By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Mahomet-Seymour’s boys’ basketball team, girls’ basketball team and wrestling team all started the New Year this week with losses in their first action of 2019.
Boys’ basketball
The Bulldogs (6-9) scored the most points during the last three quarters on Saturday, but couldn’t overcome a slow getaway and dropped a 47-44 decision to St. Louis Mar Institute and Country Day at the Taylorville Shootout.
M-S was outscored 16-8 in the opening period.
Grant Coleman posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
He was the Bulldogs’ lone double-digit scorer. Cole Lener had nine points and Braden Finch finished with seven points.
Lener also had four rebounds and three steals.
Handing out four assists were Connor Kamphaus and Jordan Veldman.
M-S returns to action on Tuesday at home against Mattoon.
Girls’ basketball
Kailyn Northrup scored in double figures for the 12th consecutive game, dropping 16 points in the Bulldogs’ 42-41 Apollo Conference loss at Taylorville on Saturday.
Northrup hit a team-high 16 points and also had four rebounds and four assists.
Maddy Wade drilled three three-pointers and netted 11 points. Keida Nichols had seven points, nine rebounds and four steals.
M-S (8-10) returns to action on Monday at Mount Zion.
Wrestling
Four Bulldogs won matches on Friday in a 40-18 dual-meet loss at Sterling. M-S is 9-4 in dual meets.
Payton Ragona earned a 6-5 decision at 106 pounds, Gage Granadino posted a 15-0 technical fall win at 152, Wyatt Heimann tacked on an 11-2 win at 170 and Seth Buchanan was awarded a win by injury default at 285.
On Saturday, M-S collected 284 points and placed 14th in the 24-team Sycamore Invitational.
Heimann (third), Buchanan (fourth) and Granadino (seventh) were the Bulldogs’ top placers.
Heimann went 3-1 for the day. Buchanan was 2-2 and Granadino was 3-2. Buchanan reached the 20-win mark and is 20-8 overall. Granadino’s record is 19-10.
Highlights for the other nine weight classes that M-S filled:
— Daniel Renshaw was 11th at 195, compiling a 2-2 record;
— Tyler Kittivanichkulkrai was 12th at 160, compiling a 2-3 record;
— Chance Decker was 14th at 138, compiling a 2-3 record;
— Noah Schnepper was 14th at 120, compiling a 2-3 record;
— Boden Freeman was 15th at 145, compiling a 2-3 record;
— Andrew Norman was 15th at 126, compiling a 1-3 record;
— Payton Ragona was 15th at 106, compiling a 1-3 record;
— Logan Petro was 17th at 132, compiling a 3-2 record;
— Dallas Carnell was 19th at 182, compiling a 1-3 record.
For the day, the Bulldogs won 15 of their 24 matches by pins.
Petro led the way with three pins, including one in 20 seconds. The fastest M-S fall at the tournament was by Ragona in 18 seconds.
M-S returns to action on Thursday with dual meets against Charleston and Lincoln in Lincoln. On Saturday, M-S hosts the 39th annual Marty Williams Invitational. First-round matches in the 25-team event will start at 9 a.m.
