By Fred Kroner
Three Mahomet-Seymour Junior High wrestlers placed second on Saturday (Jan. 22) in the 16-school Panther Invitational at Braidwood Reed Custer.
Justus Vrona (2-1 at 95 pounds), Colton McClure (3-1 at 100 pounds) and Corey Bell (3-1 at 119 pounds) each posted pins in all of their wins.
Five teammates collected third-place finishes. They were: Gideon Hayter (4-1 at 75 pounds), Beau Back (4-1 at 105 pounds), Talon Decker (4-1 at 112 pounds), Marco Casillas (4-1 at 135 pounds) and Noah Franks (4-1 at 155 pounds).
Casillas posted four pins. Back, Decker and Franks all had three pins. Hayter had one pin.
Five other Bulldog grapplers placed among the top eight. They were: Alex Lang (fourth at 275 pounds), Wyatt Bell (fifth at 80 pounds), Peyton Mitchem (sixth at 126 pounds), Grant Arbuckle (seventh at 167 pounds) and Liam Noonan (eighth at 90 pounds).
Arbuckle, Mitchem and Noonan all ended with two pins.
In all, 14 M-S competitors were at the Panther Invitational. They combined for a 38-24 record, with 28 of the wins by pin.
Team honors were captured by Coal City (425 ½ points). M-S was second with 215 points. Channahan was third with 168 points.
Also on Saturday (Jan. 22), 15 of the 21 M-S athletes who participated in the Bloomington Junior Varsity Tournament posted pins.
The Bulldogs had one individual champion. Tate Kimball was victorious in all four of his bouts, pinning three of his foes at 95 pounds.
Four M-S wrestlers advanced into the finals before placing second. They were: Auggie Gaudio (3-1 at 85 pounds), Aidan Bannister (3-1 at 100 pounds), Preston Sriver (3-1 at 105 pounds) and Raif Humes (3-1 at 126 pounds).
Bannister and Humes both registered three pins. Gaudio and Sriver finished with two pins apiece.
Four other Bulldogs captured places among the top six: Jackson Davis (3-1 and third at 135 pounds), Ashton Lamb (1-2 and fourth at 185 pounds), Connor Bennett (4-1 and fifth at 105 pounds) and Chris Dill (3-2 and sixth at 126 pounds).
Bennett, Davis and Dill posted three pins. Lamb had one pin.
Other M-S entries who posted one pin apiece, but did not place, were: Anshawn White (95 pounds), Kayden Johnson (95 pounds), Jack Van Hoorn (112 pounds), Wyatt Belz (119 pounds), Benny O’Brian (145 pounds) and Camden Ashby (155 pounds).
Izaiah Brotherton (119 pounds) posted a 2-2 tournament record and Liam Jessup ended 1-2 at 119 pounds. All of their victories were by decisions.
In all, 21 Bulldogs took to the mats and teamed up for a 36-34 record, with 29 of the wins by pin.
On Wednesday (Jan. 19), the Bulldogs’ varsity won twice at George Evans Middle School, beating the hosts 72-24 and overpowering Champaign Edison, 87-22.
Seven Bulldogs were 7-0 for the night without receiving a forfeit.
Pinning both of their foes were Kimball (95), Mitchem (126), Joshua Craig (145), Franks (155) and Arbuckle (167). Noonan (90) won by a pin and a decision. Niko Truax (85) posted a win by decision and by major decision.
Recording one pin for the night were McClure (100), Back (105), Decker (112), Corey Bell (119), Casillas (135) and Lang (275).
M-S (4-0) returns to action on Thursday (Jan. 27) at Prairie Central in a match that will also include Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.
