2013-14 Results and Media Coverage
By
on December 04, 2013 9:22 p.m.
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It’s early in the 2013-14 wrestling season and the lessons learned now can hopefully be used as motivation for the state tournament in February. While St. Paul’s lost key personnel from last year’s team, their 39-30 loss at home to Catholic-Baton Rouge served as a measuring stick which left coach Craig Kettleson optimistic about what lies in front of his team.
“I think we can learn a lot from this match,” Kettleson said. “Catholic High is a traditionally tough team with a very effective wrestling style. We need to be more effective as wrestlers. As a team, we gave great effort and tried very hard. Catholic was solid the entire night.”
Starting out in the 145- and 152-pound classes, James Claitor and Matthew Mire picked up a pair of pins before Tanner LeBlanc, who finished third in the state meet last season, defeated Morgan Root 8-4 to get the first points for the Wolves. The opening strategy by Root presented some challenges, but LeBlanc found a way to get back in.
“He was basing it hard on the bottom, and defending the cradle, which is a move I like to do,” LeBlanc said. “I’m going to use last year as an incentive to work harder every day to have a better season.”
With St. Paul’s trailing, Kyle Schech (195) and Colin Francis (220) got consecutive pins to give the team an 18-12 lead, and it keyed a surge which helped win four of the next five matches. |
Schech’s victory ignited what has been a friendly competition between himself and Francis, since both have been friends for quite a long time.
“After Kyle won, it fired me up and I had to go out there and do as good as he did,” Francis said. “We’ve always had this competitive force between us to try and do better. It’s helped us a lot.”
Catholic-B.R. 39, St. Paul’s 30
106 - Mason Rader,
St. Paul’s, def. Thomas Laville, Catholic, pin
113 - Stevie Van Zandt, St.
Paul’s, def. Nate Chopin, Catholic, pin
120 - Josh Matthews, Catholic, def.
Oliver Sibley, St. Paul’s, pin
126 - Dominic Dewey, Catholic, def. Austin
Grashoff, St. Paul’s,
132 - Brandon Fontenot, Catholic, won by forfeit
138 - Brennan Taylor, Catholic, def. Matt Rader, St. Paul’s, pin
145 - James
Claitor, Catholic, def. Sam Pearce, St. Paul’s, pin
152 - Matthew Mire,
Catholic, def. Sam Dufour, St. Paul’s, 11-7
160 - Tanner LeBlanc, St. Paul’s,
def. Morgan Root, Catholic, 8-4
170 - Matthew Moreau, Catholic, def. Chase
Cochran, Catholic, 9-8
182 - Nick Danna, Catholic won by forfeitr
195 -
Kyle Schech, St. Paul’s, def. Braedon Smith, Catholic, pin
220 - Colin
Francis, St. Paul’s, def. Nic Cashio, Catholic, pin
285 - K.J. Wilson,
Catholic, def. J.T. Kinch, St. Paul’s, pin
