CAMBRIDGE — The Miami Trace Panthers and Washington Blue Lion wrestling teams began the 2021-22 season as contestants in the Cambridge Invitational held at Cambridge High School on Saturday, Dec. 4.
The Panthers won the 16-team tournament with 242.5 team points.
Second-place Beaver scored 202 team points.
The Washington Blue Lions placed ninth with 98 points.
Miami Trace had two weight class champions.
Weston Melvin went 5-0 to win the 144-pound division.
Melvin began with a 10-6 win over Talan Bailey of Philo.
In the second round, Melvin took a 12-1 major decision over Bradley Spencer of Morgan.
In the third round, Melvin won by pin in 1:27 over Gavin Kesterson of River View.
In his next match, Melvin achieved a major decision 11-3 win over Conner Varnes of West Holmes.
In the finals, Melvin won an 11-2 major decision over Devin Boyd of Licking Valley.
Jayden LeBeau won for Miami Trace at 190 pounds.
LeBeau won a major decision over Hunter Zizek of Sheridan, 22-9.
LeBeau pinned Bryce Justices of Licking Valley in :58.
LeBeau won a 20-15 decision over Easton Cook of Indian Valley.
He won a 24-9 technical fall against Garrett Hilliard of Minerva.
Bryce Bennett went 4-0 to win the 215-pound weight class.
Bennett won a 6-3 decision over Cruz Mobley of River View.
Bennett pinned Andre Uk of Logan Elm in 1:38.
Bennett picked up another pin, this one in 1:03 against Seth Miller of Morgan.
He also pinned Isaac McKinney of Sheridan in :45.
Lyric Dickerson went 4-1 and placed third at Cambridge.
In his first match, Dickerson pinned Gage Woods of Indian Valley in 1:59.
In his second match, Dickerson pinned Xavyion Johns of Washington in :55.
Dickerson won a 4-1 decision over Nate Hang of West Branch.
Dickerson was pinned by Brady Smith of West Holmes in :16.
Dickerson completed his run with a 5-2 decision over Brodi Bowersock of Beaver.
Riston LeBeau placed fourth at 132 pounds, going 3-2.
In his first round match, LeBeau pinned Gavin Chapman of West Branch in 3:10.
Next LeBeau won a major decision over Brady Allen of Logan Elm, 21-9.
LeBeau pinned Anthony Fletcher of Minerva in 5:30.
LeBeau was pinned by Joe Perkins of Licking Valley in 1:27.
He was pinned by Hunter Albright of Indian Valley in 3:53.
Corbin Melvin placed fifth for Miami Trace at 120 pounds. He began the tournament with a 5-4 win over Gavin Hoover of Logan Elm.
Melvin then lost a 13-2 major decision to Tyler Ratliff of New Lexington.
He lost to Leroy Steagal of Indian Valley by pin in 1:56.
Melvin then pinned Elijah Burkhart of Morgan in 5:20.
He finished with a 9-4 decision over Tyler Ratliff of New Lexington, avenging an earlier loss to this competitor.
Spencer Smith placed fifth for Miami Trace at 113 pounds.
Smith pinned Allyson Smith of Beaver in 4:55.
Smith then lost by pin to Connor Norris of Minerva in 2:19.
Smith pinned Nate Younge of Gallia Academy in :30.
He then won a 5-4 decision over Talon Freese of Washington.
Aiden Johnson of Miami Trace finished sixth at 138 pounds.
Johnson won his first match with a pin of Tyler Locke of Morgan in 2:21.
He then pinned Isaiah Waggoner of New Lexington in 1:48.
Johnson next faced Conner Roback of Licking Valley. Roback won by technical fall (18-1).
Johnson pinned Marus Clark of Licking Valley in 3:27.
In his final match, Johnson lost a 10-3 decision to Gavin Hostetler of Indian Valley.
Luke Hoppes placed sixth for Miami Trace at 285 pounds.
Hoppes lost his first match by pin in 1:25 to Brady Rohrer.
It was a quick bounce-back for Hoppes as he pinned Caiden Dillon of Cambridge in his next match in a mere 16 seconds.
Hoppes then pinned Bo Wolford of Licking Valley in 1:12.
In his next match, Hoppes pinned Jacob Averitt of River View in 1:54.
In his final match, Hoppes lost a 7-2 decision to Zane Pletcher of New Lexington.
Miami Trace’s Aaron Little placed eighth at 150 pounds.
In his first match, Little pinned Pierce Pfister of River View in :50.
Little made even quicker work of his next opponent, pinning William Armstrong of Philo in :19.
Little was pinned by Blake Norman of West Holmes in 4:47.
Little had to default on his next two matches, placing eighth.
The Blue Lions’ Mason Mustain won the 285-pound weight class competition at Cambridge.
In his first match, Mustain pinned Jacob Averitt of River View in 1:51.
Mustain then pinned Jared Smith of Gallia Academy in 1:58.
In his next match, Mustain pinned Brady Rohrer in 1:35.
In the championship match at 285 pounds, Mustain won a 6-1 decision over Zane McCoy of Beaver.
Washington’s Branton Dawes placed third in the 126-pound weight class at Cambridge.
In his first match, Dawes won an 8-2 decision over Joey Brocklehurst of Minerva.
In his next match, Dawes pinned Gunnar Hickman of Licking Valley in :44.
Dawes pinned Kaydon Bobby of Beaver in :32.
Dawes lost a 6-0 decision to Alexander Crane of Sheridan.
In the match to determine third and fourth place, Dawes won a 6-0 decision over Noah Tish of West Holmes.
Charles Souther placed fifth for the Blue Lions at 215 pounds.
In his first match, Souther inned Tanner Fuller of River View in :35.
Souther fell in his next match by pinn to Kaiden Haines of Minerva in 3:00.
He then pinned Zach Robinson of New Lexington in 1:31.
Souther pinned Andrew Uk of Logan Elm in 2:48 to finish fifth.
Talon Freese of Washington placed sixth at 113 pounds.
Freese lost to Connor Norris of Minerva by pin in :59.
Freese then pinned Aaj Roberts of West Holmes in 2:41.
He then lost to Ethan Burkhart of New Lexington by pin in 1:11.
Freese pinned Hunter Huhn of New Lexington in :35.
In the match for fifth place, Freese lost to Spencer Smith of Miami Trace, 5-4.
Connor Day of Washington placed eighth at 165 pounds.
In his first match, Day pinned Elijah Koon of Morgan in :55.
Day then pinned Andrew Taylor of Sheridan in :31.
Day was then pinned in his next match by Remmington Myers of Indian Valley in 1:49.
Day lost a 3-2 decision to Monty Boyd of Philo.
In the match for seventh place, Day was pinned by Cole Hines of Gallia Academy in 2:42.
