GALLIPOLIS — On Saturday afternoon the Gallia Academy Jr. High wrestling team put on a show, dominating a field of 13 teams and defended their home mat for the second year in-a-row — winning the Gallia Academy Junior High Invitational wrestling tournament.

The Blue Devils finished 60 points ahead of their nearest competitor.

The format for the event had each wrestler competing for individual medals rather than as a team. Team points were compiled based on how each member finished in their weight class with points being awarded to the top four finishers in each class.

A tournament of this format allows every kid to wrestle. While only the 16 starters could score points for the team, the Blue Devils also had their 11 reserves in a position to take points away from other teams as they competed for individual medals and that’s exactly what they did.

Highlights were in abundance all day but Gallia coach Todd May pointed to a few. “Ben Saunders and Justin Northup did not give up a single point all day en route to individual championships. Zack Tackett and Russell Dennison showed a lot of heart during epic battles in the championship round and Brandon Taylor dominated his opponents all day.”

Perhaps no match was as riveting as the 172 pound finals. All eyes were glued to mat number one as Blue Devil Jason Wray went against Ashland’s Trent Hardy. At the conclusion of the second period the score was locked at one each. The two traded points early in the third. As the clock counted down, with the crowd cheering him on, Wray shot and scored a two-point take down to go ahead. The building erupted in a thunderous ovation and with four seconds remaining in the match Wray scored a pin to remain undefeated.

At the conclusion of a long exhausting day the Blue Devils amassed a total of 20 individual medals. Thirteen starters scored for the team while seven reserves also placed in their weight classes. Ben Saunders, Brandon Taylor, Matt Watts, Morgan McKinnis, Jason Wray, Justin Northup and Codie Lloyd received gold medals as champion of their weight classes.

Russell Dennison and Zack Tackett each took silver medals.

Shawn Myers and David Saunders took third place with Jonathan Caldwell and Vince Browning wrapping up the team scoring with fourth place finishes. Other Gallians who medaled were Lawrence Wedemeyer, Alex Lyles, Jason Ward, Brandon Campbell, Nick Bailey, Richard Hurt and Nate Matthews.

Coach Todd May was quick to spread praise all around. “I cannot over state how much this group as a whole pulled together to make this event go off smoothly. Some of the parents I’ve leaned on through the season stepped up in a big way to fill some unforeseen logistical gaps and I can’t thank them enough. And the kids themselves wrestled their hearts out. I expected our starters to do well, but we won this event because of the other 11 kids. We needed them to do well and they took us over the top.”

Final Scoring had Gallia Academy Jr. High in first place (150) followed by Chesapeake (90), Vinton County (62), Athens (59), Warren (57), Ashland (47), Belpre (28), Wahama (24), Fairland (14), Jackson (11), Wellston (10), River Valley (7) and Meigs.

Weight Class Winners

80 lb - Kaleb Petry, Wahama

86 lb - Jacob Young, Vinton County

92 lb - Caleb Covington, Athens

98 lb - Zack Browning, Chesapeake

104 lb - Ben Saunders, Gallipolis

110 lb - Brandon Taylor, Gallipolis

116 lb - Matt Watts, Gallipolis

122 lb - Derek Parkinson, Vinton Co.

128 lb - JB Bennett, Fairland

134 lb - Morgan McKinnis, Gallipolis

142 lb - Justin Rohr, Warren

150 lb - Dustin Harlow, Warren

160 lb - Phillip Wiggers, Belpre

172 lb - Jason Wray, Gallipolis

190 lb - Chris Hughes, Chesapeake

HWT - Justin Northup, Gallipolis

SHWT - Codie Lloyd, Gallipolis