The Columbus East wresting team continues to dominate their opponents on the mat as they defeated seven other teams Saturday to claim the Columbus East Invitational.
The Olympians captured seven first place finishes to finish with 278 points to easily outdistance themselves from second place Greensburg, who had 192 points. Brown County was fifth with 119.
As for Columbus East coach Chris Cooper he was pleased with his team’s performance.
“We put 11 kids in 13 finals and that was extremely impressive,” Cooper said. “Both of the kids that didn’t make the finals placed third and we ended up with seven champs on the day. Four runners-up and two thirds, so that was a good day.”
One of the winners on the day was Jake Schoenegge at 113. He claimed the championship and finished the day 3-0. He was named the most outstanding wrestler of the meet.
Schoenegge finished all three of his matches with pinfalls.
“I think I done pretty well today,” Schoenegge said. “I still need to improve on my finishes and my shots, but overall I done well. As for being named the most outstanding wrestler, I want to be better than that. I just want to improve off of that. I just want to always keep my head up and remember there is always someone out there who can beat me.”
Columbus East won with Cayden Rooks at 106, Schoenegge, Graham Rooks at 120, Dawson Combest at 126, Corbin Pollitt at 132, Coy Park at 182 and Sean Galligar at heavyweight.
As for Park, he had the most challenging day on the mat as he defeated a Brown County wrestler in the finals in two extra sessions by getting an escape to get the win.
“I think I started off pretty well, but the final match was not how I wanted to end it, even though the result was how I wanted,” Park said. “It was a pretty good day. It’s great to have strong senior season and just looking forward to what I am going to do in the tournament.
“I would like to try and stay under control and not get so emotional and have more of a gas tank to wrestler farther in the match and not to try and save some for later.”
Jake Martindale at 138, Ben Wilkerson at 152, Austin Wilson at 160 and Lane Goode at 195 all went 2-1 to place second.
“We had a lot of kids wrestle well,” Cooper said. “I think the outstanding wrestler could have gone to any number of wrestlers, but it so happened he (Schoenegge) had less time on the mat. It was for the most falls in the shortest time.
“Up and down our lineup I think we wrestled well. That Brown County kid against Park is a solid kid, and Coy had several opportunities to win it in that match as some calls didn’t go his way but he remained focused and wrestled through it to get the W.”
