State wrestling championships: Lafayette’s Landon Young captures heavyweight title
Injuries kept Landon Young down in the previous two state tournaments, but the Lafayette wrestler finally captured an elusive gold medal in the 285-pound finals bout on Saturday.
His match was the final one after two long days at the KHSAA State Wrestling Championships at Alltech Arena. He pinned North Oldham’s Landin Jones in the finals to finish his senior year with a 19-0 record on the mat.
Young missed part of the wrestling season because of Lafayette’s memorable run to the Class 6A football finals and his participation in the U.S. Army All-American game. He’s a five-star offensive lineman who’s signed to play for the University of Kentucky.
In the 106 finals, Woodford County’s Chase Yost defeated Wayne County’s Cagen Wallace, who entered with an unblemished record and ranked ahead of Yost. Wallace led 2-0 for the bulk of the match before Yost earned two points late to force extra time, where he came up with his winning points.
Ashland Blazer senior Grant Krueger gave Eastern Kentucky its only champion after pinning Henry Clay sophomore Ray-Karl Irving in the 195-pound finals. It was the first appearance for both wrestlers after both had to settle for consolation finishes last season.
Krueger advanced to the finals with a win over Holmes standout Alex Olvera-Vanci, who handed him one of three losses on the year. He wanted to meet Emir Bernabe, who gave Krueger his other two losses, in the finals but Irving knocked off the Woodford County standout in the semifinals earlier Saturday.
“I was just trying to win it,” Krueger said after producing the first pin of the 14 finals. “I thought I wasn’t going to pin him so I was gonna go out there and get as many points as I could. ... It feels good to bring a medal back home to your district.”
Trinity’s Keegan Duncan repeated as the 132-pound champion after besting Male’s Zane Brown. Fern Creek’s AJ Binder, whom Duncan defeated in the 132 division last year, moved up to 138 and beat defending titlist Angel Vasquez of Lafayette.
Tanner Yenter of Campbell County, coming off a loss in the 106 finals in 2015, won the 113 finals over St. Xavier’s Konner Kraeszig this year.
After reaching the quarterfinals of the 145-pound division last season, Madison Central’s Chris Morrow moved up three weights and got to the finals of the 170-pound class. He fell to Simon Kenton’s Casey Cornett, who entered the field ranked No. 1.
Lexington Catholic’s Adam Bender and Henry Clay’s Brandon Miller advanced to the third-place matches in their classes but each finished fourth.
Union County was the team champion.
Josh Moore: 859-231-1307, @HLpreps
Results
KHSAA State Wrestling Championships at Alltech Arena
106—1. Chase Yost, Woodford Co.; Cagen Wallace, Wayne Co.; 3. Nate Wheeler, St. Xavier; 4. Adam Bender, LexCath
113—1. Tanner Yenter, Campbell Co.; 2. Konner Kraeszig, St. Xavier; 3. Colton Lampe, Fern Creek; 4. Brandon Miller, Henry Clay
120—1. Dallas Ochsenbein, North Oldham; 2. Saul Ervin, Union Co.; 3. Brady Well, Campbell Co; 4. Tucker Hurst, Woodford Co.
126— 1. Bryce Sheffer, Union Co.; 2. Connor Cambron, Fern Creek; 3. Dante Castellano, Simon Kenton: 4. Chase Peace, Walton-Verona
132—1. Keegan Duncan, Trinity; 2. Zane Brown, Male; 3. Justin Torgerson, Lafayette; 4.Jordan Monroe, Cooper
138—1. AJ Binder, Fern Creek; 2. Angel Vasquez, Lafayette; 3. Logan Erdman, Ryle; 4. Trent Johnson, John Hardin
145—1. Jackson Oxford, Union Co.; 2. Cody Huston, Cooper; 3. Mason Smith, Walton-Verona; 4. Dallas Miles, St. Xavier
152—1. Benjamin Barton, Trinity; 2. Brady Emerson, Oldham Co.; 3. Georgan Blanton, Johnson Central; 4. Tristin Badida, Conner
160—1. Hudson Heidorf, Trinity; 2. Max Andreoni, Woodford Co.; 3. Andrew Ackley, Nelson Co.; 4. Matthew Munoz, Dixie Heights
170—1. Casey Cornett, Simon Kenton; 2. Chris Morrow, Madison Central; 3. Avery Buckman, Union Co.; 4. Michael Eldridge, Woodford Co.
182—1. Max Emerson, Oldham Co.; 2. Elijah Allgeier, St. Xavier; 3. Matt Steven, LaRue Co.; 4. Cole Sherman, Union Co.
195— 1. Grant Krueger, Ashland Blazer; 2. Ray Karl Irving, Henry Clay; 3. Brett Graziani, Campbell Co.; 4. Emir Bernabe, Woodford Co.
220—1. Garrett Chandler, Male; 2. Chance Orr, Paducah Tilghman; 3. Brandon Reed, Iroquois; 4.Colby Cullver, Calloway Co.
285—1. Landon Young, Lafayette; 2. Landin Jones, North Oldham; 3. Justus Williams, Madison Southern; 4. Hunter Ruber, Walton-Verona
Results
KHSAA State Wrestling Championships at Alltech Arena
106—1. Chase Yost, Woodford Co.; Cagen Wallace, Wayne Co.; 3. Nate Wheeler, St. Xavier; 4. Adam Bender, LexCath
113—1. Tanner Yenter, Campbell Co.; 2. Konner Kraeszig, St. Xavier; 3. Colton Lampe, Fern Creek; 4. Brandon Miller, Henry Clay
120—1. Dallas Ochsenbein, North Oldham; 2. Saul Ervin, Union Co.; 3. Brady Well, Campbell Co; 4. Tucker Hurst, Woodford Co.
126— 1. Bryce Sheffer, Union Co.; 2. Connor Cambron, Fern Creek; 3. Dante Castellano, Simon Kenton: 4. Chase Peace, Walton-Verona
132—1. Keegan Duncan, Trinity; 2. Zane Brown, Male; 3. Justin Torgerson, Lafayette; 4.Jordan Monroe, Cooper
138—1. AJ Binder, Fern Creek; 2. Angel Vasquez, Lafayette; 3. Logan Erdman, Ryle; 4. Trent Johnson, John Hardin
145—1. Jackson Oxford, Union Co.; 2. Cody Huston, Cooper; 3. Mason Smith, Walton-Verona; 4. Dallas Miles, St. Xavier
152—1. Benjamin Barton, Trinity; 2. Brady Emerson, Oldham Co.; 3. Georgan Blanton, Johnson Central; 4. Tristin Badida, Conner
160—1. Hudson Heidorf, Trinity; 2. Max Andreoni, Woodford Co.; 3. Andrew Ackley, Nelson Co.; 4. Matthew Munoz, Dixie Heights
170—1. Casey Cornett, Simon Kenton; 2. Chris Morrow, Madison Central; 3. Avery Buckman, Union Co.; 4. Michael Eldridge, Woodford Co.
182—1. Max Emerson, Oldham Co.; 2. Elijah Allgeier, St. Xavier; 3. Matt Steven, LaRue Co.; 4. Cole Sherman, Union Co.
195— 1. Grant Krueger, Ashland Blazer; 2. Ray Karl Irving, Henry Clay; 3. Brett Graziani, Campbell Co.; 4. Emir Bernabe, Woodford Co.
220—1. Garrett Chandler, Male; 2. Chance Orr, Paducah Tilghman; 3. Brandon Reed, Iroquois; 4.Colby Cullver, Calloway Co.
285—1. Landon Young, Lafayette; 2. Landin Jones, North Oldham; 3. Justus Williams, Madison Southern; 4. Hunter Ruber, Walton-Verona
This story was originally published February 20, 2016 at 11:09 PM with the headline "State wrestling championships: Lafayette’s Landon Young captures heavyweight title."