C-S junior Jackson Bagwell holds the team regional championship trophy high after C-S-M won the team regionals February 14 at White Pigeon.
Team overcomes early deficit to
By Bruce Rolfe
The road to a second straight team regional championship and trip to the Division 4 Team State Finals at Wings Stadium for the second consecutive year for the Climax-Scotts-Martin co-op wrestling team at White Pigeon High School February 14 had challenges, the need to overcome pain and determination.
C-S-M, now 26-5 and ranked No. 7 entering the team regionals, reached the Division 4 Team State Finals with a 33-27 win over No. 6 ranked Decatur in the semifinals and then defeated No. 8 ranked White Pigeon 36-33 in the team regional championship match.
C-S-M started slowly in the Decatur match, losing the first five matches for an 18-0 deficit. However only one Decatur win in the first five matches was by a pin, preventing the Raiders from accumulating up to 12 additional points.
A forfeit win by Logan Gilbert (106-pound weight class), a 9-4 win by Kristian Heighton (113) after he fell behind 3-4 in the first period, a pin by Cole Reitz (120) in 1:40, and an 8-2 win by Jayce Ritchie (126) tied the match at 18-18.
While he fell short in his match 2-6, Seth Toris (132) battled through leg cramp distractions multiple times and was yet another C-S-M wrestler who fought to prevent his opponent from getting additional points by avoiding a pin and C-S-M trailed by an 18-21 margin.
Haylen Buell (138), with a pin in 3:47, started a run of three straight wins for C-S-M that secured the win. Despite trailing 0-2 in the first period, Matthew Holmes (144) rebounded with a pin in the second period (3:21), and Jackson Bagwell (150) won a 6-0 decision to put C-S-M ahead 33-21.
Decatur won the 157-pound match by a forfeit for the final margin.
“You want to get pins where we’re supposed to get pins. When our hammers go out there we tell them we’ve got to get six (points) and that’s what we’re looking for. Some times it doesn’t happen, sometimes it does. Sometimes there’s matches we think we’re going to get pinned in and we only give up three. It kind of works both ways for us. Guys fought hard off their back tonight. Everybody fought hard and did their job and them some. That’s why we’re going back to the State,” said C-S coach Mike Reitz.
Junior Logan Gilbert was impressed how his team battled throughout the two matches.
“Yeah, they followed real good. I mean, we had a lot of people step up when they needed to. Matt Holmes was a big pin in the first round against Decatur. We had a lot of people not get pinned, not give up six. Had a lot of people win matches that shouldn’t have won matches, but that’s just how the team works. One steps up,” said Gilbert.
The regional championship match started off with a scary moment for C-S-M when C-S sophomore Malcolm Smith was dropped to the mat on his back by his opponent and then lost consciousness. He laid motionless for a short period of time but eventually left the mat and lost by a forfeit.
After facing 6-12 and 12-18 deficits, C-S-M started to pull away in the lower and middle weight classes.
Cole Reitz (230) shook off right knee pain to record a pin to tie the match at 18-18.
A pin by Ritchie (126) in 4:38, an 8-2 win by Toris (132), and pin by Haylen Buell (138) in 52 seconds gave C-S-M a 33-18 lead.
Matt Holmes (144) battled back from a 6-9 deficit by picking up three points in the final four seconds to tie the match and force overtime, however he fell shot, losing 9-11 that made the score 33-21.
Bagwell then clinched the win with a 5-2 decision for a 36-21 C-S-M lead.
C-S-M forfeited the final two matches to produce the final score.
“We’re looking forward to getting back there (to the State Finals). The team really rallied together. We battled tough tonight. Everybody went out and did their job. Some guys did more then expected. It was a great battle. Decatur was a really tough team. Then we kind of got a rhythm going when we stepped on the mat throughout the White Pigeon match and came out as victors,” said Reitz.
Division 4 Team Regionals (At White Pigeon)
Team overcomes early deficit to
defeat Decatur; finishes strong in
36-33 win over White Pigeon to
secure regional championship trophy
By Bruce Rolfe
The road to a second straight team regional championship and trip to the Division 4 Team State Finals at Wings Stadium for the second consecutive year for the Climax-Scotts-Martin co-op wrestling team at White Pigeon High School February 14 had challenges, the need to overcome pain and determination.
C-S-M, now 26-5 and ranked No. 7 entering the team regionals, reached the Division 4 Team State Finals with a 33-27 win over No. 6 ranked Decatur in the semifinals and then defeated No. 8 ranked White Pigeon 36-33 in the team regional championship match.
C-S-M started slowly in the Decatur match, losing the first five matches for an 18-0 deficit. However only one Decatur win in the first five matches was by a pin, preventing the Raiders from accumulating up to 12 additional points.
A forfeit win by Logan Gilbert (106-pound weight class), a 9-4 win by Kristian Heighton (113) after he fell behind 3-4 in the first period, a pin by Cole Reitz (120) in 1:40, and an 8-2 win by Jayce Ritchie (126) tied the match at 18-18.
While he fell short in his match 2-6, Seth Toris (132) battled through leg cramp distractions multiple times and was yet another C-S-M wrestler who fought to prevent his opponent from getting additional points by avoiding a pin and C-S-M trailed by an 18-21 margin.
Haylen Buell (138), with a pin in 3:47, started a run of three straight wins for C-S-M that secured the win. Despite trailing 0-2 in the first period, Matthew Holmes (144) rebounded with a pin in the second period (3:21), and Jackson Bagwell (150) won a 6-0 decision to put C-S-M ahead 33-21.
Decatur won the 157-pound match by a forfeit for the final margin.
“You want to get pins where we’re supposed to get pins. When our hammers go out there we tell them we’ve got to get six (points) and that’s what we’re looking for. Some times it doesn’t happen, sometimes it does. Sometimes there’s matches we think we’re going to get pinned in and we only give up three. It kind of works both ways for us. Guys fought hard off their back tonight. Everybody fought hard and did their job and them some. That’s why we’re going back to the State,” said C-S coach Mike Reitz.
Junior Logan Gilbert was impressed how his team battled throughout the two matches.
“Yeah, they followed real good. I mean, we had a lot of people step up when they needed to. Matt Holmes was a big pin in the first round against Decatur. We had a lot of people not get pinned, not give up six. Had a lot of people win matches that shouldn’t have won matches, but that’s just how the team works. One steps up,” said Gilbert.
The regional championship match started off with a scary moment for C-S-M when C-S sophomore Malcolm Smith was dropped to the mat on his back by his opponent and then lost consciousness. He laid motionless for a short period of time but eventually left the mat and lost by a forfeit.
After facing 6-12 and 12-18 deficits, C-S-M started to pull away in the lower and middle weight classes.
Cole Reitz (230) shook off right knee pain to record a pin to tie the match at 18-18.
A pin by Ritchie (126) in 4:38, an 8-2 win by Toris (132), and pin by Haylen Buell (138) in 52 seconds gave C-S-M a 33-18 lead.
Matt Holmes (144) battled back from a 6-9 deficit by picking up three points in the final four seconds to tie the match and force overtime, however he fell shot, losing 9-11 that made the score 33-21.
Bagwell then clinched the win with a 5-2 decision for a 36-21 C-S-M lead.
C-S-M forfeited the final two matches to produce the final score.
“We’re looking forward to getting back there (to the State Finals). The team really rallied together. We battled tough tonight. Everybody went out and did their job. Some guys did more then expected. It was a great battle. Decatur was a really tough team. Then we kind of got a rhythm going when we stepped on the mat throughout the White Pigeon match and came out as victors,” said Reitz.
Division 4 Team Regionals (At White Pigeon)
Semifinals - C-S-M 33, Decatur 27
106: Logan Gilbert (MARTIN) over (DECATUR) (For.) 113: Kristian Heighton (MARTIN) over Kolton Burns (DECATUR) (Dec 9-4) 120: Cole Reitz (MARTIN) over Narcizo Hernandez (DECATUR) (Fall 1:40) 126: Jayce Ritchie (MARTIN) over Aidan Wiggins (DECATUR) (Dec 8-2) 132: Thor Baker (DECATUR) over Seth Toris (MARTIN) (Dec 6-2) 138: Haylen Buell (MARTIN) over Ryder Gardner (DECATUR) (Fall 3:47) 144: Matthew Holmes (MARTIN) over Parker Wiggins (DECATUR) (Fall 3:21) 150: Jack Bagwell (MARTIN) over Brody Mead (DECATUR) (Dec 6-0) 157: Brody Mead (DECATUR) over (MARTIN) (For.) 165: Carson Shugars (DECATUR) over Joshua Walman (MARTIN) (Fall 2:36) 175: Rowan Bradford (DECATUR) over Malcolm Smith (MARTIN) (Dec 4-1) 190: Zach Wiggins (DECATUR) over Jonathan Owen (MARTIN) (Dec 7-1) 215: Ismael Pena (DECATUR) over Sam Bleeker (MARTIN) (Dec 3-2) 285: Tanner Shugars (DECATUR) over Max Bleeker (MARTIN) (Dec 7-2)
106: Logan Gilbert (MARTIN) over (DECATUR) (For.) 113: Kristian Heighton (MARTIN) over Kolton Burns (DECATUR) (Dec 9-4) 120: Cole Reitz (MARTIN) over Narcizo Hernandez (DECATUR) (Fall 1:40) 126: Jayce Ritchie (MARTIN) over Aidan Wiggins (DECATUR) (Dec 8-2) 132: Thor Baker (DECATUR) over Seth Toris (MARTIN) (Dec 6-2) 138: Haylen Buell (MARTIN) over Ryder Gardner (DECATUR) (Fall 3:47) 144: Matthew Holmes (MARTIN) over Parker Wiggins (DECATUR) (Fall 3:21) 150: Jack Bagwell (MARTIN) over Brody Mead (DECATUR) (Dec 6-0) 157: Brody Mead (DECATUR) over (MARTIN) (For.) 165: Carson Shugars (DECATUR) over Joshua Walman (MARTIN) (Fall 2:36) 175: Rowan Bradford (DECATUR) over Malcolm Smith (MARTIN) (Dec 4-1) 190: Zach Wiggins (DECATUR) over Jonathan Owen (MARTIN) (Dec 7-1) 215: Ismael Pena (DECATUR) over Sam Bleeker (MARTIN) (Dec 3-2) 285: Tanner Shugars (DECATUR) over Max Bleeker (MARTIN) (Dec 7-2)
Finals - C-S-M 36, White Pigeon 33
106: Logan Gilbert (MARTIN) over David Lane (WPIGEON) (Fall 0:56) 113: Mazzy Lambert (WPIGEON) over Kristian Heighton (MARTIN) (Fall 1:26) 120: Cole Reitz (MARTIN) over Drew Johnson (WPIGEON) (Fall 3:27) 126: Jayce Ritchie (MARTIN) over Hunter Pant (WPIGEON) (Fall 4:38) 132: Seth Toris (MARTIN) over Maddix Jancasz (WPIGEON) (Dec 8-2) 138: Haylen Buell (MARTIN) over Justin Kendall (WPIGEON) (Fall 0:52) 144: Jesse Fielis (WPIGEON) over Matthew Holmes (MARTIN) (Dec 11-9) 150: Jack Bagwell (MARTIN) over Luke Hinkson (WPIGEON) (Dec 5-2) 157: Evan Rudloff (WPIGEON) over (MARTIN) (For.) 165: Blake Alldridge (WPIGEON) over (MARTIN) (For.) 175: Caleb Lane (WPIGEON) over Malcolm Smith (MARTIN) (For.) 190: Jonathan Owen (MARTIN) over David Stanley (WPIGEON) (Fall 1:36) 215: Seth Miller (WPIGEON) over Sam Bleeker (MARTIN) (Dec 5-2) 285: Chaz Underwood (WPIGEON) over Max Bleeker (MARTIN) (Dec 8-2)
106: Logan Gilbert (MARTIN) over David Lane (WPIGEON) (Fall 0:56) 113: Mazzy Lambert (WPIGEON) over Kristian Heighton (MARTIN) (Fall 1:26) 120: Cole Reitz (MARTIN) over Drew Johnson (WPIGEON) (Fall 3:27) 126: Jayce Ritchie (MARTIN) over Hunter Pant (WPIGEON) (Fall 4:38) 132: Seth Toris (MARTIN) over Maddix Jancasz (WPIGEON) (Dec 8-2) 138: Haylen Buell (MARTIN) over Justin Kendall (WPIGEON) (Fall 0:52) 144: Jesse Fielis (WPIGEON) over Matthew Holmes (MARTIN) (Dec 11-9) 150: Jack Bagwell (MARTIN) over Luke Hinkson (WPIGEON) (Dec 5-2) 157: Evan Rudloff (WPIGEON) over (MARTIN) (For.) 165: Blake Alldridge (WPIGEON) over (MARTIN) (For.) 175: Caleb Lane (WPIGEON) over Malcolm Smith (MARTIN) (For.) 190: Jonathan Owen (MARTIN) over David Stanley (WPIGEON) (Fall 1:36) 215: Seth Miller (WPIGEON) over Sam Bleeker (MARTIN) (Dec 5-2) 285: Chaz Underwood (WPIGEON) over Max Bleeker (MARTIN) (Dec 8-2)
