County wrestling teams fare well at Jackson Milton

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Conneaut, Grand Valley and Pymatuning Valley each produced individual wrestling champions during the Jackson Milton Invitational Saturday.

The Spartans and Mustangs both had two champs, while the Lakers notched one.

Conneaut took second place in the team standings with 165.5 points. GV finished fourth at 139 points and PV checked in sixth with 111.5.

Girard won the tournament with 175.5 points.

For the Spartans, Wyatt Distel, at 190 pounds, and Ben Griswold, at 285, each claimed first in their weight class.

Distel posted a tech fall, major decision and 10-4 decision over GV’s Ashton Lampman for his title.

Griswold pinned his way to the championship, including Jackson Milton’s Cole Cappelli’s at 2:42 in the finals.

“Our young team is improving as we move into the second half of the season,” Conneaut coach Keith Sherman said. “Our freshmen are gaining experience and confidence, while juniors Ben Griswold, Wyatt Distel, Hunter Bilbrey and Jacob Wells continue to lead the team with quality wins.

“Wyant Dobran is starting to hit his stride, placing third in a tough weight class.”

Bilbrey, at 138, finished second; Wells, 126 and Dobran, 150, both third; Cason Powell, 165, and Nate Dickinson, 190, each fourth; Logan Rettinger, 106, fifth, and Cohen Bidwell, 175, Jonah Tenny, 144, Chase Hathy, 132 and Mikey Renn, 120, all sixth.

“We still have a lot of things to learn before the postseason,” Sherman said. “It is great for the team to place at the Jackson Milton Invitational, but every match is another chance to practice for the postseason, and that’s what our focus is on.”

Sophomores Zeal Waldo, at 113, and Jeremiah Corrll, 215, both took first place for GV.

“It was an outstanding performance from Zeal, earning his first championship in his school wrestling career,” GV coach Jonathan Jackson said. “Jeremiah has a great attitude and work ethic in the practice room.

“He was committed to improve on his sixth-place finish of the D-3 Classic.”

Waldo registered two pins and a tech fall, while Corll notched two pins, before winning the weight class by a forfeit.

The Mustangs also received seconds from Forrest Portman at 175 and Lampman; third by Joseph Montgomery-Stoltz, 138; fourth from Jesse DeLisle, 175 and fifth by Dexter Plott, 285.

“The future looks bright for our young team,” Jackson said.

For the Lakers, Caleb Marrison was first at 120, August Marrison, 132, and Bennett Claypoole, 157, both second, Luke Martin, third at 165, Damion Shoff, fourth at 150, and Tanner Kinzie, fifth at 175.

Caleb Marrison recorded two pins, including at 1:53 over Kirtland’s Preston White in the finals.

Claypoole was leading 13-1 in the final, but got disqualified for a slam.

“I think our kids made great progress [Saturday],” PV coach Dave Miller said. “Many of them are improving on their technique and match strategy.

“This gives us a good marker of where our kids stand as we build towards the end of the season. We will continue to build towards the EOWL [Eastern Ohio Wrestling League] tournament.”

FALCONS, WARRIORS COMPETE AT PIN CITY

Jefferson finished 11th with 54 points, while Edgewood notched 17th with four.

Calvin Orem, at 113, and Jacob Lewis, 144, led the Falcons with fourth-place finishes.

Dakota Fertig, at 150, and Jeremy Shank, 175, each placed fifth, while Jaxson Wiser, 190, and Sean Lewis, 126, both checked in eighth.

“Heading in, we knew Perry would be a step up for our younger guys and a proving ground for our more experienced wrestlers,” coach Cody Lewis said. “We had some kids compete, but overall, we need to be better prepared and more consistent against higher-level competition as we work toward our goals going forward.”

For the Warriors, Carter Cline, at 106, and Malachi Nelson, 113, both finished eighth.

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