State wrestling: Brothers lead their team to best finish as traditional power rolls
Thomas Deck gave himself and Madison Central their second individual title at the KHSAA State Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Alltech Arena, and his brother nearly got them another.
“It’s a surreal feeling being out there in front of everyone and winning. It’s the best feeling you can get,” said Deck, just a junior, and now a state champion at 113 and this year’s 126 pounds.
Union County rolled to its fourth straight overall title, which included three individual title winners and three runners up among its nine podium finishes out of the 14 divisions. None finished worse than fourth.
But Deck kept the Braves from a fourth individual title, dominating the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the division, Sam Bacon, a senior, from the outset of their match. Deck won 8-0, and at one point didn’t let Bacon up from the mat for a full round.
“That was probably my toughest match this year. Usually the big scramblers — because I wrestle kind of loose so if they’re really scrappy — they sometimes catch me in a dangerous position,” Deck said. “Wrestling every day, all year long, you get to know each position. You know when you are really in trouble and when to bail. I knew I was fine.”
Deck’s older brother Gentry fell behind early in his match and had to rally from 4-1 down. He got it back to a 6-5 deficit but couldn’t seal a clinching move.
“It was a heartbreaker,” Madison Central Coach Wes Watts said. “He’s wrestled that kid five or six times the last two years and beaten him every time. … He fell behind there … and just ran out of time there at the end.”
Watts credits the Deck brothers in his effort to build the Indians’ program, now in only its 10th year. The Indians finished fourth in the team standings, up four spots from last year.
“He and his brother have been wrestling since they were little,” Watts said. “They’ve been going and competing in wrestling since fifth grade, sixth grade. They don’t take off. They work all year round. As soon as this is over they are going to take two days of and get ready for the nationals.”
In the 152-pound division, Lafayette freshman Braydon Giannone made a run all the way to the finals before falling to Union County’s Dalton Russelburg.
“He’s a strong kid. He’s not let me down ever,” Lafayette Coach William Green said. “Most people would have counted us out, but we know I got a great wrestler. But tonight wasn’t our night. But that doesn’t mean tomorrow won’t be.”
Lafayette also got a sixth-place finish from Luke Chapman.
KHSAA awards medals to the top eight finishers in each division.
Franklin County’s Nathaniel Lawrence and Jalin Benson were second in the 145- and 285-pound divisions, respectively. The Flyers’ Charlie Hancock placed eighth at 160.
Frederick Douglass’ Israel Tshiunza took eighth in the 285-pound class.
Bryan Station had two wrestlers finish sixth in their respective divisions, Brandon Vera at 195 pounds and Brandon Fields at 220.
Union County finished with 227 points for the team title, more than an 80 ahead Johnson Central in second at 146.5. St. Xavier finished third.
“I think that’s the most points we’ve ever scored, and we’ve had some great teams,” Union County Coach Robert Ervin said.
The Braves also bring perhaps the largest and most enthusiastic crowd and their own radio play-by-play crew, which got to see the team’s 11th state title overall, second only to Woodford County’s 13.
“They (the radio crew) have been following us around at the regional and postseason for maybe a decade now. It’s really neat,” Ervin said. “It’s what’s nice about coming from a small town.”
Team results
1. Union County, 227.0. 2. Johnson Central, 146.5; 3. St. Xavier 135.5; 4. Madison Central, 117.5; 5. Scott, 108.5; 5. Christian County, 107.0; 6. Walton-Verona 98.5; 8. Ryle, 88.5; 9. \u0009Apollo, 87.5; 10. Moore, 86.5.
Individual results
106-pound division - 1. Cole Thomas, Ryle; 2. Spencer Moore, Walton-Verona; 3. Trayce Eckman, Union County; 4. Matt Meyer, St. Xavier.
113 - 1. Brenden Pye, Scott; Isaac Thornton, Grant County; 3. Dalton Lawson, Johnson Central; 4. Gage Fowler, Christian County.
120 - 1. Preston Mattingly, Apollo; 2. Shay Horton, Ryle; 3. Sam Grandstaff, Conner; 4. Trevor Frietsch, Simon Kenton.
126 - 1. Thomas Deck, Madison Central; Sam Bacon, Union County; 3. Migdoel Ocasio, Simon Kenton; 4. Seth Lutes, Scott.
132 - 1. Jakerion Merritt, Christian County; 2. Gabe Adams, Union County; 3. Jacob Grandstaff, Conner; 4. Layne Seibert, Scott.
138 - 1. Jordan Bates, Boyle County; Gentry Deck, Madison Central; 3. Jake Insko, Apollo; 4. Trevor Pogue, Union County.
145 - 1. Nathan Wheeler, St. Xavier; 2. Nathaniel Lawrence, Franklin County; 3. Payne Carr, Union County; 4. Daylon Stafford, Sheldon Clark.
152 - 1. Dalton Russelburg, Union County; 2. Brayden Giannone, Lafayette; 3. Thomas Ketchen-Carter, Campbell County; 4. Isaiah Newberry, Moore.
160 - 1. Zane Brown, Male. 2. Stephen Little, Union County. 3. Everett Marret, St. Xavier; 4. Thomas Boone, LaRue County.
170 - 1. Micah Ervin, Union County; 2. Clayton Boyd, Conner; 3. Jared Kelsay, Scott; 4. Jack Fuller, Apollo.
182 - 1. Sam Jenkins, North Oldham; 2. Colin Stevens, Trigg County; 3. Daulton Mayer, Walton-Verona; 4. Chase Blanton, Harrison County.
195 - 1. Matthew Horn, Johnson Central; 2. Ben DePrest, St. Xavier; 3. Braden Mulcahy, Walton-Verona; 4. Ben Bush, Central.
220 - 1. Matthias Ervin, Union County; 2. Niko Bussell, Christian County; 3. Bryan Pratt, Meade County; 4. Casey Rauch, Campbell County.
285 - 1. Byron Pierce, Johnson Central; 2. Jalin Benson, Franklin County; 3. Tucker Shelton, LaRue County; 4. Dejuan Watkins, DeSales.
Most outstanding wrestler award: Zane Brown, Male.
This story was originally published February 16, 2019 at 8:42 PM.
