SHELBYVILLE, IL. — The Shelbyville Ram wrestling team wrote another chapter in their historic season on Saturday when they won the Okaw Duals, running the table  against the other five teams, including standout wins over other top contenders Argenta and Monticello.

Shelbyville had their sights set on Argenta and Monticello. Warrensburg and Tolono were not at full strength and the match-ups against Clinton seemed to clearly favor the Rams, on paper.

Shelbyville started off the Okaw Duals head-to-head vs. Argenta. Both teams won seven matches, but the Rams scored higher points for the win.

Elliott Smithson (220) started off the Argenta match with a take down, then pinning Hayes in just a minute and six seconds. Andrew Mudgette (285) did an excellent job holding off McBride and losing just 1-0 after 6:00 of grapplng. Shelbyville led 6-3.

Zach Stirrett (106) scored another big win against Monney. He got the first take down, then got a near fall in the 2nd. They traded reverses and Stirrett ended the 2nd with a 10-8 lead. In the 3rd Stirrett got back points and  then a near fall to win 15-8. Shelby led 9-3.

Freshman phenom Garrett Brachbill (113) had four take downs an escape and a near fall in the first two periods to build an 11-2 lead. Another take down earned Brachbill a major decision, 13-3. Shelby led 13-3. Matt Tinsman (120) was over-matched by Whitsel and lost a tech fall. Shelby still led 13-8.

Sophomores Jared Finley (132) and Wyatt Fox (138) extended the Ram lead. Finley got the first take down. He was down to start the 2nd and worked a reverse and got near fall points, 7-0. Finley then beat the clock by pinning O’Neill with just two seconds remaining in the period (3:58). Shelby led 19-8.

The Rams gave up a forfeit and six points at 132.

Fox then went to work against Bowman. He got the first take down, then escaped in the 2nd for a 3-0 lead. In the 3rd, Fox got another take down and won 5-2. Shelby led 22-14.

Adam Hudson, suffering from the flu, battled, but lost to Lane, losing an 11-4 decision. Shelby still led 22-17. Jordan Johnston (152) also lost a decision, 6-1, as Argenta trimmed the Ram lead to 22-20. Both wrestlers kept Argenta from getting extra point from a major decision a tech fall or a pin and held on to the Ram lead.

Sophomore Lucas Duckett (160) then schooled Neal with a tech fall and gave the Rams a cushion. Duckett scored ten take downs in 6:00. He led 8-3 after the 1st. He started the 2nd down and got a reverse, plus three take downs and led 16-6. In the 3rd, he got another reverse and three take downs to compete the tech fall with 37 seconds left and earn five points. Shelby led 27-20.

Senior Josh Hicks (170), no stranger to close matches, dropped a 3-2 decision to Knittle, but AO only picked up three points again, still trailing, 27-23, with just two matches remaining.

Senior Mitchell Barna (182) then clinched the deal. Argenta could still beat the Rams with two pins. Barna blew that out of the water. He went to the mat and got a take down and never let Snow off the mat, sticking him in just 21 seconds. That gave Shelbyville the sure win up 33-17 with one match to go.

First-year wrestler, freshman Caleb Cloe lost the final match by pin (2:44), but it didn’t matter. Shelby had knocked off Argenta, 33-29.

Shelby took care of Tolono late Friday, 67-9, and Warrensburg, 68-12, early Saturday morning in dominant fashion. Then they had to make sure of their win over Clinton.

Starting at 132, Clinton took a lead with a pin, 6-0. Shelby then answered with two pins and two major decisions to take a 20-6 lead, never to trail again. Clinton responded with a major decision and two decisions, but still trailed 20-16.

Shelby got more separation with back-to-back pins and another major decision, 36-16. Shelby finished with a decision, a major decision, and a forfeit for the 49-16 win.

Then came the final match of the Duals at center stage, Shelbyville v. Monticello.

Finley (132) started the competition with a scoreless 1st period, because he couldn’t get his foot free from his opponent, Smith. However, in the 2nd period, in the up position, Finley earned a near fall, then beat the clock again, sticking Smith with just three seconds left in the period (3:57).

Fox followed getting three take downs and a near fall in the 1st, leading 9-2. Starting down in the 2nd, Fox worked a reverse and led 11-3 heading into the 3rd. He let Chitwood up, but then Chitwood got a take down, trimming the lead to 11-6. Fox then got another reverse. He let Chitwood up and then got a final take down for the 15-7, major decision, win. Shelby led Monty, 10-0.

Hudson (145) still suffering from the flu went up against Knisely, who had already beaten him this year. Hudson was down 6-2 and got a take down just after the 2nd period buzzer. Hudson got an escape and then a take down, cutting the deficit to 6-5. With 29 seconds left in the match, Hudson got a tying take down, 7-7. However, Knisely got a reverse as time was running down and got the 9-7 win.

Johnston (152) then lost a 13-6 decision, cutting the Ram lead to 10-6.

Duckett (160) started a Ram run to build a bigger lead. Duckett got a take down and a 2-0 lead with just five seconds left in the 1st period. The 2nd was scoreless. Duckett was down to start the 3rd and flipped his way to a reverse and won 4-0.

Josh Hicks (170) battled to a scoreless 1st. He was down to start the 2nd and got an escape for the only score in the period, 1-0. In the 3rd, Burton escaped to tie the match, 1-1. The battled out of bounds at 27 seconds remaining, then at 13 seconds remaining. With seven seconds remaining Hicks got the take down and the 3-1 win. Shelby led 16-6.

Barna (182) got another huge win. He was taken down to start the match and earned an escape. Two bulls went at each other and Barna got Redwinski off balance and took him to the mat and pinned him with 26 seconds left in the 1st (1:34). That gave Shelby a 22-6 lead over Monty.

Cloe (195) battled and lost a close 3-2 match, giving up just three points, 22-9. Smithson (220) was then beaten by a major decision, 14-5. Mudgette (285) then picked up a freebie, a forfeit. That really hurt Monticello, putting them back, 28-13.

With four matches left, Shelby looked good, but couldn’t be over confident. Stirrett lost a pin, trimming the Ram lead to 28-19 in just 57 seconds.

Brachbill (113), like Barna in the Argenta match, had a chance to seal the deal. Brachbill got a quick take down and near fall points for a 5-0 lead, then removed all doubt by sticking Tankersley in just 57 seconds. That gave the Rams an insurmountable lead, 34-19.

Matt Tinsman (120) drove another nail in the coffin. He was taken down, but go a reverse and then near fall points to lead 5-2 after the 1st. He was in the down position to start the 2nd and got a reverse. McCabe got a reverse, but Tinsman reverse him back, before sticking him  (3:13). Shelby was up 40-19.

Jarred Hicks lost the final match 14-5, but it didn’t matter. The Rams had won the Okaw Duals Championship.

 

Friday

Shelbyville 33, Argenta 29

106- Stirrett (S) lost to Monney (AO), 15-8

113- Brachbill (S) def. Rolofson (AO), 13-3

120- Tinsman (S) lost to Whitsel (AO) 16-1

126- Finley (S) def. O'Neill (AO) by pin (3:58)

132- Josza (AO) won by forfeit

138- Fox (S) def. Bowman (AO) 5-2

145- Hudson (S) lost to Lane (AO), 11-4

152- Johnston (S) lost to Elliott (AO), 6-1

160-Duckett (S) lost to Neal (AO), 24-9

170-Jo. Hicks (S) lost to Knittle (AO), 3-2

182- Barna (S) def. Snow (AO) by pin (:21)

195- Cloe (S) lost to McBride (AO) by pin (2:44)

220- Smithson (S)  def. Hayes (AO) by pin (1:06)

285-Mudgette (S) lost to Ortmenn (AO), 1-0

Shelbyville 67, Tolono 8

106-Stirrett (S) won by forfeit

113- Brachbill (S) won by forfeit

120-Tinsman (S) lost to Griffet (T), 7-6

126-Finley (S) def. Hinton (T) by pin (3:45)

132-Ja. Hicks (S) def. Monical (T), 6-4

138-Fox (S) def. Harmon (T), by pin (2:55)

145-Hudson (S) won by forfeit

152-Johnston (S) won by forfeit

160-Duckett (S) won by forfeit

170- Jo. Hicks (S) def. King (T), 17-5

180-Barna (S) lost to Reed (T) by pin (:35)

195-Cloe (S) def. White(T) by pin (5:30)

220-Smithson (S) def. Lindsey (T) by pin (:49)

285-Mudgette (S) won by forfeit

Saturday

Shelbyville 68, Warrensburg 12

106- stirrett (S) won by forfeit

113-Brachbill (S) won by forfeit

120-Tinsman (S) def. Kethum (WL) by pin (3:00)

126-Ja. Hicks (S) won by forfeit

132-Finley (S) def. Colhan (WL) by pin (2:42)

138-Fox (S) won by forfeit

145-Hudson (S) def. Bundy (WL) by pin (1:32)

152-Johnston (S) wonj by forfeit

160-Duckett (S) def. C. Finley (WL) by pin (1:54)

170-Jo. Hicks (S) def. Adams (WL), 13-4

182-Barna (S) def. Kent (WL) by pin (5:22)

195-Cloe (S) lost to Gribbs(WL) by pin (3:20)

220-Smithson (S)  def. Kent (WL) by pin (:42)

285-Mudgett (S) lost to Berends (WL) by pin (:53)

Shelbyville 49, Clinton 16

106-Stirrett (S) def. Wharton (C), 7-4

113-Brachbill (S) def. Witzke (C), 9-1

120-Tinsman (S) won by forfeit

126-Ja. Hicks (S)  lost to Shobe (C) :55)

132-Finley (S) def. Butler (C) by pin (2:45)

138-Fox (S) def. Champley (C) by pin (2:49)

145-Hudson (S)  def. Trotter (C), 14-4

152-Johnston (S) def. Stevens (C), 13-2

160-Duckett (S) lost to Reszek (C), 16-5

170-Jo. Hicks (S)  lost to Wheat (C), 6-0

182-Cloe (S) lost to Williams(C), 7-2

195-Barna (S) def. Hill (C) by pin (3:00)

220-Smithson (S) def. Magana(C) by pin (1:43)

285-Mudgett (S) def. Wood (C), 17-5

Shelbyville 40, Monticello 23

106-Stirrett (S)  lost to KNisley (M)by pin (3:51)

113-Brachbill (S)  def. Tankersley (M) by pin (:57)

120-Tinsman (S)def. McCabe (M) by pin (3:13)

126-Ja. Hicks (S) lost to Hyde (M), 14-5

132-Finley (S) def. Smith (M) by pin (3:57)

138-Fox (S)  def. Chitwood (M), 15-7

145-Hudson (S) lost to Knisley (M), 9-7

152-Johnston (S) lost to Burton (M), 13-6

160-Duckett (S) def. Rice, 4-0

170-Jo. Hicks (S) def. Burton, 3-1

182-Barna (S) def. Redwinski (M) by pin (1:34)

195-Cloe (S0 lost to Vandalson (M), 3-2

220-Smithson (S) lost to Armstrong (M), 14-5

285-Mudgett (S)  won by forfeit

*Watch for web updates for the complete story and photos.