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POST MATCH TIDBITS

It was closer than I thought it would be, but for different reasons.  Quinn McDermott filled in nicely at 120 lbs., scoring a fall in lieu of Jacob Elsensohn, and that was the first of four, and nearly six, straight wins for the Crusaders.  The momentum mentioned earlier (although below) was interrupted by Wyatt Mire's 6-4 152 lbs. win over Tai LeBlanc, but that match is not the one a lot of people will remember.  The final match, with the two teams knotted at 33, garners that distinction.  Sophomore Rory Horvath, the Louisiana Classic (LACL) runner-up, defeated Arthur Schott, the LACL third-place finisher, 5-4 to claim the match and associated bragging rights for the Crusaders, 36-33.  Each team won seven matches, but the Crusaders scored five falls to only four for the Blue Jays.  Barring a rematch this weekend, that match may have clinched the second-seed spot at the state championships for Horvath, relegating Schott to a third-seed.  Samuel Riles gave the Crusaders a 6-0 lead with a fall, but then the Blue Jays responded as expected from 182 lbs. to 285 lbs.  Crusader junior Jaden Weber may be an unsung hero as he took Dom Logiudice the full six minutes and only lost 6-3, giving the Blue Jays only three points where they might have expected six.

Analyzing further is not necessary.  Both teams had some outstanding performances as well as difficult losses.  As for "bragging rights."  That actually could last a year or it could last a mere three weeks.  Winning a match on this evening meant scoring three to six points against another team.  At the state championships one can score 34 or no points depending on how deep a wrestler goes through his bracket.  And the number of falls recorded.  Pins count.  Pins may determine whether it is Crusaders, Blue Jays or Bears who wals away with the Division I Brother Melchior Trophy.

[Please note, I did not change this re information I learned while listening to the broadcast of the match.  Hence, a lot of it will not apply, aside for posterity's sake.]

Jesuit at Brother Martin

Brother Martin is hosting Jesuit at the Conlin Gymnasium at 6 p.m. tonight, which is also Seniors Night for the Crusaders.  A match between arguably the second and third best Division I teams in the state (Brother Martin placed third at the Louisiana Classic on January 14^th, two points ahead of the Blue Jays yet 35 behind Catholic and a half-point behind Division II Teurlings Catholic), this event may not have a lot of significance re the upcoming LHSAA State Wrestling Championships, though.  But these young men are probably not worried about their seeding in Bossier City – they want a year’s worth of bragging rights.  And while their value in the practice room cannot be underestimated, the Crusaders may wish they had more seniors in their starting lineup.

2022 Division I runners-up Ty Duncan and Kent Burandt, along with Tai LeBlanc, Samuel Riles and Evan Huling are the seniors who will probably be competing for the Crimson and Gold tonight. 

Jesuit has only four seniors who should be on the mats this evening.  Yet the Blue Jays look to be the favorites to win this evening.  On paper, the Crusaders are only favored, based on previous head-to-head and/or tournament placing, five matches – at best.

“At best” depends on the health of junior Jacob Elsensohn at 120 lbs.  The junior may be on a “concussion protocol” after having to withdraw from the Louisiana Classic (LACL) near the end of his semifinals match.  If Elsensohn competes, well, only one Louisiana wrestler had defeated him this year, so he becomes their fifth Crusader expected to win.  There he joins Anthony Oubre (106 lbs.), Richie Clementi (132 lbs.), Ty Duncan (138 lbs.) and Kent Burandt (145 lbs.), who each have head-to-head wins over their expected Blue Jay counterparts.  Jesuit started sophomore Jack Heslin at the Louisiana Classic, but classmate Jose Rincon may fill the 120 lbs. spot after a third-place finish at the Ken Cole.

Whomever Brother Martin places at 113 lbs. will be an underdog if 2022 Division I runner-up Bodi Harris takes to the mat.  Only one Louisiana wrestler has defeated Harris this season.

Seeding may be on the line at 160 lbs.  Jesuit’s Arthur Schott is favored to win against sophomore Rory Horvath, but the match may only determine who is seeded second rather than third.  Both have two losses to Holy Cross’ Nick DiGeralamo, but Horvath’s losses were via Major Decisions while Schott’s losses were by two and five points.  Schott placed a spot behind Horvath at the LACL, but they did not wrestle each other.  Schott also has a win over a common opponent to whom Horvath lost.  (Yes, Peyton Miller, that is you!)

Samuel Riles and Patrick Matthews is hard to call.  Matthews advanced one round more than Riles at the LACL, but that is not enough information to merit a wager.

Blue Jay senior Jackson Calderaro has yet to be defeated by a Louisiana opponent, including three matches against the defending Division I state champion.

Dominic Logiudice of Jesuit gets the nod via his 6^th-place LACL finish at 195 lbs.  And Griffin Ellis, the Blue Jay LACL champion, has only one loss this season.

Expect the Crusaders to take a healthy early lead, but after 145 lbs. things may get a bit hairy for Brother Martin.  The Blue Jays may need pins in the heavier weight classes to prevail.

The Blue Jays could also use a Spencer Lanosga in their lineup.  He was expected at the LACL, and then at the Ken Cole, but to no avail.  Jesuit may need him for bragging rights.  In Louisiana only Catholic’s David Russell and Teurlings Catholic’s Kole Hayes have defeated Simmons, and those two only scored nine more points than Simmons in four matches.   As a first match of the season, Lanosga would be hard put to find someone tougher.

With teams as strong as Brother Martin and Jesuit, momentum may be the defining factor.  Well, momentum and falls.  There is momentum in falls.  It is an Earth-Rock System law.

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