The Lions made history Saturday at LaVille, capturing the inaugural Indiana Northern State Conference Wrestling Championship in a dramatic and hard-fought performance. Entering the placement round 11 points behind Knox, the Lions needed big victories and key outcomes from other teams to secure the title — and they delivered.
The Lions had seven wrestlers in the finals, three competing for third place, and three for fifth place, keeping them in contention throughout the day.
Placement Round Highlights:
- Alex Barrera (106): Pinned his Knox opponent to secure the title.
- Nic Slusser (113): Earned a championship with a decisive pin over a Knox wrestler.
- Colin Moats (120): Battled hard but finished as runner-up against a tough Jimtown opponent.
- Raylon Moats (126): Took second place, improving from previous matchups against his John Glenn rival.
- Miles Greene (132): Claimed third place with a pin over a Tippecanoe Valley wrestler.
- Grant Beery (138): Finished fourth after a competitive match with a strong Tippy Valley wrestler.
- Ethan Borsodi (145): Closed his day with a victory, securing fifth place.
- David Rettinger (150): Achieved his first career win, pinning a John Glenn wrestler for fifth place, providing a crucial momentum boost.
- Dylan Goff (165): Finished as runner-up after falling to a Jimtown opponent.
- Derek Miller (175): Secured third place with an injury-default win over a LaVille wrestler.
- Ethyn Britton (190): Claimed fifth place with a solid effort.
- Logan Frederickson (215): Pinned his Tippy Valley opponent, and with Knox losing their match, kept the Lions in striking distance of the championship.
Championship Deciding Moment:
The title came down to the final match. With Knox’s heavyweight falling to Jimtown, the Lions needed Luis Garcia (HWT) to deliver a pin over LaVille. Garcia led going into the second period, where LaVille chose the top position. Staying active, Garcia secured a reversal, turning his opponent to his back and pinning him with just 27 seconds left in the period.
The Lions clinched the championship, their first team title since the NSC in 2003.
