Three Chieftains, two Vikings remain alive in Ohio tournament

Published 7:55 am Friday, December 29, 2023

DEFIANCE, Ohio — After the opening day of the Defiance Tri-State Border War, Napoleon remains the team leader with 149 points.

Franklin is second with 127.5 points and Yale third with 117.5.

Niles is currently 31st with 45 points and Dowagiac 35th with 37.5 points.

The Chieftains’ Israel Villegas (144) and Cal Chapman (285) reached the quarterfinals before suffering their first losses of the two-day tournament, which features more than 50 teams.

Jordan Neal, of Allen East, pinned Villegas in 1:48 in the quarterfinals, while James Hartleroad, of Dekalb, pinned Chapman in 3:58.

Villegas will wrestle Matthew Bauer, of Franklin, in his first consolation match Friday, while Chapman will wrestle Isaac Meyer, of Archbold, in his first consolation match.

Dowagiac’s Cameron White (138) remains alive in the consolation bracket. White is 5-1 following a pin of Mohawk’s Liam Pursell in 4:13 in the fifth round of consolation. He is scheduled to wrestle Skyler Blockwitz, of Franklin, Wisconsin, in his first match Friday.

Niles’ Sam Rucker (175) and Julian Means-Flewellen (190) also reached the quarterfinals on Thursday before suffering their first losses.

Gabe Garlick, of Lakota, decisioned Rucker 7-1 in the quarterfinals, while Gavin Bowers, of Tinora, decisioned Means-Flewellen 7-4.

Rucker will wrestle Trent Johnson, of Malinta, in his first consolation match on Friday, while Means-Flewellen will face Luke Walz, of Defiance, in his first consolation match.

The Vikings’ Chase Brawley (285) won his first three matches before dropping back-to-back matches to get knocked out of the tournament.