By Fred Kroner
Seven Oakwood/Salt Fork wrestlers qualified for the sectional tournament and helped the Comets win the LeRoy Class 1A regional team title on Saturday (Feb. 4).
By virtue of the win, Oakwood/Salt Fork’s entire team will compete in the Feb. 21 Vandalia Class 1A Team-Dual Sectional finals against Anna-Jonesboro.
Four Comets captured regional titles in their weight classes: Brayden Edwards (106 pounds), Pedro Rangel (126 pounds), Reef Pacot (145 pounds) and Bryson Capansky (152 pounds).
All three of the champs were 3-0 for the tournament. Pacot and Capansky each pinned all three of their opponents. Pacot registered two pins in less than a minute (27 seconds and 47 seconds).
Pacot has a team-best 41-2 season record. Capansky is 37-8 overall.
Edwards logged two pins, including one in 14 seconds, and Rangel finished with one pin and one technical fall victory.
Comets who took second place were Tyler Huchel (113 pounds), Jack Ajster (120 pounds) and Carter Chambliss (132 pounds).
Ajster and Chambliss each pinned two opponents.
Placing third and also advancing to the Carterville Individual Sectional, which starts on Friday (Feb. 10) is Doug Myers (195 pounds). He was 3-1 at the regional and captured two pins.
One other Oakwood/Salt Fork grappler finished in fourth place and will be an alternate for the sectional. If one of the top three placers in his weight class is unable to compete, Harley Grimm (182 pounds) will be added to the field.
He was 2-2 with two pins at the regional.
Other teammates who compiled 2-2 records in the regional tournament were Saul Carrillo (160 pounds), Ezekiel Smith (170 pounds) and Kade Fleming (285 pounds).
Carrillo, Smith and Fleming ended the day with two pins. Fleming’s pins came in 42 and 56 seconds.
For the regional, Oakwood/Salt Fork had entries in 13 of the 14 weight classes. The Comets’ cumulative record for the day was 28-14 with 23 of the wins by pin to go with one technical fall win. Eight of the pins took place in less than one minute.
In its history, the Comets have captured six team regional crowns.
