The Miami Trace wrestling team has traveled north and east during the 2015-2016 season to compete in tournaments.
On Saturday, Jan. 9, they opted to compete in the western part of the state in the Dayton area at the annual Beavercreek Invitational.
The Panthers have always competed well there against top teams from southwest Ohio.
A strong second place showing was earned at the eight-team tournament. Springboro won the tournament scoring eight points more than Miami Trace, 162 to 154.
Host Beavercreek was third with 141.5 points and Lakota West finished in fourth place with a score of 108.5.
Four Miami Trace wrestlers reached the finals.
Only 195 pound junior, Jared Fenner, came away with a weight class championship pinning his Beavercreek opponent at the 3:05 mark in the second period. It was Fenner’s first varsity tournament win. He spent two years on the reserve level competing behind outstanding upperclassman such as Russell Miller and Jerimiah Jones. He has taken full opportunity to shine this season.
Coby Hughes (126), Gavin Moore (132), Austin Lovett (152) and Matthew Hottinger (182) each wrestled their way into the finals before losing.
Hughes, Lovett and Hottinger were afforded the opportunity to compete under the spot light in the finals which is a unique feature at the event.
It was Hottinger’s second appearance in the Beavercreek finals, having won the tournament in 2015.
Moore actually defeated a seeded wrestler in the early rounds during round robin action. However, it was already determined prior to the start of the event in all round robin weight classes that the number one and two seeds would face each other in the finals in the spot light. Moore may not have been in the limelight but he exited the tournament with the silver medal.
Drake Litteral placed third at 145 pounds. Dereck Moore was third at 138, losing only to the eventual champion late in the match. Collin Wolfe was sixth in a very-competitive 285-pound class.
Head coach Ben Fondale was not overly satisfied with the team’s third second place finish at a tournament this season.
“Our kids should be tired of taking second place,” Fondale said. “We have had opportunities to finish well and win. We have a mentality that we are never satisfied. At some point we will need to defeat number one seeds. That will come. One good thing is that our kids are very aggressive.”
Team Scores:
1. Springboro 162.0
2. Miami Trace 154.0
3. Beavercreek 141.5
4. Lakota West 108.5
5. Stebbins 67.5
6. Xenia 58.0
7. Trotwood-Madison 55.0
8. Greeneview 43.0
9. Meadowdale 3.0
10. Ponitz 0.0.
Championship:
106: Hendricks (G) pin Salzer (Sboro), 3:20
113: Whitten (Steb) dec Boulton (Sboro), 6-2
120: Neuner (Bea) dec Osborne (Sboro), 6-2
126: Saunier (Sboro) maj dec Hughes (MT), 11-1
132: Wilson (Steb) tech fall Moore (MT), 17-0
138: Thomas (Bea) dec Heiland (Bea), 6-3
145: Keller (Bea) dec Bradberry (LW), 7-1
152: Ottaway (Sboro) pin Lovett (MT) 6:14
160: Daley (Sboro) dec Emlemdi (LW), 7-5
170: Badger (TM) maj dec Pflaumer (LW) 12-3
182: Harris (LW) dec Hottinger (MT) 3-1
195: Fenner (MT) pin Weisier (Bea), 3:05
220: Smith (X) pin Smith (Bea), 3:06
285: Floyd (Sboro) dec Tanner-Blair (LW), 3-2
Outstanding wrestler: Jakob Ottaway (Springboro)
