Graham produced four individual champions, six third placers, and one fifth place finisher across the 14 weight classes. The Falcons have won a team title in the previous 13 editions of the GMVWA Holiday Tournament dating back to 2012, including 11 overall titles.
Sophomore Gabe Krieger won a title at 157, sophomore Jake Hoke at 165, sophomore Kyler Crooks at 175 and junior Danny Hoke at 215.
Krieger upset the top-seed, Buford’s Trey Gregory, in his second match by an 8-6 decision on his way to the title. Hoke scored at least 16 points in all five of his wins, three coming by tech fall and another by major decision. Crooks had two pins and four wins by tech fall. Hoke had three pins and three tech fall victories.
Springboro placed third on the big school side, marking its seventh straight top-3 team finish at the event. In addition to Alter getting second for the third straight year on the small school side, Versailles finished third for the third straight year as well.
Other local champions include Trent Huber of Versailles by default at 106, and Rod Owens of Alter by a 13-5 major decision at 190.
Owens was named the outstanding wrestler of the tournament in the 150-285 weight classes in winning a second consecutive individual title at the event. The senior won two bouts by technical fall, two others by major decision and had one defaulted win.
Huber got three pins and a tech fall win before his title match against Zane Russell of Wapakoneta was defaulted.
Alter’s Henry Craiglow (113), Legacy Christian’s Nathan Attisano (132), CJ’s Ronald Johnson (157), Eaton’s Presley Stewart (215), and Trotwood’s Chandler Moore (285) all advanced to their respective championship matches.
While 80 percent of the semifinalists were chalk, being a top-4 seed, there were several local grapplers that made deep runs.
Krieger was unseeded for Graham and was the only champion not to receive a seed. T. J. Murray of Troy got third place as a 5-seed, Springboro’s Noah Sandlin finished in fourth as an unseeded wrestler, and Moore was a 6-seed on his way to his runner-up finish.
First Place Matches
106: Trent Huber (Versailles) Default Zane Russell (Wapakoneta), Default
113: Ariah Mills (Buford) tech. fall Henry Craiglow (Alter), tf21-6
120: Rayce Watson (Jonathan Alder) maj. dec. Bronko Braun (Indian Valley), md13-3
126: Braydan Blevins (Simon Kenton) tech. fall Chris Metz (Buford), tf19-4
132: Cannan Smith (Chillicothe) dec. Nathan Attisano (Legacy Christian), 13-7
138: D.J. Clarke (Buford) pin Cian Salonsky (Big Walnut), 4:31
144: Owen Weaks (Ben. Logan) dec. Austin Rohrbach (Hil. Bradley), 13-8
150: Edward Kessen (Del St John’s) dec. Jaiden Oliver (Buford), 8-5
157: Gabe Krieger (Graham Local) maj. dec. Ronald Johnson (Cham. Julienne), md16-6
165: Jake Hoke (Graham Local) maj. dec. Micah Thompson (Boyle County), md16-7
175: Kyler Crooks (Graham Local) tech. fall Ethan Carpenter (Ben. Logan), tf16-0
190: Rod Owens (Alter) maj. dec. Budder Manley (Bid. River Valley), md13-5
215: Danny Hoke (Graham Local) tech. fall Presley Stewart (Eaton), tf21-5
285: Grey Richardson (Buford) pin Chandler Moore (Trotwood-Madison), 3:15
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