FRANKFORT — For a second-straight year Southmont’s wrestling team used a team effort to win the Sagamore Conference title, beating Lebanon 274-237. Frankfort was third at 205.5 and Western Boone fourth with 122 points. North Montgomery was fifth with 117.5 and Crawfordsville eighth at 41.
The Mounties and Tigers met head-to-head in the finals of five weight classes — with Southmont going 4-1 — including titles from four freshmen.
Southmont’s Brier Riggle pinned Lebanon’s Cade Spanhook at 106, while Maddox Cade
earned a 10-0 major decision over Austin Crouch at 113, and Marlin Williams won by fall over Ethan Coffman at 120.
“Three right there off the bat and I thought that would set the tone,” Southmont coach Jamie Welliever said. “Wow those freshmen got it done.”
Freshman Wyatt Woodall remained unbeated on the season by beatin Lebanon senior John Stillwell 7-0 in the finals at 195.
Collin Martin was also crowned as a champion at 220, pinning Frankfort’s Brenton Wood. It’s Martin’s second-straight SAC title. Dillan Lauy was second at 138, Isaiah McMaster’s second at 170, Riley Woodall the runner-up at 182, and Zayden Dunn second at 285. Noah Benge placed third at 126 for the Mounties, and Evan Francis third at 160, while Gerald Hutson and Trip Ward were both fourth at 132 and 145 respectively.
“It’s a big thing to celebrate,” Welliever said. “The Sagamore Conference traditionally has been a very good wrestling conference and recognized across the state. So the fact we can fill the lineup with 14 guys this year and keep them healthy and safe to do that and come out wrestle well on top of it is a big deal.”
James McClerkin was the Chargers’ lone champion, avenging an early season loss to Lebanon’s Eli Fox, by pinning the senior in the third period.
“I was really proud of him,” McCoy said. “He’s been out twice this year due to COVID so I didn’t know what kind of shape he would be in coming in today, but he wrestled really hard today. He got down in the beginning, but didn’t give up. He kept grinding and got a big pin for us.”
The Chargers had a slow start to the day, but finished strong in the consolation placement round.
Cailin Campbell placed third at 120 — beating Frankfort’s Emma Pillion 17-1, while Catie Campbell won her fifth-place match at 126, beating Lebanon’s Chase Tucker 6-5. At 138 Christian Hall placed third by winning by fall over Lebanon’s Jeremy Mullins. Dakota Punke won by fall over Frankfort’s Miguel Gabriel to place third at 182, while Todd Laffoon pinned Nelson Honore of Frankfort to place third at 195. Cale Anderson placed fourth at 220.
“We had a lot of third-place pins,” McCoy said. “Unfortunately we were just a few points out of fourth, but we finished strong.”
Crawfordsville’s Keegan Alsman placed third at 113, beating Frankfort’s Leonardo Roa by fall. Ashton Wilson was third at 132 by beating Southmont’s Gerald Hutson by fall. Joshua Dixon was sixth at 170.
