Mahomet-Seymour Wrestling places 3rd at Matozzi Invitational
BY FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
The Bulldogs placed third in Saturday’s 12-team Matozzi Invitational at Hinsdale South High School.
M-S, state-ranked in Class 2A in the preseason Illinois Best Weekly poll, finished behind two Class 3A schools (Bolingbrook with 207 ½ points and Neuqua Valley with 170 ½ points).
The Bulldogs didn’t have entries in two weight classes (138 pounds and 170 pounds) but finished in a strong third place with 158 points.
Senior Seth Buchanan won his first varsity tournament, pinning his way through the 285-pound weight class. Buchanan had three matches.
Two teammates advanced to the finals and ended in second: Mateo Casillas (195 pounds) and Daniel Renshaw (220 pounds).
They each had 2-1 records for the day and registered pins in both of their wins.
Overall, M-S wrestlers won 24 matches throughout the tournament and 21 were by pins. Ten of the Bulldogs’ 12 competitors were placers.
“I was proud of our team for the mental and physical toughness they displayed throughout the tournament,” M-S coach Rob Ledin said. “We did not have wrestlers at two weight classes.
“We had two wrestlers certify at a lower weight, essentially wrestling up a weight class for the day, and also had two other weights where our backups took to task the ‘next man up’ mentality.”
Three Bulldogs secured third-place finishes: Payton Ragona (106 pounds), Chance Decker (145 pounds) and Gage Granadino (160 pounds).
Granadino was 3-1 with three pins. Decker bounced back from a first-round loss to win four successive matches. He posted pins in three of his wins. Ragona was 2-1 with one pin.
Placing fourth for M-S was Colton Crowley (182 pounds).
Three other squad members registered fifth-place performances: Theo Ratliff (126 pounds), Caleb Dowers (132 pounds) and Peyton Myers (152 pounds).
Ratliff was 3-2 with three pins. Dowers was 2-2 with two pins and Myers was 2-2 with two pins.
Others in the M-S lineup were Adam Pillischafske (113 pounds) and Cayden Grove (120 pounds).
The Bulldogs return to action on Tuesday at Centennial, facing the Chargers and state-ranked Chatham Glenwood. The first match will start at 6 p.m.
JV Wrestling
M-S produced three individual champions as well as seven medalists and placed third in Saturday’s 17-team Lincoln Junior Varsity Tournament.
Edwardsville was the meet champion with 258 points and was followed by Normal West with 187 ½. M-S totaled 142 points.
The Bulldogs’ champions were Caden Hatton (3-0 with two pins at 106 pounds), Hayden Nelson (3-0 at 152) and Brayden Bone (4-0 with three pins at 285).
Other JV placers were second-place Mikane Didier (2-1 with two pins at 220 pounds); third-place Camden Harms (2-1 with two pins also at 220 pounds); fourth-place Mason Rasche (2-2 with one pin at 106 pounds) and sixth-place Steve Pogue (3-2 with three pins at 285 pounds).
For the day, M-S’ competitors won 20 matches and 13 were by falls.
