Hood wins Frontier League title

Written by Andy Brown

Wednesday, 18 February 2009 08:00

Austin Hood picks up Ottawa’s Steven Sweeney during the semifinals of the Frontier League tournament Saturday. Hood, a Louisburg freshman, was crowned the 103-pound league champion with a 3-0 decision over Spring Hill’s Michael Nemer. (Photo by Andy Brown)

The Louisburg wrestling team has had its fair share of injuries this season, and unfortunately, some of it carried over to Saturday’s Frontier League tournament in Spring Hill.

The Wildcats finished seventh out of eight teams with 116 points and was forced to wrestle without veterans Bryce Hood and Luke Hudgins. Both have injuries that could keep them out of this week’s regional tournament as well, but neither has been ruled out as of yet.

Despite those obstacles, the Wildcats put three wrestlers in the finals and one made it out a league champion.
Freshman Austin Hood took care of the 103-pound class with ease after he defeated Spring Hill’s Michael Nemer in a 3-0 decision.

Not only was it nice for Austin to win a league title in his first year, but he also got a chance to avenge one of his three losses on the season.

“I think Austin is getting back to the way he was wrestling earlier this year,” Louisburg coach Greg Darrington said. “He has been good on his feet and I was proud with how aggressive he was on the mate. This was big for him to get his confidence back before the regional meet.”

Derek Mathia and Tyler Ewy also earned spots in the finals, but both lost close matches. Mathia, who wrestles at 145 pounds, pinned Paola’s Tyler Henness in the semifinals, but was pinned in 4 minutes, 36 seconds by Ottawa’s Chris Coover in the title match.

Ewy, the team’s heavyweight, survived in a 1-0 decision in the semifinals to De Soto’s Hayden Chandler, but lost a 3-1 decision in the championship match to Ottawa’s Robert Retzer.

“Derek did a great job and took care of business Saturday, finishing second,” Darrington said. “He was sick all week and was still not feeling very good Saturday.

“Tyler wrestled well. It is easy to forget this is only Tyler’s first year. I think he is in a good frame of mind and will wrestle tough this weekend as well. He is learning every week and is getting better.”

Louisburg also had two wrestlers finish third. Michael Kircher (140) and Alex Gentges (189) each won their third-place match after both had tough losses early on.

Kircher lost in the semifinals to Gardner-Edgerton’s Casey Kidwell in overtime, but rebounded to beat Ottawa’s Lincoln Coleman in a 4-2 decision in the third-place match.

Gentges lost his first match of the day after he was pinned by Paola’s Parker Staats, but came through on the backside and eventually got his revenge on Staats with a 6-4 decision in the third-place match.

“We had some kids really step up for us this weekend,” Darrington said. “I thought Michael wrestled good and feel he is ready to go this weekend. I expect big things from him. I know he was disappointed with the loss in the semifinal match, but he did not let it get him down and finished with a good match. Alex Gentges wrestled the best he has all year.”

Derek Symes (171) and Brock Elliott (215) also earned a spot in the third- place match, but both finished fourth overall. Trevor LaPlant (119) and Chad Turney (152) took sixth, while Jacob Herbert took seventh at 130 pounds.
Darrington will now prepare his team for Saturday’s regional tournament in Spring Hill. The top four finishers in each weight class qualify for state.
“I know we fell short of our goal but we really missed Bryce and Luke this weekend,” he said. “The team is making progress and we have begun to build a program. I know I am tough on them at times but all the kids care and are giving 100 percent.”

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