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Fini |
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Evangel freshman
takes the first step toward four consecutive titles |
LHSAA State
Wrestling Tournament |
Division III, 152
Pounds |
May 9th, 2021 | Written by:
Staff Writer |
Place |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
Podium |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Name |
Michael Gilreath |
Luke Robertson |
Preston Gautier |
Luke Fontenot |
Graham Montet |
Aujri Harris |
School |
Evangel |
De la Salle |
Hannan |
Basile |
St. Louis |
Brusly |
Seed |
2 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
NS |
Class |
9 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
10 |
Final Record |
18-3 |
16-12 |
11-3 |
16-12 |
4-4 |
4-11 |
Final records include Louisiana losses but all wins
Weight Class Synopsis
Michael Gilreath lost a 16-15 state finals match in 2020.
He reached the finals as a fifth-seeded eighth-grader.
With luck he has kept tabs on Holy Cross' Jacob Frost, who also placed
second while an eighth-grader and next year is expected to win his fourth
Division I state championship (probably making him the fourth to do so behind
Brother Martin's Paul Klein and Steven Shields' and his brother Evan).
But that possibility is three years away, so he might "kick back" a
little and enjoy this one. Not
likely says Nicholas Lococo, who spends a lot of time working with Gilreath.
"He simply doesn't understand the word 'quit.'"
This year, however, the seeding committee only expected Gilreath to make
the finals. He was 14-3 upon
entering the tournament, and two of his three losses were to tough Division I
and Division II opponents: Josiah Wakefield of East Ascension and Hunter Addison
of North Desoto. But his other loss
was at the Brusly Invitational to Hannan's Preston Gautier.
Gilreath took third at Brusly and Gautier placed second, and thus Gautier
was awarded the top spot on the state bracket.
Gautier was 8-2 with his losses coming in the Brusly Invitational finals
to Andrew Trahan (now a three-time state champion for Brusly) and to Grant
Vicknair of Division I state champion St. Paul.
Basile's Luke Fontenot was seeded in the third position.
He was 7-3 and had a runner-up finish at Brusly.
De la Salle's Luke Robertson was 14-11 with a fourth-place finish at
Brusly and a sixth-place finish at the Trey Culotta.
He had also been defeated by Gautier and Gilreath.
South Beauregard's Kyler Connor was seeded fifth and Brad Taylor of St.
Michael was in the sixth spot. St.
Louis freshman Graham Montet was 0-2 and Brusly sophomore Aujri Harris was 2-8,
but both would double their win totals.
Gilreath made the finals as expected with quick falls in
1:11 and 1:35, followed by a 12-4 Major Decision over Fontenot.
The top-half of the bracket was not so stable.
After pinning Conner in 0:53 the Cavalier sophomore Robertson pinned
Gautier in 4:48 to match-up with Gilreath in the finals.
Conner, the senior from South Beauregard, did not make it
to the placement matches. He was
ousted by eighth-seeded freshman Graham Montet of St. Louis via a fall in 2:09.
Montet lost to Fontenot in the consolation semifinals via a 7-1 score,
which forced Montet into the match for fifth-place.
There he unexpectedly met unseeded Aujri Harris of Brusly.
Harris ousted sixth seed Brad Taylor of St. Michael to make the placement
matches but lost to Gautier 13-7.
Montet needed everything he had to get past the Brusly sophomore in a 13-10 TB-1
match. Still, a 3-2 record and a
spot on the podium was more than most people expected from Master Harris.
Gautier had a tough match with Fontenot for third place, winning 10-5.
Back to Top
Quarterfinals
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(1) Preston Gautier (HAN) pinned (8) Graham Montet (StL) in 1:35 |
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(4) Luke Robertson (DLS) pinned (5) Kyler Connor (SB) in 0:53 |
(3) Luke Fontenot (BAS) pinned (6) Brad Taylor (StM) in 1:49 |
(2) Michael Gilreath (EVA) pinned Aujyri Harris (BRU) in 1:35 |
Back to Top
Semifinals
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Luke Robertson (DLS) pinned Preston Gautier (HAN) in 4:48 |
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Michael Gilreath (EVA) defeated Luke Fontenot
(BAS) 12-4 MD |
Back to Top
Championship Consolation Rounds
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Preston Gautier (HAN) defeated Luke Fontenot 10-5
to place 3rd |
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Caleb Montet (StL) defeated Aujri Harris (BRU)
13-10 in TB-1 to place 5th |
Back to Top
Finals
Second-seeded freshman Michael Gilreath of Evangel pinned
fourth-seed sophomore Luke Robertson of De la Salle in 5:17 |
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Gilreath scored first with a takedown via
what could be called an extended duck-under.
Robertson escaped and the
first period ended 2-1 in Gilreath's favor.
Gilreath won the toss, deferred the decision, and
Robertson chose to start standing.
In the first 30 seconds Robertson came close to stepping
behind Gilreath, but the freshman backed away and only incurred
a warning for stalling.
A few seconds later Gilreath scored a single-leg takedown
to take a 4-1 lead.
With 40 seconds remaining Robertson was awarded a point as
Gilreath was cited for applying a full-nelson.
Two seconds later Robertson was awarded another penalty
point when Gilreath had to resort to locking his hands to
prevent Robertson from escaping.
The score was now 4-3.
With 20 seconds remaining Robertson tied the match at 4-4
with an escape.
Gilreath then pushed Robertson's head down and spun around him
for another takedown.
The third period started with Gilreath leading 6-4.
On top for the third period, Gilreath was
warned again for stalling and Robertson was given his third
penalty point. Now
the score was 6-5.
With 50 seconds remaining, though, Robertson sat-out and
Gilreath caught his shoulders and then his head, and pulled him
back, earning a fall at 5:17.
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