Prep Report: Shelbyville sophomore wins wrestling sectional title

Nine Shelbyville and Triton Central wrestlers advanced to the Perry Meridian Regional.

Shelbyville sophomore Reuben Martins-Thomas was the only sectional champion from Shelby County. He won three matches including a dominant performance in the championship match at 190 pounds.

Purdue Polytechnic-Downtown was the host school Saturday for the sectional event held featuring nine schools including Greenfield-Central, New Palestine and Warren Central.

Martins-Thomas scored an 8-6 win over New Palestine’s Eli Oberle in the quarterfinal round of the bracket. In the semifinal, he produced a 13-6 victory over Warren Central’s Byron Baltzell.

In the championship, Martins-Thomas defeated Purdue Poly’s Hernan Justiniano, 21-4.

Martins-Thomas improved to 17-12 this season and will need a regional win over the fourth-place finisher at the Southport Sectional to earn his first semistate berth.

Shelbyville produced six regional qualifiers Saturday. Joining Martins-Thomas at the Perry Meridian Regional will be sophomore Tripp Garner (third place at 126 pounds), junior Jaylen Eads (fourth at 144), junior Brady Bryant (fourth at 157), junior Julian Eads (third at 165) and senior Andrew Burton (third at 175).

Triton Central’s Dayne Bailey reached the championship match at 175 pounds before running into the top-ranked wrestler in the state at the weight class.

Bailey scored a first-period pinfall over Greenfield-Central’s Jackson Burgin in the quarterfinal round. In the semifinals, he outlasted Indianapolis Lutheran’s Nate Hughes, 14-11.

That set up a championship pairing with Warren Central’s Waylon Cressell, who entered the sectional with a 33-2 record.

Cressell secured the pinfall victory late in the first period to push his record to 36-2.

Bailey will be joined at the Perry Meridian Regional by teammates Conner Phipps (fourth at 138) and Braxton Zimmerman (fourth at 150).

In other prep events Saturday:

Boys basketball

Southwestern 86, Herron 55

At Southwestern, Mitchell Clements scored a game-high 32 points to lead the host Spartans to the win.

Clements scored 11 in the opening quarter when Southwestern took a 27-17 lead. He scored 14 in the third quarter as a 43-33 halftime lead grew to 65-38.

Ben Kahler added 20 points, and the Spartans improved to 5-10 this season.

Herron lost its seventh straight to fall to 2-17. Jaden Parker led the Achaeans with 22 points. Elijah Smith finished with 18.

Southwestern won the junior varsity game, 63-57. James Oliver scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Spartans.

Southwestern is at Hauser (13-3) Thursday for a Mid-Hoosier Conference contest.

Oldenburg Academy 49, Waldron 46

At Waldron, the host Mohawks failed to win a third-straight game for the fourth time this season.

Waldron led 43-36 after three quarters but got outscored 13-3 over the final eight minutes to suffer the loss.

Henry Wainstrath led the Twisters (9-6) with 14 points. Adam Weber finished with 10.

Lucas Shaw scored 11 of his team-high 13 points in the first half for Waldron (9-8). Eli Stewart hit three three-pointers to finish with nine points.

Waldron is home Thursday for a MHC contest against North Decatur (7-10).

The Shelby County Post is a digital newspaper producing news, sports, obituaries and more without a pay wall or subscription needed.