The St. Joseph-Ogden High School wrestling team competed in one of the state’s most prestigious tournaments shortly after Christmas.
The two-day Abe’s Rumble event at the BOS Center in Springfield on Dec. 27-28 featured 60 teams broken down into 12 pools, with each team wrestling all the other teams in their pool in dual matches. The Spartans finished with a 2-6 record at the event.
SJO began the pool-play format on Dec. 27 by matching up with Coal City, one of the premier wrestling programs over the past several years. The Coalers prevailed 74-6, with junior A.J. Wagner getting the only victory for SJO with a fall in 1 minute, 57 seconds over Mataeo Blessing at 113 pounds.
Next up for the Spartans was Peru St. Bede, and that match went much better for SJO, which suffered a close 31-27 loss. With some injuries and illness present for the SJO squad, they didn’t have wrestlers at four weight classes.
Isaiah Moore (126), Max Shonkwiler (195) and Owen Birt (220) all won by pin for the Spartans, with Birt doing so in 59 seconds. Wagner won a 7-2 decision at 120 and Brodie Sullivan picked up a forfeit win at 182.
Canton was up next for the Spartans, with the Little Giants winning 48-33.
Getting the wins for SJO in this match were Conrad Miller (145) over Ethan Phillips in a 9-5 decision, Trevon Carr (170) over Phoenix Miller in a fall at 3:42, Sullivan (182) made quick work of Lucas Smith, winning by fall in just 12 seconds, while Shonkwiler (195) won by forfeit.
Wagner went back to the 113-pound class to defeat Brandon Eaton in a fall at 2:40, while Moore (126) also took a forfeit for victory.
Anna-Jonesboro was the final dual on the schedule before bracket action began, and the Spartans were narrowly defeated 43-34. Wins by the Spartans in this match were Miller (145) over Brylen Suggs in a fall in 2:33, Carr (170) over Bryce Lingle in a fall at 2:56, Sullivan (182) over James Peterson in a fall at 1:11, while Shonkwiler took another forfeit win at 195. Birt (220) won over Jace Huckstep in a fall at 1:32, while Wagner (113) also got a win over Amiyah Hart in a 9-1 major decision.
The results of the pool play determined where teams would be placed in the brackets, and since the Spartans finished 0-4 in pool play, they were placed in the consolation bracket to Normal U-High in the opening round.
SJO emerged victorious for their first win of the tournament with a 36-24 decision over the Pioneers. Garnering wins in the match were Matthew Falls (138) by forfeit, Isaiah Immke (152) by forfeit, Sullivan (182) over Aidan Fernandes in a fall at 40 seconds, while Shonkwiler took another forfeit win at 195. Moore (126) and Chase Chapman (132) also took forfeit wins for the Spartans in the match.
The next day of tournament action on Dec. 28 saw the Spartans wrestle three times, with the first match against Warrensburg-Latham.
The Cardinals won the match 46-30, with Wagner (113) winning by pin in 3:08 and Chapman (132) also producing a pin in 3:33. Sullivan (182), Shonkwiler (195) and Austin Cotter (220) all won by forfeit.
SJO faced Carlinville next, with the Spartans defeating the Cavaliers 48-17. Moore (126), Carr (170) and Sullivan (182) all won by pins. Wagner picked up a 4-2 decision at 113 and Chapman also won an 8-2 decision at 132. Immke (152), Carr (170), Shonkwiler (195), Birt (220) and Joe Gherna (285) all picked up forfeit victories.
The final match for the Spartans was against Deer-Creek Mackinaw for fifth place in the consolation bracket, and the Chiefs won 40-39 in a tie-breaker.
Wagner won a 5-1 decision at 113, while Moore (126), Chapman (132), Falls (138), Sullivan (182), Shonkwiler (195) and Birt (220) all won by forfeit.
The Spartans have had more than a week off since Abe’s Rumble, with SJO set to get back in action at 6 p.m. on Thursday when it travels to Bismarck to face Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin/Armstrong-Potomac and Judah Christian in a triangular match.
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