Legacy shows well at ‘Creek wrestling tourney

BEAVERCREEK — Legacy Christian Academy dominated the Coach Bulugaris Classic at Beavercreek Saturday in just about every way.

The Knights had eight champions and placed 11 of 12 wrestlers in the seven-team event. And they beat Division-I Springboro head-to-head in five finals matches. However the Panthers claimed the team title by placing all 14 of its wrestlers in the action-packed tournament. The Panthers totalled 252 points, while Legacy was second with 212.5.

The rest of the differential came from 21 flagrant misconduct points deducted from Legacy’s total, most coming from an incident during the 165-pound final between Nick Alvarez and Springboro’s Matt Kowalski. The host Beavers were third with 161.5 points. Olentangy from the Columbus area was fifth with 112 points, followed by Loveland (100), Lakota East (90) and Greeneview (50).

Legacy’s champs were Eli Campbell (113), Dillon Campbell (120), Logan Attisano (126), Brayden Brown (132), Cameron Lacure (138), Boede Campbell (144), Gavin Brown (150), and Ethan Cooper (157). Sam Tuck was fourth at 190 and Matthew Smith was sixth at 285.

Campbell was named most outstanding wrestler while Lacure won the match of the night, beating Springboro’s Conner Kleinberg, 10-4. It was a rematch of the GMVWA Holiday Tournament final, won by Lacure 4-2 in overtime.

On Saturday OT was never a possibility as Lacure scored a late first-period takedown and then controlled the match the rest of the way.

“Just kept moving my feet,” Lacure said. “I knew he couldn’t take me down. I really tried not to be too defensive. I knew what he was going to do. He’s a good wrestler. I just pushed my pace and started getting my shots and takedowns going.”

For Beavercreek, Tyler Hicks was first at 175 — which had a round-robin format due to having just four entrants — recording falls in 59 and 51 seconds in his first two matches then a 17-2 technical fall in the third round. Colin Barhorst was the champ at 285 after beating Aaron Baughman of Springboro by fall in 2:36.

Hayden Randolph was second at 157, losing to Cooper by fall. Austin Papalios was second at 190, dropping a 6-4 decision to Aidan Wymer of Springboro in the finals. Jon Mangan was third at 190, while C.J. Crawford was third at 215 — also a round robin — with a forfeit win in round two, a 2-1 win in round three, and a 7-1 win over teammate Lucas Coomer in the fourth round. He was 3-2 overall. Coomer had a 2-1 win in the third round. Ethan Papalios was third at 165.

Cameron Kuba was fourth at 120, Elijah Papalios was fourth at 144, Connor Drummond was fifth at 113 beating teammate Wyatt Clinger by fall in 4:42, Logan Besecker was fifth at 126, Cameron Mink was fifth at 150, and Noah Wazgar was fifth at 165. Carson Wisecup was sixth at 106.

Greeneview’s Jett Daniels was third at 175, Kyan Hendricks was fourth at 113, Gabe Hall was fifth at 190, Cohen Hickman was fifth at 215, Logan Kibble was sixth at 120, Thomas Stinson was sixth at 132, Dallas Eavers was sixth at 138, and Paul Tolkkinen was sixth at 157.

Legacy Coach Tim Begley was pleased with most of his team. He did say he was not happy with a couple of wrestlers who were not on their best behavior.

“You don’t humiliate a kid,” he said. “I had to apologize to the officials, I had to apologize to (Beavercreek Coach) Gary Wise. We didn’t act like champions. Respect the sport. We’ll learn from it and go on.”

Begley did credit Attisano, Brayden Brown, Boede Campbell and Cooper.

“The rest of them did really good,” Begley said. “Solid stuff.”

Prior to the finals, the tournament was officially renamed the Coach Bulugaris Classic, in memory of Stamat Bulugaris, who died in 2021. Bulugaris started the tournament as the Creek Classic and built the University of Dayton and Wright State University wrestling programs prior to coming to Beavercreek. He is a member of multiple halls of fame.

His family was able to be in attendance, including grandson Gabe Bulugaris, who wrestles for Olentangy, who finished third at 132.

Legacy Christian’s Ethan Cooper has his hand raised after winning the 157-pound title at the Coach Bulugaris Classic Saturday.
https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2022/01/web1__DSC5372-Ethan-Cooper157-a.jpgLegacy Christian’s Ethan Cooper has his hand raised after winning the 157-pound title at the Coach Bulugaris Classic Saturday.

Greeneview’s Jett Daniels battles Gavin Ritter of Loveland en route to a third-place finish at 175.
https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2022/01/web1__DSC5250-Jeff-Daniels175.jpgGreeneview’s Jett Daniels battles Gavin Ritter of Loveland en route to a third-place finish at 175.

Photos by Karen Clark | Greene County News Beavercreek’s Colin Barhorst is about to pin Springboro’s Aaron Baughman, the No. 1 seed at 285. Barhorst, the No. 3 seed, got the fall in 2:36 to help the Beavers finish third at the Coach Bulugaris Classic Saturday.
https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2022/01/web1__DSC5432-Barhorst.jpgPhotos by Karen Clark | Greene County News Beavercreek’s Colin Barhorst is about to pin Springboro’s Aaron Baughman, the No. 1 seed at 285. Barhorst, the No. 3 seed, got the fall in 2:36 to help the Beavers finish third at the Coach Bulugaris Classic Saturday.

Dillon Campbell controls Hayden Hollis of Springboro on the way to the 120-pound title. Campbell recorded a 15-0 technical fall in the finals.
https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2022/01/web1__DSC5310-Dillon-Campbell120.jpgDillon Campbell controls Hayden Hollis of Springboro on the way to the 120-pound title. Campbell recorded a 15-0 technical fall in the finals.

By Scott Halasz

[email protected]