Fini

The only certainty learned from this weekend's Louisiana Classic is that nothing will be certain come February 10th and 11th in Bossier City. 

First, though, some photos before the rambling...

Kneeling, left-right 106 Daniel Varnado (BM) 113 Daniel Croy (BM) 120 Blake Mateu (RUM) 126 Cole Houser (StP) 132 Trent Mahoney (EA) 138 Joshua Bell (EHR 145 Patrick Evans (BM) Individual Champions Standing, left-right 152 Jake Rando (HC) 160 Christian Walden (AIR) 170 Joey Foret (HC 182 Josh Ramirez (RUM) 195 Trevon Honor (HNV 220 Darion Mitchell (BRB 285 Corey Dublin (JES)

Not pictured is Airline High School, who won the Dale Ketelsen Sportsmanship Award.

1st Place Brother Martin Crusaders	2nd Place - Jesuit Blue Jays

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How Division II and Division III affected the final team scores:

Brother Martin won with 269 points, and they should be considered the favorite to run their current Division I winning streak to six.  They had three individual champions and 11 of their 14 wrestlers placed 6th or above.  Everyone knew that the Crusaders would have to fill 12 spots with wrestlers who had never wrestled in a state championship tournament, and that the other two Crusaders were returning state champions Luke Cotton and Steven Shields.  Oddly enough, though, neither of the returning state champions won on Saturday.

Jesuit finished in 2nd-place with 237 points, only 32 less than the Crusaders.  The Holy Cross Tigers place third with 211 points.

Division II and Division III wrestlers played a very significant role in costing some Division I teams more points

For Brother Martin:

1. Luke Cotton lost to Division II's Blake Mateu of Rummel.  Sans Mateu it is likely Eccles would have lost to Ingram in the semifinals rather than the consolation finals, and it would have been Cotton and Ingram in the finals, with Cotton as the favorite;
2. Lane Boudreaux would have had a chance to meet Cole Houser in the finals were Division III's Gavin Christ and Division II's Morgan Manuel not in his side of the bracket;
3. Seth Alfonso would have made the semifinals if it were not for Division III's Conrad Wyre of De la Salle;
4. Nathaniel Perdue would have made the finals via a win over Brandon Greer if Rummel's Josh Ramirez and Brusly's Richard Hunter were not in the bracket.  Perdue's stock was rising anyway with his wins over Greer in the quarterfinals of this event and in last Wednesday's dual meet with Brother Martin;
5. It is likely Somon Anderson would have scored more points had he not lost to Division II's Tyler Carrier of Rayne;

For Jesuit:

1. Second-seeded Eli Larriviere dropped out after his quarterfinals win due to a leg injury, albeit he did score 15 points for the Blue Jays:
2. Luke Eccles lost to Division II's Camdyn Ingram of Live Oak in the consolation finals;
3. Jordan Giewat lost by one point to Division II's Mason Middleton of Live Oak, and then was ousted from the tournament when Middleton lost his quarterfinals match:
4. Nathan Koenig lost his semifinal match to Division III's Conrad Wyre of De la Salle;
5. Without De la Salle's Raekwon Thomas, William Rosevally probably would have made the finals, and Elmer would have been in the top of the bracket with Jeffery Argrave and Christian Walden.

For Holy Cross:

1. Jacob Spahn and Michael Benton were recovering from injuries and did not compete;
2. Caruso Signorelli lost to Division II's Chris Montalbano of Rummel;
3. The Butler brother had been ill up until this weekend.

One thing left: The Outstanding Wrestler

Options:

1. Daniel Croy of Brother Martin defeating the #2 and #1 seeds at 113 lbs. - SURVEY SAYS: No;
2. Blake Mateu beating the favorites in Division III and Division II, and then defeating a returning Division I state champion in the 120lbs. final - SURVEY SAYS: No;
3. Joey Bell of Ehret avenging prior losses to #2 Josh Partin and #1 Shane Ulfers - SURVEY SAYS - No;
4. Holy Cross' Jake Rando with pins in 0:45, 0:40, 1:15 and 1:45 - SURVEY SAYS: No;
5. How about the winner of a weight class that included three-time defending Division I state champion Steven Shields of Brother Martin and a returning Division I state champion in Cole Clement of Holy Cross, neither of which made it as far as the finals?  How about that winner beating Shields via a semifinals fall in 3:21, to face unseeded Jesuit senior Jackson DeGruy, another giant-killer who put Clement into the wrestle-backs in the second round?  How about that kid, seeded fourth, being a mere freshman?  SURVEY SAYS:  Trent Mahoney of East Ascension. 

After a first round bye Mahoney eked past Tucker Almond of Airline 11-9.  He then pinned 5th-seeded Jeremiah Johnson of McKinley in 3:05.  Next was Shields in the semifinals.  Trent showed no fear attacking off of the whistle and almost getting a quick takedown except that the wrestlers went out of bounds.  After the restart, Shields looked like the dominating force he generally is, and most people thought this would be a quick match.  Well, it was, because Shields tried putting Mahoney on his back, but left an opening for Mahoney to do the same thing.  Mahoney took that opportunity with a vengeance, pinning the three-time Brother Martin champion in 3:21.  DeGruy advanced past third seeded Dyllon Bernard of Comeaux after the Spartan wrestler hurt his leg.  In the finals DeGruy took Mahoney down, and rode him for the rest of the first period.  In the second round, starting in the top position, Mahoney used his height to get hold of a cradle, which he used to put DeGruy away in 2:57.

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East Ascension's Trent Maloney settling-in for his 3:21 fall over three-time Division I state champion Steven Shields of Brother Martin.

East Ascension's Trent Maloney pinning Jackson DeGruy of Jesuit.

East Ascension freshman Trent Maloney won the 132 lbs. weight class in which there were two Division I state champion with four championships between them. [Right photo] Trent Mahoney with his father, Coach Pat Mahoney of East Ascension.

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