Tribe earns four titles at county championships

By MICKEY ALVARADOFour of Tecumseh’s varsity wrestlers picked up titles at the Lenawee County All-Star Championships at Adrian College on Friday, Jan. 28, and the Indians had one named the best of the best.Tom Carney (36-1) earned Most Valuable Wrestler (MVW) honors for the Indians in the upper weight class with a 4-3 win in the 171-pound finals against Blissfield’s Dalton Goetz. Both wrestlers entered the final with just one loss on the season.“What an epic battle it was,” said Tecumseh coach Casey Randolph. “And it proved to be that because the coaches voted him Most Valuable Wrestler, and well deserving too. He puts in a lot of hard work even after practice.”Also earning titles for Tecumseh were seniors Collin Lesko (119), Jeff Jenkins (130), and Ronnie Bechtol (135).Tecumseh was only outdone by Hudson’s defending Division 4 state champions with five wrestlers picking up titles. The Tiger’s 112-pounder, Cole Weaver, was the lower weight MVW. He pinned Tecumseh’s Chase Lewis in the final.The Indians had wrestlers compete in 13-of-14 weight classes as well as three alternates attending this year.“I think the county tournament showed our overall depth,” said Tecumseh coach Casey Randolph. “We don’t have a ton of “superstars.” We did have four champs but it showed our overall depth as a team more than anything.”Lesko defeated Hudson’s Tyler Mattison 4-2 for his first county title. Jenkins remains the only undefeated wrestler in the county after pinning his opponents in the semifinal and final. He pinned Onsted’s Jake Martin in just 44 seconds for the title.Bechtol went into overtime tied 9-9 in his championship bout against Onsted’s Wes Pieper. Bechtol won the 135-pound title with a takedown.The match started out with Bechtol putting Pieper on his back for a 5-0 lead but Pieper stormed back to force the overtime. Bechtol placed fourth at state last year but he went without the local title.“This was important to him as a wrestler,” said Randolph. “Not only to be invited but to go and win it at a pretty tough weight class.”Tecumseh’s Gavin Burstall placed second at the event at 189-pounds. He lost by tech fall (17-0) against Hudson’s Matt Smith in the final.Also placing second for Tecumseh was Joe Rebottaro at 215-pounds. He lost to Hudson’s Grant Benschoter in the finals.Placing fourth for Tecumseh were Rick Azelton (103), Anthony Lesko (125), Christian Shelby (140), C.J. Tripp (145), Cole Amstutz (160) and Cody Ross (hwt).The Indians were scheduled for their final home quad meet on Wednesday but it was cancelled due to bad weather.