Upsets were made, perfect records were maintained and a first time West Central Conference champion was crowned Saturday at Cloverdale

Monday, January 23, 2006

Upsets were made, perfect records were maintained and a first time West Central Conference champion was crowned Saturday at Cloverdale.

The South Putnam High School wrestling team won its first WCC championship at the WCC meet in Cloverdale and it was well earned victory.

"This is the first one in school history and it was a team effort," SPHS Scott Miller said. "We had all 14 wrestlers place."

All the wrestlers from South Putnam did place, but the Eagles had their share of upsets in the match.

Bo Jackson, who has been the backbone of the Eagles wrestling team and a heavy favorite in the 140-pound class, was upset by A.J. Brewer of North Putnam in the second round of the tournament. Brewer beat Jackson with a 21-11 major decision.

"We had some upsets, but we had some kids pull through for us," Miller said. "Josh Sanders, Seth Green and Antonio Hernandez upset people and made it into the finals."

Green and Hernandez placed second in there respective classes, but Sanders was the one who pulled it off for the Eagles.

Sanders won the 171-pound championship with a 7-5 overtime decision over Tim Gill of Cascade. Moments after the sudden death period started, both wrestlers were deadlocked again, but Sanders spun out of his opponents' grasp and made the winning move for the championship.

"I guess I just really wanted to win," Sanders said. "I was just trying to win so the team could win."

Millers said this was a real testament on how bad his wrestlers wanted win the WCC Saturday.

"We used the county tournament as motivation and we knew that we let that one get away from us," He said.

This might have been a first for the Eagles wrestling team, but here was another first amongst the crowd.

Brewer claimed his first WCC title Saturday. Brewer cruised by his last opponent, Jared Dillion of Cascade, with a 26-15 major decision for the 140-pound championship.

"I have to say if anyone can put dedication into a sport, it will show in there senior year and it did with me," Brewer stated after the tournament. "Winning the county and conference were my two goals and my next is semi-state.

"Winning conference is one of my biggest goals of my life," Brewer said.

One of the biggest matches of the day was the heavywieght match, which was a rematch from the county tournament, between Emmett Boruff of North Putnam and Chase Dunigan from Greencastle. Both of them entered the match with impressive records. Dunigan came into the match with a record of 33-3 while Boruff sported a flawless 26-0 record.

At the start of the match, it looked like Dunigan would return the favor that Boruff gave him back in the county tournament. Boruff defeated Dunigan in the county tournament, giving Dunigan his first loss of the season. After the first period, it was Dunigan who was in control. Throug out the second period until the last seconds when Boruff reversed a move on Dunigan and pinned him for the championship, completing a perfect 27-0 season.

Even though he had won the match, Boruff admitted that he was concerned he was going to lose the match.

"I was concerned that I was going to lose that match, but you have to just think through your moves and your moves will get you through," he said. "At first I was trying to take him down and pin him, but you can only do one move at a time.

"After I pinned him, I went blank for a moment and I was just happy," Boruff said.

Also becoming champions from Putnam County were Kurt Cantonwine of Greencastle in the 125-pound class, Chris Pinlgleton of Greencastle in the 145-pound division who also completed a perfect 37-0 record. Jon Parker 0f South Putnam in the 152-pound class, Robert Bittles of Greencastle in the 160-pound class, Alex Gardiner of Cloverdale in the 189-pound division and Thomas Crafton of South Putnam the 215-pound class.

All four Putnam County schools will take part in the Avon Sectional on Saturday starting at 9:30 a.m.

At Cloverdale

103 -- Waycott (CL) pin Vaughen (SP) :50

112 -- Garrett (MO) pin Hernandez (SP)1:43

119 -- Ziegler (MO) pin Green (SP) 1:03

125 -- Cantonwine (GC) def. Spencer (SP) 7-6

130 -- Denton (CA) def. Nichols (GC) 5-0

135 -- Smith (CA) def. Parrish (SP) 7-6

140 -- Brewer (NP) def. Dillion (MO) 26-15

145 -- Pingleton (GC) pin Elliott 9MO) 1:59

152 -- Parker (SP) def. Hatten (CL) 6-1

160 -- Bittles (GC) def. Mason (MO) 18-5

171 -- Sanders (SP) def. Gill (CA) 7-5

189 -- Gardiner (CL) pin Stigall (NP) 2:56

215 -- Crafton (SP) pin Rumley (GC) 1:12

275 -- Boruff (NP) pin Dunigan (GC) 3:59

Next Matchs -- All four schools wrestle in the Avon Sectional Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

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