Harrison Central junior high wrestlers win D. Coleman Memorial title

The Harrison Central junior high wrestling team brought home first place at Martins Ferry’s D. Coleman Memorial Saturday, Dec. 13. The Huskies led the field with 192 points, well ahead of runner-up Barnesville, which finished with 175. The tournament included wrestlers from 19 other schools, including St. Clairsville, Indian Creek, Union Local, Harding, Buckeye Local, Martins Ferry, Edison, Toronto, River, Shadyside, Conotton Valley, Bellaire, East Palestine, Woodsfield, Bridgeport and Southern.

Isaiah Gottschall placed second in the 80-pound class after dropping the championship match to Jason Jones of Union Local. In the 134 class, Caden Jenkins earned third. At 150, Logan Stephens captured first place with a win over Wyatt Culver of River, while teammate Kaden Blake finished fourth.

The Huskies continued to collect podium finishes. In the 160 class, Nelson Lan placed third. Lavon Sturgeon finished third at 172. In the 205 class, Bentley Manbeck won by forfeit over Gabe Kovalick of Barnesville, with Kyle Adkins placing fourth. At 245, Landon Cummings earned first with a pin over Jehki Harris of Harding, and Jaxxen Ferrell added a fourth-place finish.

The championship follows Harrison Central’s fifth-place finish at Buckeye Local the previous week, where the Huskies placed eight of their 16 wrestlers among a field of 21 schools.

Harrison Central will return to Buckeye Local Dec. 17 along with the varsity Huskies to take on the Panthers. Buckeye Local placed seventh at the D. Coleman Memorial. Aaron Beranek earned first place and was voted most outstanding wrestler. Alex Beranek and Chad Dombroski each earned second-place finishes, while Landon Dentz and Gavyn Hooker placed third in their classes.