Moose Jaw wrestlers pick up host of medals at O’Neill Titans Classic

If the showing from their most recent meet is any indication, Moose Jaw competitors could find themselves in serious contention for medals at the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association provincial wrestling championships in a month’s time.

Competitors from Peacock, Central and Vanier brought home eight medals from the O’Neill Titans Wrestling Classic in Regina during the Feb 3-4 weekend, taking a solid step in the right direction toward provincials Mar. 17-18 in Regina.

Leading the way was Peacock’s Brady Ross in the male 77-kilogram division, as the reigning SHSAA silver medalist would go undefeated on his way to winning gold.

Ross opened the tournament in style, needing only 31 seconds to get past Matthew McConnell from Winnipeg St. Paul’s and followed with a 1:42 pinfall win over Wilkie’s Odin Kent. That sent Ross to the gold medal match, where he’d face a rather familiar opponent -- none other than Toilers teammate Kingston Usher, who had also won his first two matches. Ross would emerge with an 18-7 technical fall to claim gold.

Usher had just as comfortable a run to the title match, rolling to a 10-0 win over O’Neill’s Karl Lopez and needing only 54 seconds to pin Kai Gee from Regina Balfour in his semifinal.

Peacock’s Kruz Babich also went undefeated on his way to winning gold in the male 55 kg division, posting a 4-0 record in the process. Babich opened his round robin with a 48-second pinfall win over O’Neill’s Ezrah Rabaya before downing O’Neill’s Logan Phipps 10-0, pinning Outlook’s Julian Senek in 22 seconds and wrapping up gold with an 11-0 win over O’Neill’s Ashton Sloman.

Vanier’s Wyatt Behiel won Moose Jaw’s other gold in the Novice male 106-114 kg class, needing 1:10 to pin Carrot River’s Matthew Edwards in his opener and winning gold with a three-second pin in the rematch.

The Toilers’ Akela Sand was one of a trio of competitors who came within a single win of increasing Moose Jaw’s gold medal totals. Competing in the female 64 kg division, Sand defeated Regina Martin’s Viola Ali by pin in 2:01 to open her tournament, but lost her second match by fall in 1:25 to Regina Riffels Brooklyn Dieter. That set up a battle with Carrot River’s Fallon Head for a spot in the medals, and Sand would take no chances, claiming silver with a 15-second pin.

Peacocks Tanner Kivol finished fifth in the male 53 kg division, while Central’s Nigel Fang went 0-2 in the male 69kg class.

The  Cyclone’s Eisa Tondevold went 2-2 to finish second in the Novice Female 51-52 kg class, while teammate Aurelia Eros won her first three matches before settling for silver in the Novice female 56-58 kg division. Central’s Evelyn Eros had a 3-1 record in the Novice female 66-70 kg division and landed third. Vanier’s Liam Palmer had a fifth-place finish in the Novice male 54-56 kg division.

A total of 27 teams and 311 wrestlers took part in the tournament.

You can find all the results from the O’Neill Titans Classic at https://bit.ly/3YFBupP.