By sports reporter Terry Boehmker, NKyTribune
On Saturday at Campbell County High School, Ryle wrestlers took first place in the team standings for the seventh year in a row and claimed seven of the fourteen weight class titles in the Region 5 tournament.
The Raiders’ gold medal winners included freshman Bryant Brinkman (106) and Aiden Brinkman (113), junior Callen Schmidt (165), sophomore Keigan Reisenbeck (175), and seniors Landon Evans (138), Rider Trumble (157), and Travis Steiber (190).
Ryle’s final score was 247.5 points thanks to their wins in the championship finals. Conner came in second with 199, and Simon Kenton came in third with 175.
At Kentucky Horse Park, the top four finishers in each weight class advanced to the state competition on Friday and Saturday. Ryle qualified for ten states. Highlands, Simon Kenton, and Conner all had six.
Evans and Trumble are the Ryle wrestlers with the best won-loss records, at 32-0 and 45-2, respectively. After finishing third in the season finale the previous year, both of them will be participating in their final state tournament. As a sophomore, Evans won a state championship.
Jonah McCloskey (132) of Simon Kenton and TJ Meyer (144) of Walton-Verona, both of whom lost in the state finals the previous year, will also be playing in their final state competition. Meyer has more than 200 career victories and has finished second in the state for three straight years.
Conner junior Clayton Badida (120) and Boone County freshman Jayden Porter (285) are two additional region weight class champions who have achieved 50 wins so far this season.
Region 5 boys wrestling finals
106 WEIGHT CHAMpionship CLASSKeaton Dicken (Conner) loses to Bryant Brinkman (Ryle), 9–6.Tracker Blackburn (Scott) lost to third-place Parker Wilkins (Highlands), 4:14.
113 CLASSChampionship in WeightCole Young (Boone County) defeated Aiden Brinkman (Ryle), 2:46.Zaq Abdi (Conner) defeated Remi Rodriguez (Highlands) 4:18 to take third place.
120 WEIGHT CLASSChampionship: Brayden Donato (Walton-Verona) defeated Clayton Badida (Conner), 3:54.Emilio Rodriguez (CovCath) defeated Ryan Nickelman (Highlands) 4:15 to take third place.
126 CLASSChampionship in WeightLuke Cornwell (Ryle) lost to Braydan Blevins (Simon Kenton), 12–11.Ethan Piasecki (Dixie Heights) lost to Michael Smith (Scott) in third place at 0:45.
132 CLASS CHAMpionship in WeightTravis Votel (Highlands) over Jonah McCloskey (Simon Kenton), 3:26.Third positionCJ Holt (Walton-Verona) loses to Jagger Irvin (Ryle), 5-0.
CLASSChampionship 138 WEIGHTIan Lawrence (Simon Kenton) loses to Landon Evans (Ryle), forfeit.At 0:55, Kyle White of Highlands defeated Justin Kidd of Dixie Heights to take third place.
144 CLASS CHAMpionship in WeightAt 1:00, Walton-Verona’s TJ Meyer defeats Dixie Heights’ Xavier Montanez.In 4:33, Deacon Heisler of Campbell County defeated Landon Windeler of CovCath to take third place.
150 WEIGHT CLASSThird place: Championship TJ Hicks (Highlands) defeats Parker Smith (Simon Kenton), 17–8CovCath’s Luke Peace defeated Ryle’s Isaac Ray 15–7.
157 WEIGHT CLASSChampionshipAidan Maher (CovCath) is defeated by Rider Trumble (Ryle), 5:41.Third positionCooper’s Corey Freihofer defeats Conner’s Nathan Seth 10–2.
CLASSChampionship 165 WEIGHTBenjamin Woosley (Simon Kenton) lost to Callen Schmidt (Ryle), 12–2. Third placeBen Turner (Cooper) loses to Keegan Bishop (CovCath); forfeit.
CLASSChampionship 175 WEIGHTBenjamin Walton (Walton-Verona) lost against Keigan Reisenbeck (Ryle) 7–4. Third placeKylan Sturgeon (Scott) is defeated by Rohaan Waraich (Conner), 2:31.
CLASSChampionship 190 WEIGHTHenry Morales (Dixie Heights) over Travis Steiber (Ryle), 2:39.Third positionScott’s Aiden Bowling defeats Boone County’s Alijon Suhrob at 2:08.
215 CLASSChampionship in WeightGio Moreno (Boone County, 1:29) is defeated by Luke Hyden (Walton-Verona).Third positionCampbell County’s Brayden Allender defeated Simon Kenton’s Jaydan Rutherford 4-1.
285 CLASSChampionship in WeightMason Krentz (Scott) lost to Jayden Pointer (Boone County), 4-0.Third positionChristian Brown (Cooper) lost to Brayton Haaser (Conner), 3-1.
TEAM SCORES: Boone County 76, Campbell County 68, Holmes 37, Newport 4, Highlands 126.5, Covington Catholic 122.5, Scott 121, Dixie Heights 94, Cooper 79.5, Conner 199, Simon Kenton 174.5, Walton-Verona 130.5, and Riley 247.5.
