Decatur Wrestlers Fall in State Semis

BERLIN- Just three days after winning the East region tournament in dramatic fashion, Stephen Decatur’s varsity wrestling team fell in the state Class 4A-3A dual meet semifinals, dropping a tough match to Urbana, 42-31.

The Seahawks rallied to beat Old Mill in the region finals last week to earn a spot in the Class 4A-3A dual meet Final Four, but fell to Urbana in the semifinals. Urbana went on to lose to perennial powerhouse La Plata in the state championship meet. The Seahawks started off well against Urbana with a pin in the very first match by Nick Craven in the 285-pound class.

However, Decatur lost its next three including a pin of Nate Roseblatt at 103, a loss by decision at 112 by Matt Meekins and another loss by pin at 119 by Cody Bush. Decatur then got back in the win column at 125 with a decision by Seth Goggin, but Alford Hardy dropped the next match at 130 by decision.

The Seahawks would not go down quietly, however, and won its next three matches to get right back in the contest. Nick McLoota started the run with a pin at 135, Andrew Boradaille pinned his opponent at 140 and Johnny Soghomonian completed the three-win run with a pin of his opponent at 145.

While the three straight pins put the Seahawks right back in the match, they quickly returned the favor with three straight losses by pin. Curtis Snyder was pinned at 152, Brandon Terlizzi was pinned at 160 and Kyle Gilbert suffered the same fate in the 171-pound class. Mike Meekins won by decision at 189, but Luke Bargar dropped the last match of the meet with a pin at 215.

The loss in the state semifinals was far from the end of the line for Decatur, however, as several Seahawks will likely qualify for the state individual meet later this month. In the meantime, the Seahawks, undefeated in conference meets, are preparing to defend their Bayside Conference title this weekend. Decatur has won the Bayside Conference title for seven straight years.

Just about every Seahawk wrestler is seeded in the top four of their respective weight classes going into the conference championship meet. Soghomonian is the top seed in the 152-pound class, Goggin is the second seed at 125, McLoota is the second seed at 135, Mike Meekins is seeded second at 171 and Luke Bargar is seeded second at 215.

Matt Meekins is seeded third in the 112-pound class, Bush is seeded third at 119, Hardy is seeded third at 130, and Boradaille is seeded third at 140. Rosenblatt is the fourth seed in the 103-pound class, Terlizzi is seeded fourth at 160 and Craven is seeded fourth at 285.