed second at the Blanchard, OK tournament, third at the Ken Cole, fourth at the Cinco Ranch Big 12 and fifth at the LACL.

At the Louisiana Classic Denova opened up with a 5-0 first period.  He chose the bottom to start the second period and Robison turned him over and pinned him.  Thus, in the state finals, when Robison answered a first-period Denova takedown with five unanswered points, odds-makers felt comfortable with their seeding.  Robison chose the bottom in the second period and neither wrestler scored.  With Denova on bottom to start the final period down 5-2, he was awarded a penalty point in the first five seconds.  He scored a reversal with 1:23 remaining to tie the match 5-5, and then he scored two nearfall points for the win. 

Early Championship Rounds

R2: (4) Kyle Stephens (TC) pinned Ewan Monthei (PR) in 0:44

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Quarterfinals

(3) Luke Brunson (CD) defeated (6) Jaylan Harmon (RSY) in 2:40
(2) Anthony Denova defeated (7) Tyrese Moseby (PLQ) 18-4 MD

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Semifinals

(1) Caden Robison (ND) pinned (4) Dylan Mesloh (PKY) in 2:05
Captions(20 Anthony Denova (BRU) defeated (3) Luke Brunson (CAD) n7-5

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Consolation Rounds

C3: Kevin Boyd (Mc35) pinned Hunter Sewell (CM) in 2:37
C3: Rhett Bundrick (NV) pinned Jaylon Harmon (RAY) in 1:04

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Championship Consolation Rounds

 (3) Luke Brunson (CAD) pinned Dylan Mesloh (PHY) 8-6to place 3rd
(5) Kyle Stephens TC) defeated Jaylon Harmon (RAY) 8-6  to place 5th

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Finals

(2) Anthony Denova of Brusly defeated (1) Caden Robison of North Desoto 7-5

CONFUSED?

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