To no one’s surprise, Chippewa Hills is having another banner wrestling season.
Coach Nate Ethridge’s squad won a share of the Central State Activities Association title and also the team district and regionals to advance for another season to the Division 3 state finals.
The Warriors had a successful individual district at their own place in which a school-record of six wrestlers won their weight classes.
“Ten kids out to the regionals, that’s pretty good,” Ethridge said. “And our goal is not 10, it’s 14. The biggest thing is the guys that got knocked out today have to regroup and get ready to make a state meet this year, they can make a team state meet.”
He was referring to winning the regionals, which the Warriors did, a few days after their individual district.
At the individual districts, champions were Zach Leiter at 103, Zack Cooper at 112, James Leiter at 119, John Wernettte at 135, Jason Peacock at 140 and Latear Dukes at 145. Damien Curtice was third at 180.
Leiter, at 119, beat his own teammate, Nathan Weckesser, 4-2 in the final. The Warriors also had two wrestlers at 215 pounds where Cole Thielen was third and Quentin Moody fourth.
“Obviously, Leiter having to wrestle Weckesser was a tough thing to do,” Ethridge said. “They battle every single day in the room. Latear Dukes had a great day today. He knocked off some pretty decent kids. I was happy with his performance.”
Peacock got through the district with only one loss.
“It’s my second time going to regionals,” Peacock said. “I wish I would have taken better shots. I have a little work to do.”
When the dust settled from the regionals, Chippewa Hills had three champs with Peacock, Zach King and Cooper. The Warriors had second places from Dukes, Wernette and Leiter while Curtice, Moody and Weckesser took third to give the team nine qualifiers for state.