Grothause, Shank and Kaufman take 2nd

By Cort Reynolds

VAN BUREN – The Bluffton High School wrestling team finished a strong fourth at the 31-team Van Buren Invitational last Friday and Saturday, January 17-18. 

Woodmore won the two-day event with 167 points, followed by Defiance Tinora (162.5), Swanton (160.5) and Bluffton (148). Allen East was fifth with 142.

Pirate junior Evan Grothause finished second in the 190 lb. weight class. He was seeded third and after a first round bye, won his first match by pin at 4:57. He then took a 12-1 majority decision in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, he won by technical fall 15-0. In the title bout, he lost to top-seeded junior Michael Seeger of Woodmore, 9-3. 

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Bluffton sophomore Mason Shank also took second in the heavyweight division after recording three quick pins. Seeded third, he won his first match by pin in just 41 seconds. He won his second bout in 61 seconds, then took the quarterfinal bout in 42 ticks via pin.

In the semis, Shank captured another pin in 3:22. But in the championship bout, he lost to top-seeded senior Evan Smigelski of Swanton by a 7-1 decision.

Pirate freshman Ronald Kaufman finished second in the 106 lbs. bracket. The second-seeded Kaufman won his first match by pin at 1:09, then won a 14-7 decision in the semifinals. In the title bout, he lost by pin at 65 seconds to top seed Eastwood’s Gabe Brough.

Freshman Alex Nance took third in the 113 lbs. class. Seeded third, he won his first match via pin at 3:02. He then won a 10-0 majority decision in the quarterfinals. In the semis, he fell to eventual runner-up Colton Kimmel of Wayne Trace 6-2.

Nance then won the third-place bout by technical fall at 17-1.

Senior Jett Blackburn (150) and sophomore Branden Cross (120) took fourth in their respective weight divisions.

Blackburn fought his way through the consolation bracket after losing his first match to Fostoria sophomore Anthony Kleinmark, 6-2.

He first won by TF 17-1, then took a 9-6 decision. Another 17-1 win by TF, and a forfeit win advanced him to the consolation bracket third-place match.  He then lost by a 6-1 decision to Arcadia’s Price to finish fourth and go 4-2 at the tournament.

Cross was seeded sixth and won his first match 16-1 by TF. He then was pinned at 2:30 in the quarterfinals. In the consolation bracket, he won by pin at 2:35, then 18-3 by TF. 

In the semis, he won a 16-2 majority decision to advance to the third-place match. In the third-place bout, he lost to Upper Sandusky senior Abraham Baldwin by TF, 18-3. He went 4-2 in the tournament. 

Junior Wyatt Knaus went 1-2 at 138 lbs. Junior Micah Rehm also posted a 1-2 mark in the 144 lbs. division with a pin.

Junior Javen Crawfis was seeded fifth in the 157 lbs. bracket. He went 1-2 with a pin.

Pirate freshman Jesus Rivera authored a 1-2 record with a pin in the 215 lbs. division.

Pirate placers
106 Pound Placers
1st Gabe Brough 10, Eastwood, Fall 1:09
2nd Ronald Kaufman 9, Bluffton

113 Pound Placers
1st Colt Larrison 9, Allen East, Fall 5:12
2nd Colton Kimmel 10, Wayne Trace
3rd Alex Nance 9, Bluffton, tf17-1

120 Pound Placers
1st Corbin Kimmel 12, Wayne Trace, tf17-1
2nd Wyatt Thieroff 10, Woodmore
3rd Abraham Baldwin 12, Upper Sandusky, tf18-3
4th Branden Cross 10, Bluffton

150 Pound Placers
1st Jordan Hertel 10, Carey, md14-3
2nd Dillion Welling 10, Tinora
3rd Kale Price 10, Arcadia, Dec 6-1
4th Jett Blackburn 12, Bluffton

190 Pound Placers
1st Michael Seeger 11, Woodmore, Dec 9-3
2nd Evan Grothause 11, Bluffton

285 Pound Placers
1st Evan Smigelski 12, Swanton, Dec 7-1
2nd Mason Shank 10, Bluffton

VB Invite team scores

1. Woodmore 167.0 points

2. Tinora 162.5

3. Swanton 160.5

4. Bluffton 148.0

5. Allen East 142.0

6. Elmwood 130.0

7. Eastwood 128.5

8. Liberty Center 121.0

9. Columbus Grove 110.0

10. Mohawk 102.0

11. Carey 95.0

12. Liberty-Benton 89.0

13. Wayne Trace 86.5

14. Cory-Rawson 79.0

15. Upper Sandusky 60.5

16. Otsego 58.0

17. Arcadia 50.5 & Gibsonburg 50.5 

19. Fostoria 43.0

20. Van Buren 42.5

21. Riverdale 41.0

22. McComb 35.5

23. Ottawa-Glandorf 33.0

24. Bellefontaine 28.5 & Hopewell-Loudon 28.5

26. New Riegel 26.5

27. St. Mary C.C. 17.0

28. Lakota 16.0

29. Lincolnview 15.0

30. Pandora-Gilboa 4.0

31. North Baltimore 0