Ohio County has 8 in State First Round tourney | Sports

On Feb 16, 2022

Ohio County has had a small wrestling team in numbers but it got big results heading to the KHSAA First Round State Tournament 1 at Union County on Saturday.

Ohio County pushed eight wrestlers through the Region 2 tournament at Bardstown last weekend.

Freshman Petey Graham was regional runner-up at 132 pounds for Ohio County. Caige Clark was regional runner-up at 138 and Gunnar Arnold was regional runner-up at 144.

Luke Emmick was third at 165. Zander Bunch was third at 150, and Grayson Shelby was fourth at 157. Gill Nicodemus was fourth at 215. Mason Taylor, an 8th grader, was fourth at 113.

“I really believe we have four or five that will make it (to the state tournament) and I believe we have an opportunity for three to place top eight there,” Ohio County coach Adam Lynch said. “We only had seven or eight wrestlers in our lineup for most of the season. We work hard and my wrestlers are buying in to what we are doing here at Ohio County. They are right where I thought they would be. We are solid in the weight classes we have.”

“Caige Clark and Zander Bunch are the two seniors on our team. Caige lost in the regional finals but has an opportunity at the state tournament. Zander Bunch took third after losing his first match. Gunnar Arnold, a junior, pulled out a big win to make it in the finals.

“On an individual basis we are really tough. We have a great group of guys and a great wrestling family.”

The top eight finishers in each weight class move on to the KHSAA State Tournament Feb. 26 at George Rogers Clark.

Daviess County has three wrestlers going to the First Round State. Owensboro High School has two going to State First Round and Apollo has one wrestler. Those teams competed in the Region 1 Tournament at Caldwell County.

DC has Caleb Tolson at 144, Conner Tolson at 215 and Josiah McNeely at 157.

“It’s a rough road but they only have to win two matches,” DC coach Curtis Martinson said. “Josiah lost in the finals by two points. They’re all very capable of finishing in the top eight.”

Owensboro has Andres Quintana going at 138 pounds with a 23-4 record. The Red Devils also have Reese McLaughlin going at 126 pounds. Quintana had been picked as Owensboro’s best chance to advance to the state tournament before the regional.

Apollo has Blaize Cart going in at 285 pounds. Cart is 37-4.

“Going into semi-state Blaize is wrestling the best he has all year,” Apollo coach Courtney Johns said. “Blaize is hungry and has been working for this the last four years.”