W NECC: 1A #2 Fremont holds off 1A #3 Churubusco for title

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By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor    

LIGONIER – Fremont has come a long way since former wrestler Eric Bryan took over as coach for the 2007-08 season. How long, you ask?

The Eagles went 6-24 that first season. The next year? Two and twenty-eight.

Those days are long gone, folks. Class A second-ranked Fremont – a sparkling 27-2 this year – placed all 14 of its wrestlers among the top six Jan. 19 as the Eagles totaled 197 points to hold off Class A No. 3 Churubusco (182.5) for the Northeast Corner Conference crown.
 
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO PLAYER TO THE RIGHT OF THE HOME PAGE FOR INTERVIEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS, PLUS A PHOTO GALLERY!

Fairfield (159) placed third, followed by Prairie Heights (122), Eastside (105), Angola (97), and Central Noble (96) at the 10-team event.

But the story at West Noble was Fremont, which ended up with two champions, two runners-up, five third-place finishes, one fourth, three fifths, and a sixth.

Senior Ricky Short won the first of two titles for the Eagles, pinning Fairfield junior Morgon Cosby in 1:37 at 160 pounds. The other crown from senior Brady Elliott, whose battle with Prairie Heights senior Mike Gaetz was easily the most entertaining match of the championship round.

In the space of less than one period – barely; more on that later – the 182-pound slugfest saw …

• Gaetz roar out to a 6-0 lead with a takedown, a two-point near-fall, and another two-point near-fall
• Elliott answer with a reversal and three-point near-fall
• Gaetz get an escape to go up 7-5
• Elliott answer with a gorgeous rollover takedown and pin – with 0.9 seconds left in the period

This match alone was worth the $6 price of admission. (Click here for the video of the fantastic first period!)

But the Eagles piled up enough points with that aforementioned depth to hold off the other Eagles – 1A Team Duals State runner-up Churubusco – for the title as ’Busco also boasted two champs and 13 wrestlers posting top-six finishes.

The victories came back-to-back at 195 and 220 with senior Brian Richardson taking a 7-5 decision over West Noble senior Zach Goodyear and senior Jason Nicodemus pinning Angola junior Beau Hamer in 1:08, respectively.

Coach Sam Riesen’s Eagles also dominated the consolation matches by winning six of their seven bouts, including an intimidating four straight from 152 to 182 (senior Joey Heaton, junior Travis Glick, junior Brayden Shivley, and senior Sam Siddons).

Coached Jim Jones’ third-place Fairfield Falcons led everybody with three champions: 15th-ranked freshman Blake Glogouski, a 7-2 decision winner over Lakeland junior Lukas Long, at 106; junior Forrest Glogouski, who pinned Eastside sophomore Brandon Miller in 2:37 at 120; and junior Tony Zook, a 6-4 decision victor over Fremont junior Brad Owen at 152.

Fourth-place Prairie Heights (113 sophomore Kyle Mockensturm and 126 freshman Doug Levitz) and fifth-place Eastside (170 senior Rhyan Hedges and 285 12th-ranked senior Matt Beard) also had two champions apiece.

The top two finishers at each weight class were named All-NECC, with third-place finishers earning honorable mention.

The complete results (thank you, Fairfield AD Mark Hofer!):
 
Team scores
1. 1A #2 Fremont 197
2. 1A #3 Churubusco 182.5
3. Fairfield 159
4. Prairie Heights 122
5. Eastside 105
6. Angola 97
7. Central Noble 96
8. Westview 80
9. West Noble 73
10. Lakeland 61
 
Individual results
Championship round
106 #15 Blake Glogouski, Fairfield dec. Lukas Long, Lakeland, 7-2
113 Kyle Mockensturm, Prairie Heights dec. Brian Mullett, Westview, 3-1
120 Forrest Glogouski, Fairfield pin Brandon Miller, Eastside, 2:37
126 Doug Levitz, Prairie Heights pin Brett Martz, Fairfield, 1:47
132 Alex Collins, Central Noble dec. Trever Yoder, Fairfield, 6-4
138 T.J. Thompson, Lakeland dec. Tylor Willms, Fremont, 5-2
145 Austin Bauer, Angola dec. Chandler Hyndman, West Noble, 13-7
152 Tony Zook, Fairfield dec. Brad Owen, Fremont, 6-4
160 Ricky Short, Fremont pin Morgon Cosby, Fairfield, 1:37
170 Rhyan Hedges, Eastside major dec. Micah Geyer, Fairfield, 12-2
182 Brady Elliott, Fremont pin Mike Gaetz, Prairie Heights, 1:59
195 Brian Richardson, Churubusco dec. Zach Goodyear, West Noble, 7-5
220 Jason Nicodemus, Churubusco pin Beau Hamer, Angola, 1:08
285 #12 Matt Beard, Eastside dec. Justin Lee, Central Noble, 6-0

Consolation round
106 Kyle Lowe, Fremont dec. Andy Bauer, Angola, 3-0
113 Codey Ross, Eastside dec. Hunter Price, Fremont, 4-3
120 Hunter Leskowyak, Fremont pin Kaleb Mooney, Central Noble, 2:39
126 Chase Downing, Churubusco injury default Jonathan Weimer, West Noble
132 David Schmucker, Fremont dec. Lane Waite, Prairie Heights, 7-1
138 Daimon Heffley, Eastside pin Brady McNamara, Westview, 4:12
145 Tony Steglich, Westview dec. Brandon Wormcastle, Churubusco, 4-1
152 Joey Heaton, Churubusco dec. Patrick Wood, Central Noble, 5-1
160 Travis Glick, Churubusco pin James Taylor, West Noble, 2:15
170 Brayden Shivley, Churubusco dec. Chris Clute, Angola, 2-1
182 Sam Siddons, Churubusco major dec. Taylor Warren, Westview, 10-0
195 Kyle Barry, Fremont dec. Robert Atkison, Prairie Heights, 9-2
220 Adam Dossett, Fremont pin Kade Gerbers, Prairie Heights, 4:40
285 Gunner Barnhart, Churubusco pin Michael Yankosky, Westview, 1:21

Fifth-place matches
106 Alex Steele, Prairie Heights dec. Tristan Stockdale, Churubusco, 5-0
113 Thomas Smith, Central Noble pin Cole Long, Lakeland, 1:35
120 Logan Hensley, Angola pin Cody Thomas, Churubusco, 0:22
126 Tanner Frye, Fremont dec. Tate Burns, Eastside, 8-5
132 Taylor Grim, West Noble pin Shane Shroyer, Churubusco, 4:01
138 Lyle McParlan, Churubusco pin Josh Kline, Central Noble, 1:20
145 Brock Baker, Fremont dec. Shawn Varney, Fairfield, 8-6 (OT)
152 Matt Neeley, Prairie Heights pin Nick Attkisson, Lakeland, 2:04
160 Jordan Welch, Lakeland dec. Thomas Lapham, Angola, 8-6 (OT)
170 Austin Maggart, Fremont dec. Kegan Watson, Westview, 6-4
182 Eli Eckert, Central Noble dec. Matthew Simmons, Fairfield, 5-1
195 Benson Benally, Angola pin Elliot Jimenez, Central Noble, 3:24
220 Aaron Wheeler, Westview pin Abel DeLeon, West Noble, n/a
285 Braxton Amos, Angola dec. Dakota Mitchell, Fremont, 5-1