Holy Cross holds slight edge over Teurlings in Division II at wrestling state championships

Andrew Lopez, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, February 15, 2013 10:45 p.m.

Holy Cross’ quest for a Division II state championship took a hit before any of the Tigers wrestlers stepped onto the mat on Friday morning.

But even with the hit, the Tigers still found themselves in the hunt as Holy Cross placed 11 wrestlers in the semifinals. The Tigers, who finished in second place last year, led defending champion Teurlings Catholic 150-147.5 after the first day at the LHSAA state wrestling championships at the Pontchartrain Center.

Holy Cross' Nick Bonck scored a victory over Grace King's Christian Heningburg in the Division II quarterfinals. Bonck was one of 11 Holy Cross wrestlers to make the semifinals. - (Pat Mashburn, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

“Obviously a team goal is to get as many guys into the finals as possible,” Holy Cross Coach Eric DesOrmeaux said. “We have a bunch of top seeds. Hopefully those kids can bring it to fruition. That last round we really had to fight today. They dug deep. Tomorrow morning it’s a whole new tournament though.”

Tigers sophomore Dylan Soileau, who was supposed to be the No. 1 overall seed in the 113-pound class, got sick last night and the coaches decided not to let him wrestle in the state tournament. Holy Cross could not replace him with anyone else meaning it would only wrestle with 13 instead of the maximum of 14.

Soileau made it to the semifinals last year and ultimately finished in fifth place. But even without him, the Tigers were able to finish the first day in first place.

Top seeds Alex Nicosia and George Benoit headed the group of Tigers that advanced to the semifinals. Nicosia made the semifinals without having to wrestle a match on Friday.

He had a bye in the first round and the opponents he would have faced in the quarterfinals both forfeited, allowing Nicosia to move on without having to get on the mat.

Benoit said that the team was able to rally around the fact that Soileau wasn’t able to wrestle because of the close bond the team shares outside of the wrestling room.

“We remind ourselves everyday that we’re a band of brothers,” Benoit said. “Even without him, we were told we could still win this thing. Every point is going to count. Whether it’s fighting the last two seconds of the match for a major decision or a pin, it matters.”

Joining Nicosia and Benoit in the semifinals were Beau Bush (106), Collin Guerra (126), Nick Bonck (132), Austin Doyle (152), Brice Duhe (160), Porter Dazet (182), Daniel Relayson (195), Michael Yeatman (220) and Jordan Showalter (285).

Duhe and Dazet each came through with overtime victories and Showalter joined in on the dramatic Holy Cross victories by pinning Grace King’s Maycol Rizo with seven seconds remaining in the match.

Showalter attributed the Tigers’ late-match success to the sparring partners each wrestler has on a daily basis at practice. “It’s not just the guys that start,” Showalter said. “I give Travis Gardner all the credit because he works me every day in practice. He started the first semester until I came in. At the same time he was helping me getting better for this year, I was helping him get better for next year.”

Teurlings placed eight wrestlers in the semifinals including Mark Mouton and Jacob Rees, who will face Guerra and Bonck respectively. Those Rebels will be joined by Brock Bonin (106), Trey Hebert (113), Tristan Lee (120), Brennan Trosclair (138) and Travis Thibodeaux (152) in the semifinals.

But as important as the semifinals competitors are, Teurlings Coach Kent Masson also said that it was important that the six wrestlers the Rebels sent to the consolation brackets. “We still have some guys in the consolation brackets that are still going to score points for us and they have to continue to battle,” Masson said. “The one thing we stress to everybody is you have to keep wrestling and keep coming back.”

Five of those six wrestlers made it through to Saturday to give Teurlings 13 wrestlers still alive while Holy Cross had one of its two wrestlers in the consolation bracket make it to Saturday.

Thibodeaux reiterated that it was just as important for the wrestlers going through the consolation bracket to continue racking up as many points as possible. “We really need everyone to pull together as a team,” Thibodeaux said. “It’s going to come down to the wrestlebacks and who gets a pin there. It’s going to be really tight. Those points mean everything to the team. That’s where the main points come in. That’s how we won last year. That’s how we’ve been so successful in the past.”

Several other locals had impressive showings on Friday and made it to the semifinals. Belle Chasse placed four in the semifinals with Nick Arbourgh (126), Jordan Mastrianni (132), Logan Thompson (195) and Robert Kennedy (220) advancing.

Jorge Sanchez Jr. of Helen Cox held strong as the top seed in 132 winning both of his matches, one by pin and the other by major decision. Grace King’s Angello Medina-Perez made it to the semifinals in 120 while teammate Brandon Briones made it in 152.

Shaw also placed two in the semifinals with Kody Woodson (160) and Blake Faust (170). Riverdale’s Trey Jones (220) rounded out the locals that advanced to the semifinals.