SHELBYVILLE, IL. — Shelbyville wrestling grabbed runner-up honors at the 18-team Cumberland Skull & Crossbones tournament on Saturday, scoring 179.5 points, second to Prairie Central (246.5).

The Rams finished 32 points ahead of 3rd place Herrin and a full 50 points ahead of 4th place Lawrenceville (124) and 5th place Benton (120). Shelbyville placed 9 wrestlers, while Prairie Central placed 12.

“I was please,” said Ram coach Greg Harkins. “I knew it would be tough to hang with Prairie Central, especially with us battling the flu and injuries. I was surprised we took 2nd, but you have to give credit to the boys. They wrestled incredibly tough. It all starts in the practice room. We always say good things happen to those who work hard.”

Leading the Rams were a trio of champions, a runner-up finisher and a bronze finisher.

Freshman Garrett Brachbill (12-1) came in as the #1 seed at 113 pounds and ran the table. Sophomore Adam Hudson (9-2) also ran the table as a champ at 145 pounds. Senior Josh Hicks (13-3) came out of the pack and ran the table as the 170 pound champ. Sophomore Lucas Duckett (11-4) was the 152-pound runner-up and sophomore Wyatt Fox (12-3) took 3rd in the 138 pound class.

Brachbill, who took 2nd at PORTA last weekend, took on sophomore Lee Welch in the semifinal and ran up a major decision, winning 18-4.

In the title match, Brachbill faced fellow freshman Barden Whitecotton of Herrin (7-3). Brachbill stuck him in the 2nd period (2:50). Brachbill finished the day 12-1, with his only loss coming in the title match at PORTA.

“He is doing very well on his feet,” Coach Harkins said. “He is making people look bad.”









Hudson started the day against senior Justin Houck of Benton, pinning him in the 2nd period (2:45). He then beat another senior, Zack Poe of Cumberland, 8-1. That put Hudson in the title bout. Hudson challenged top-seed, senior Evan Bahler (10-2) of Prairie Central. Hudson won a nail-biter, upsetting Bahler, 3-1.

Hicks won by fall, by a major decision and by close decisions in the semi and final. In the three decisions he only allowed six points.

, while scoring 20.

He beat Nick Weh of Carlyle by fall in the 1st period (1:15). He then shut out senior Zach Mocaby of Benton, 9-0. Senior Tyler Keneipp of Prairie Central upset the top-seed by a major decision, but Hicks was able to keep Keneipp from scoring and won, 5-2. That put Hicks in the title match against Tad Cravens of Herrin. Hicks kept the score low again and came out on top, 6-4.

Duckett got all the way to the title bout at 152 pounds, before losing just 3-1 and finishing 2nd. Duckett started with a major decision over fellow sophomore John Sandschafer of St. Anthony. He then stuck senior Chris Ward of Herrin with just 20 seconds left in the match (5:40).

In the semifinal, Duckett faced top-seed Thomas Grove of Lawrenceville (13-1). Duckett came away with a 5-1 decision and a ticket to the title bout. Duckett took on sophomore Sam Schuler (14-2) of Prairie Central. Schuler edged Duckett, 3-1.    

After pinning Jereth Gregory of Effingham (1:27) and beating Daniel Krug of Benton, Fox had the misfortune of running into top-seed Ben Traub of Prairie Central, again, in the semi. He lost, 5-2. Fox went to the 3rd place match and after two periods, plus, he stuck Dalyn Brach of Olney (4:47).

Freshman Zach Stirrett (7-3) started the day losing to the eventual 3rd place freshman from Herrin, Logan Reagan, by a 2nd period pin (3:13). Stirrett wrestled back and stuck sophomore Shaina Bidabe of Casey-Westfield/Cumberland in 1:01. Stirrett then wrestled for 5th place and won again by a pin, sticking sophomore Jarred Burnett of Benton (2:19). He finished the day 9-4.

Sophomore Jared Finley (10-4) had byes until he had to face the eventual runner-up, freshman Paul Garcia of Prairie Central (9-4). He lost by fall (3:16). He went to wrestlebacks and stuck Christian Purcell (1:51), then tech falled Cody Rightnowar of Harrisburg in the 3rd period (4:43). He fought his way back into the 5th place match and beat Casey Holle of Effingham, 9-5.  

Junior heavyweight Elliott Smithson (11-3) beat Brandon Thom of Harrisburg and stuck him in 1:00. He then faced the eventual champion Brett Bennett of Prairie Central, hanging on until the 3rd period before losing by fall (5:02).

In wrestlebacks, Smithson stuck Jake Greentree of Lawrenceville in the 1st period (1:43). He followed that with another pin, beating Brett Morgan of Mt. Carmel (5:10). In the 5th place match Smithson met Thom again. It took longer this time, but Smithson still won by fall (4:21).

Senior Jordan Johnston (160) wrestled his first match of the season on Wednesday and won by pin in the 1st period. In his big meet, Johnston placed 6th. He won his first match on Saturday by pin over Alec Smith of Herrin (2:54). He then met the eventual champ and lost, 11-6.

In wrestlebacks, Johnston defeated senior Dawson Cross of Carmi-White County, 3-0. He then stuck Nick Foerster of Olney (2:21), before dropping the 5th place match to Gage McIntosh of Lawrenceville, 5-1.

Saturday

Cumberland Trny

Team Scores: 1. Prairie Central 246.50, 2. Shelbyville 179.5, 3. Herrin 147.5, 6. Cumberland 116, 7. Carlyle 112, 9. Mt. Olive 98.5, 11. Oakwood 80, 15. Eisenhower 35, 16. Effingham 33, 17. St. Anthony 9

Ram Results

 106-5. Stirrett lost to Reagan (HER) by fall 3:13; def. Bidabe (CWC)  by fall (1:01); def. Burnett (BEN) by fall (2:19)

113-1. Brachbill def. Welch (MtO) by maj. dec., 18-4; def. Whitecotton (HER) by fall (2:50)

120-Matt Tinsman def. Leach (PCL) by fall (2:56); lost to Haton (OAK); def. Johnston (MTC) by fall (3:10); lost to Harvil (MtO) by fall (1:42)

126-Trey Wade lost to Baker (EFF) by fall (1:27); lost (CUM) to Brandenburg (3:53)

132-5. Finley lost to Garcia (PCL) by fall (3:16); def. Purcell (CWC) by fall (1:51); def. Rightnowar (HAR) by tech fall (4:43); def. Holle (EFF), 9-5.

138-3. Fox def. Gregory (EFF) by fall (1:27); def. Krug (BEN), 4-1; lost to Traub (PCL), 5-2; def. Brach (OLN) by fall (4:47)

145-1. Hudson def. Hovack (MTC) by fall (2:45); def. Poe (CUM), 8-1; def. Bahler (PCL), 3-1.

152-2. Duckett def. Sandschafer (StA)  by maj. dec.; def. Ward (HER) by fall (5:40); def. Grove (LAW), 5-1; lost to Schuler (PCL), 3-1

160-6. Johnston def. Smith (HER) by fall (2:54); lost to A. Schuler (PCL), 11-6; def. Cross (CFC), 3-0; def. Foerster (OLN) by fall 2:21; lost to McIntosh (LAW), 5-1

170-1. Hicks def. Weh (CAR) by fall (1:15); def. Mocaby (BEN) by maj dec, 9-0; def. Keneipp (PCL), 5-2; def. Cravens (HER), 6-4.

182-Mike Ulrich def. Stephens (StA) by fall (:16); lost to Brummer (CUM) by fall (1:18); lost to Frangello (CAT) by fall (3:23)

195-Caleb Cloe def. Jones (DEC) by fall (4:18); lost to Wampler (MTC) by maj dec, 15-1; def. Thomas (CFC) by fall (:28); lost to Rhoda (PCL) by fall (1:53)

220-Noah Applegate lost to Richards (LAW) by fall (1:20); lost to Owens (HAR) by fall (:50)

285-5. Smithson def. Thom (HAR) by fall (1:00); lost to Bennett (PCL) by fall (5:02); def. Greentree (LAW) by fall (1:43); def. Morgan (MTC) by fall (5:10); def. Thom (HAR) by fall (4:21).