Make room on the banner: Central Kentucky wrestlers earn state titles
With Union County breaking records on the way to its 12th team title in the KHSAA State Wrestling Championships, two Central Kentucky wrestlers made their own history on Saturday.
Lafayette sophomore Brayden Gianonne won his first individual title and Madison Central senior Thomas Deck won his third in their respective divisions. Deck also received the event’s Orville Williams Outstanding Wrestler Award.
“It’s amazing to finally get the goal I’ve worked nine years for,” Gianonne, the 152-pound champ, said. “Ever since third grade, my goal was always to be high school state champion.”
Gianonne made it to the finals as a freshman but lost. It was hard to have perspective then, but it helped make him into a champion Saturday.
“It’s been a lot of pressure to get to this point in the tournament, but, ultimately, it all paid off in the end,” Gianonne said. “We have a banner of state champions up in our wrestling room, and I told my coach that by the time I graduate, he’s going to need more space on that banner.”
Gianonne and his opponent, Union County’s Payne Carr remained tied 1-1 after three rounds. Gianonne gained the sudden victory on a takedown in overtime.
“He’s one that doesn’t back down,” Lafayette Coach William Green said. “He’s always pushing.”
Deck was Madison Central’s first ever individual state champion as a sophomore. Now he ends his high school career with three titles and plans to perhaps wrestle at West Point.
He won his title match in the 132-pound class with a technical fall 16-0 score despite coming off meniscus surgery three weeks ago.
“I thought I was done for the season, so I’m just grateful to be here, just to compete,” Deck said. “I trusted the recovery process and … it turned out well.”
Wrestling medal winners
106—1st: Spencer Moore, Walton-Verona; 2nd: Adam Williams, Johnson Central; 3rd: Leland Reeves, Taylor County; 4th: Aiden Zinser, Scott; 5th: Colin Tucker, Wayne County; 6th: Collin Teutsch, Caldwell County; 7th: Amari Hardin-Hedgspeth, John Hardin; 8th: Clayton Shaddix, Great Crossing
113—1. Trayce Eckman, Union County; 2nd: Gage Fowler, Christian County; 3rd: Matthew Meyer, St. Xavier; 4th: George Feree, Trinity (Louisville); 5th: Jonathan Gilbert, Madison Central; 6th: Jack James, Paducah Tilghman; 7th: Riley Johnson, Caldwell County; 8th: Joey Sander, Ryle
120—1st: Cole Thomas, Ryle; 2. Isaac Thornton, Grant County; 3rd: Dalton Lawson, Johnson Central; 4th: Braedon Herron, North Hardin; 5th: Austin Hedges, Trinity (Louisville); 6th: Nolan Banfield, Montgomery County; 7th: Donovan Evans, Pleasure Ridge Park; 8th: Noah Kirkman, Owensboro
126—1st: Devon Herron, North Hardin; 2nd: Thomas Hoppes, LaRue County; 3rd: Jeffrey Kinley, Madison Central; 4th: Kaiji Fujii, Central Hardin; 5th: Ruben Martinez, McCreary Central; 6th: Ethan Wells, Christian County; 7th: Jameson Smith, Ryle; 8th: Dylan Walls, Caldwell County
132—1st: Thomas Deck, Madison Central; 2nd: Charlie McKune, Moore; 3rd: Gabe Adams, Union County; 4th: Jacob Cain, Johnson Central; 5th: Keaton Elliott, Calloway County; 6th: Seth Lutes, Scott; 7th: Luke Chapman, Lafayette; 8th: Trevor Vilums, Male
138—1st: Jake Insko, Union County; 2nd: Chase Yost, Woodford County; 3rd: Zac Cowan, Madison Central; 4th: Austin Grant-Hall, Christian County; 5th: Victor Zamora, Whitley County; 6th: Malachi Rider, Paducah Tilghman; 7th: Anthony Pierce, South Oldham; 8th: Scott Vilums, Male.
145—1st: Ty Lehman, Trinity (Louisville); 2nd: Trevor Pogue, Union County; 3rd: Jakerion Merritt, Christian County; 4th: Jacob Grandstaff, Conner; 5th: Tristen Spalding, Walton-Verona; 6th: Brennan Conrad, Simon Kenton; 7th: Reece Goss, Johnson Central; 8th: Azariah Saunier, Lafayette
152—1st: Brayden Gianonne, Lafayette 2nd: Payne Carr, Union County; 3rd: Dylan Preston, Woodford County 4th: Jeffery Parker, Western Hills; 5th: David Conner, Paducah Tilghman; 6th: Bryce Spickler, Simon Kenton; 7th: Walker McCubbin, South Oldham; 8th: Colin Walls, Caldwell County
160—1st: Dalton Russelburg, Union County; 2nd: Nathaniel Lawrence, Franklin County; 3rd: Kurtis Karr, Wayne County; 4th: Cole Nance, Anderson County; 5th: Triston Brooks, Woodford County; 6th: Landon Lenhart, Trinity (Louisville); 7th: Rictor Morgan, Simon Kenton; 8th: Thomas Ketchen-Carter, Campbell County
170—1st: Stephen Little, Union County; 2nd: Colin Stevens, Trigg County; 3rd: Bryce Moberly, North Oldham; 4th: Simon Powell, Fairdale; 5th: Nathen Wright, Moore; 6th: Everett Marret, St. Xavier; 7th: Oscar (J.T.) Adams, Christian County; 8th: Chase Fink, Anderson County
182—1st: Micah Ervin, Union County; 2nd: Cameron Coleman, Christian County; 3rd: Noah Duke, Ryle; 4th: Brandon Gibson, Walton-Verona; 5th: Klemmer Nicodemus, Ohio County; 6th: Benjamin Rush, Boyle County; 7th: Trenton Cantlon, DeSales; 8th: Jackson Geilear, Woodford County
195—1st: Daulton Mayer, Walton-Verona; 2nd: Cooper Elliston, Conner; 3rd: Levid Rodriguez, Johnson Central; 4th: Chandler Miller, DeSales; 5th: Uriah Virzi, Paducah Tilghman; 6th: Anthony (A.J.) Harvey, Christian County; 7th: Ben Bush, Central; 8th: Rocky Whitehead, Madison Southern;
220—1st: Niko Bussell, Christian County; 2nd: Darius Moore, Union County; 3rd: Casey Rauch, Campbell County; 4th: Gabe Savage, Ryle; 5th: Zane Christian, Ashland Blazer; 6th: Dakota Brooksbank, Simon Kenton; 7th: Branson Smith, Martin County; 8th: Seth Huff, Knox Central
285—1st: Matthias Ervin, Union County; 2nd: Dejuan Watkins, DeSales; 3rd: Tucker Shelton, LaRue County; 4th: TyDarius Kelly, Christian County; 5th: Zac Stray, Lafayette; 6th: Reagan Ray, Oldham County; 7th: Noah Jewell, Bullitt East; 8th: Tayshuan Marshall, Ryle
Team scores
| 1 | Union County | 299.0 |
| 2 | Christian County | 200.5 |
| 3 | Johnson Central | 131.5 |
| 4 | Ryle | 128.5 |
| 5 | Walton-Verona | 118.0 |
| 6 | Trinity (Louisville) | 95.0 |
| 7 | Woodford County | 93.0 |
| 8 | Madison Central | 91.0 |
| 9 | Lafayette | 72.5 |
| 10 | LaRue County | 71.0 |
Complete results online: https://bit.ly/37ySXoG
This story was originally published February 16, 2020 at 12:16 AM.
