GHS wrestlers win tourney

In the span of three days, the Greencastle Tiger Cubs wrestling team won two team championships, picking up a first place finish in the Holiday Tournament at Greencastle Saturday.

You might expect a team coming off of a few days rest would possibly come out flat, but Greencastle did just the opposite.

Greencastle sealed it's second straight tournament victory with an exciting 39-39 fifth-round decision.

"The competition, like county and then this here today, it doesn't get much better than that in high school athletics," GHS coach Russ Hesler observed.

Greencastle was down early on and worked itself back into position to gain the win with just two matches to go. Sullivan took the lead with a pin at the heavyweight class.

Then Greencastle's Nate Kelly walked to the match in the 103 weight class with the opportunity to win the round and ultimately win the tournament for GHS or watch it slip away. Kelly did not disappoint.

With the GHS fans and fellow wrestlers going crazy as Kelly twisted his opponent down onto the mat and moved into position. Kelly was awarded a pin with 1:26 in the first period and gave Greencastle the tie and the tournament victory.

Greencastle started the tournament by winning 10-of-14 weight classes and taking the first round from the Covington Trojans, 66-10.

Andy Harrison started things off for the Tiger Cubs with 16 seconds left in third period. Jesse Ford also put points up for GHS with a first period pin with just under a minute remaining. Ryan Gillespie received a forfeit at the 119 weight class.

Chris Pingleton and Robert Bittles also gained first round pins and helped lead the charge over the Trojans.

The second round brought much of the same for GHS. Greencastle won the first six matches and went on to win 11-of-14 classes in the second round.

Michael Rumley and Harrison started the scoring for the Tiger Cubs and Ty Buchanan kept the train rolling as he scored a pin just :17 seconds into his match. Kyle Johnson, in the 130 weight class, fought hard for three rounds but came up short.

Strong wrestling from Nolan Lewis and Ford helped the Tiger Cubs close down the Monrovia Bulldogs, 60-20.

Kelly gave the Tiger Cubs a boost at the beginning of the third round as he pinned his opponent in just :14 seconds. Tommy Downing took his opponent down and gained the pin at the 1:38 mark.

Kyle Buchanan pinned his man just before the buzzer sounded.

The highlight of the third round was when Bittles caught his opponent charging and hoisted him into the air and back down to the mat in the second period. Bittles gained control and received the victory by fall with :20 seconds remaining.

Greencastle's day of dismantling their opponents came to a halt in the fourth round when the South Vermillion Wildcats came to the mat.

The Wildcats fought GHS hard and won seven of the first nine matches. Greencastle's two wins came in the 112 weight class by Lewis and at 145 by Buchanan. Kyle Sheldon took his opponent to the third period but lost in a decision. Then Greencastle got on track.

The Tiger Cubs won the rest of the matches and locked the score at, 39-39, again coming away with the decision. Pingleton, Bittles, Rumley and Harrison delivery the victories.

Greencastle logged a 5-0 record for the tournament.

Along with receiving the team championship, Greencastle also had four wrestlers win individual championships and one wrestler win an award for most tournament falls.

Ty Buchanan received the medal for most tournament falls. Buchanan actually had contemplated quitting early in the season.

" I thought about it but I felt a sense of dedication to the team," he said after the contest.

Hesler described Buchanan as one of his emotional leaders on the team.

"He always is getting the team up and cheering."

Hesler was also impressed by his individual weight class champions as well.

"We had four champions out of 14 weight classes," Hesler commented after the meet." That's pretty darn good"

Greencastle will travel to compete in the 2-day Scottsburg tournament Dec. 27-28 at 9 a.m.

At Greencastle

Team champion - Greencastle Tiger Cubs 5-0

Individual Champions

103 - Cole Huber 5-0 South Vermillion

112 - Nolan Lewis 5-0 Greencastle

119 - Caleb Arehart 5-0 South Vermillion

125 - Wade Bohannon 5-0 South Vermillion

130 - Vince Ringer 4-1 Monrovia

135 - Shawn Hill 5-0 Monrovia

140 - Jared Dillon 5-0 Monrovia

145 - Ty Buchanan 5-0 Greencastle

152 - Jake Vandivier 5-0 South Vermillion

160 - Chris Pingleton 4-0 Greencastle

171 - Robert Bittles 5-0 Greencastle

189 - Stephen Hawkins 5-0 Monrovia

215 - Josh Witsman 5-0 Covington

285 - Sam Miller 5-0 Sullivan

Special award for most falls for tournament - Ty Buchanan - 5 Greencastle

Next Meet - Greencastle will travel to compete in the 2-day Scottsburg tournament Dec. 27-28 at 9 a.m.