December 29, 2008

Family affair helps Raiders, Tigers at ECIC wrestling tourney

Southern Wells’ Darin Fiechter (top) controls South Adams’ Josh Ehr to win the 130-pound weight class championship Saturday at Jay County. (Photo by Paul Beitler)

Bluffton senior Matt Gerber rolls Blackford’s Ryan Holsten over for more back points as Gerber scores a 17-1 technical fall for his ECIC championship. (Photo by Paul Beitler)

Troy Fiechter (left) of Southern Wells uses the ankle of Shenandoah’s Zach Williams to gain leverage during their battle in the final match of the 125-pound class in the ECIC meet. (Photo by Paul Beitler)

PORTLAND — It was a big finish Saturday for the three grandchildren of Harold and Violet Meyer in the finals of the East Central Indiana Classic wrestling tournament at Jay County High School.

Cousins Matthew Gerber and Troy and Darin Fiechter each came away with a championship in their respective weight classes.

Troy won the 125-pound weight class, Darin the 130-pound class and Matthew captured the 135-pound title.

The Fiechters’ double led the Southern Wells Raiders to a fourth-place team finish with 164 points. Gerber’s points lifted the Bluffton Tigers to fifth place with 160.5 points.

Along with two third-place finishers, three fifth-places, two seventh-places and one eighth place, the Raiders were able to accomplish what their head coach, Ryan Landis, wanted. He told his wrestlers that he was looking for a top-four finish and they stepped up and did just that.

Landis was pleased by the way his wrestlers were able to battle back in the losers’ bracket and pick up big points.

“In the past we kind of lost our focus and we didn’t come back and wrestle as well as I wanted,” said Landis. “Overall as a team, I am pretty happy with a fourth-place finish here.”

Landis likes to use the 16-team holiday tournament as a barometer of how his wrestlers are doing in comparison to those from other area schools.

“This kind of gives you a nice overview of the regional,” said Landis. “It kind of lets you see what’s out there. Besides you always have to remember that Bellmont and Adams Central come in (to the regional), but it gives you a nice overview where you need to shoot for come regional time.”

In the final team scoring, South Adams’ Jackson Werst won a 6-4 overtime decision in the 215-pound championship match to break a tie with Jay County and give the Starfires their team championship. The Starfires edged out the Patriots 218-214.

Winchester was third overall with 202, followed by Southern Wells and Bluffton. Heritage was sixth with 169, Shenandoah seventh with 144, Alexandria eighth with 114.5 and Norwell ninth with 104.5.

Besides Gerber’s first, the Tigers had three runner-up finishers, one third, two fourths and one sixth.

The Norwell Knights ended up with a trio of third-place finishes, one fourth, one sixth, one seventh and one eighth.

The Fiechters, sons of Ronda (Meyer) and Lynn Fiechter, and Gerber, son of Becky (Meyer) and Gene Gerber, come from a wrestling background and they lived up to their heritage.

Troy (13-1), a senior, defeated top-seeded Zach Williams of Shenandoah 6-0 in the championship match.

Top-seeded Darin (13-1), a junior, equaled that by topping South Adams’ Josh Ehr 6-0.

Gerber (11-0), who was seeded No. 1, rolled to a 17-1 technical fall over Blackford’s Ryan Holsten in 3:36.

Gerber started his day with a first-round forfeit and pinned Alexandria’s John Idlewine in round two. In the semifinals, the senior decisioned Jay County’s Cameron Pfeifer 6-1.

Darin also started out with two forfeits and made it to the finals by pinning Alexandria’s Jon Blanton in 2:32.

Troy opened with a pin of Oren Strahm of Heritage and pinned Kayleb Bray of Randolph Southern. Then, he reached the finals with an 11-2 major decision over Jordan Sanders of South Adams.

Bluffton junior Bobby Perry (10-1) was second at 119. Senior Josh Fiechter (10-1) was second at 160. Senior Matt Morrissey (7-4) was runner-up at 171. Junior Seth Higgins (8-3) was third at 125.

Southern Wells’ junior Levi Jones (11-3) beat Norwell senior James Landis 5-3 for third place at 145. The Raiders’ Seth Biberstine (10-3) was third at 215.

Norwell senior Brandon Tucker (12-3) was third at 119. Senior Justin Sprow (10-5) beat Bluffton junior Kyle King 5-0 for third at 140. Sophomore Grayson Smith was third at 152.

sports@news-banner.com

East Central Indiana Classic
Jay County High School
At Portland
Team Scores: 1. South Adams 218; 2. Jay County 214; 3. Winchester 202; 4. Southern Wells 164; 5. Bluffton 160.5; 6. Heritage 159; 7. Shenandoah 144; 8. Alexandria 114.5; 9. Norwellwell 104.5; 10. Delta 99.5; 11. Blackford 95; 12. Union City 83.5; 13. Randolph Southern 72.5; 14. Monroe Central 24.5; 15. Norwelltheastern 24; 16. Wes-Del 12.
———
103-Pound Class:
1. Todd Batt (SA) pin Jack Dodd (SHN) 2:11
3. Nick Naselroad (ALX) pin Derek Phenis (WIN) 1:30
5. Trevor Phenis (RS) pin Brandon Bennett (HER) 2:30
7. Aurelio Jerriquez (UC) dec. Jacob Slusser (BLK) 6-2
112:
1. Steve Gonzalez (DEL) maj. dec. Alex Richman (HER) 15-5
3. Gabe Sprunger (SA) pin Jon James (WIN) 1:41
5. Josh Blanton (ALX) dec. Philip Gerber (Bluffton) 6-0
7. Jake Mechling (Southern Wells) pin Chase VanGordon (BLK) 2:45
119:
1. Casey Kenney (JC) pin Bobby Perry (Bluffton) 5:45
3. Brandon Tucker (Norwell) pin Kyle Walters (UC) 1:48
5. Brian Terhaar (WIN) pin Levi Lanning (ALX) 0:31
7. Tyler Sink (SHN) maj. dec. Zack Sterling (DEL) 11-1
125:
1. Troy Fiechter (Southern Wells) dec. Zach Williams (SHN) 6-0
3. Seth Higgins (Bluffton) dec. Jordan Landers (SA) 9-7 OT
5. Zach Barr (BLK) pin Chandler Sells (ALX) 2:36
7. Jeff Dobbs (DEL) pin Tim Baker (WIN) 2:49
130:
1. Darin Fiechter (Southern Wells) dec. Josh Ehr (SA) 6-0
3. Caleb Culy (JC) t.fall Jon Blanton (ALX) 20-4 3:00
5. Jordan Simmons (WIN) pin Brian Shuler (HER) 1:36
7. Paul Stoddard (RS) dec. Austin Quinn (WD) 5-1
135:
1. Matthew Gerber (Bluffton) t.fall Ryan Holsten (BLK) 17-1 3:36
3. Cameron Pfeifer (JC) pin Cole Sells (UC) 2:29
5. Josh Morris (Southern Wells) pin John Idlewine (ALX) 2:08
7. Eric Krathwohl (SHN) pin Kevin Dines (WIN) 2:15
140:
1. Josh Martin (RS) dec. TJ Burnfield (SA) 8-2
3. Justin Sprow (Norwell) dec. Kyle King (Bluffton) 5-0
5. Seth Drumm (JC) pin Devid Berning (HER) 1:33
7. Kyle Jones (Southern Wells) maj. dec. Zack Boyd (WIN) 10-2
145:
1. Ben Theurer (JC) pin Zack Morphew (ALX) 3:33
3. Levi Jones (Southern Wells) dec. James Landis (Norwell) 5-3
5. Dustin Hunt (SA) pin Mason Hummel (WIN) 0:27
7. Dylan Bodigan (HER) pin Derek Morrison (UC) 5:02
152:
1. Skyler Finnerty (JC) dec. Chase Sprunger (SA) 8-5
3. Grayson Smith (Norwell) maj. dec. Cody Conrad (HER) 10-0
5. Cain Grogg (Southern Wells) pin Elijah Jones (WIN) 0:44
7. Isaac Sanders (SHN) pin Josh Beall (DEL) 3:36
160:
1. Luke Hamm (SHN) dec. Josh Fiechter (Bluffton) 11-4
3. Cody Becker (NE) dec. Nick Taylor (SA) 4-1
5. Dylan Holcomb (WIN) pin Dan Gibson (HER) 2:48
7. Michael Daniels (JC) dec. Aaron Taylor (ALX) 7-5
171:
1. Gage Bradburn (UC) pin Matt Morrissey (Bluffton) 1:32
3. Sha White (JC) pin Dennis Bosler (WIN) 2:06
5. Brandon Biberstine (Southern Wells) maj. dec. James Bowling (SHN) 19-8
7. Tyler Unsicker (HER) pin Drew Taylor (SA) 1:53
189:
1. Taylor Scott (HER) dec. Evan Dely (DEL) 7-2
3. Billy Rosson (WIN) dec. Levi Mock (Bluffton) 11-5
5. Andrew Lancaster (JC) INJ DEF. Harley Felton (BLK)
7. Kyle Short (Norwell) dec. Zach Melton (Southern Wells) 5-0
215:
1. Jackson Werst (SA) dec. Anthony Fodrea (WIN) 6-4 OT
3. Seth Biberstine (Southern Wells) pin Matt James (Southern Wells) 3:56
5. Brad Shuler (HER) dec. Austin Fuatavai (DEL) 3-2
7. Tayler Morris (MC) pin Cam Buckhardt (Norwell) 0:55
285:
1. Adam Chalfant (WIN) pin Sam Poole (SHN) 1:06
3. Jim West (SA) pin Elijah Justice (BLK) 1:35
5. Kyler Blowers (JC) pin Damon Roe (Norwell) 2:11
7. Josh Mitchell (HER) dec. Jim Schafer (DEL) 6-2

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