Brother Martin tunes up for state tourney winning LA Classic

If anyone is going to dethrone 3-time defending Division I state champion Brother Martin next month in the LHSAA state wrestling tournament, it is going to be tough.

The Crusaders showed once again that they are the team to beat, winning the Louisiana Classic at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales Saturday.

With 30 of the to programs in the state competing, Brother Martin concluded the 2-day event with 214.5 points, finished 15.5 points ahead of second place St. Paul’s, who tallied 199 points. Brother Martin edged the Wolves by 5.5 points for the Division I state title in 2020 in Bossier City.

Holy Cross was a very close third with 197 points with East Ascension fourth at 195 and defending Division II state champion Teurlings Catholic fifth with 185.5 points. Jesuit and Archbishop Shaw tied for eighth with 127 points.

The Crusaders did it without winning an individual title, displaying their immense team depth. Brother Martin had two second-place finishers in Ethan Castex (126) and Rocco Horvath (160).

Holy Cross had the most individual champions with three, including defending state champion brothers Evan Frost (132) and Jacob Frost (138), along with Charles Sauerwin III (126), who defeated Castex for the second time in as many weeks to solidify his top-seed in that weight class in the upcoming state tournament. Jacob Frost (27-0) was named the Most Oustanding Wrestler of the event.

Archbishop Shaw, who finished eighth, had a pair of two individual champions, including Glenn Price (120) and Jude Monaco (182).

Other area winners included Payton Ward (160) of St. Paul’s and Dennis Daugherty of Jesuit (195). Blain Cascio of St. Paul’s was second at 182 pounds, losing a tough 4-3 overtime final to Monaco.

The state tournament is set for Feb. 26-27 at the Baton Rouge River Center.

Louisiana Classic Team Results

1. Brother Martin 214.5

2. St. Paul’s 199

3. Holy Cross 197

4. East Ascension 195

5. Teurlings Catholic 185.5

6. North DeSoto 180.5

7. Catholic (BR) 128

(tie) 8. Archbishop Shaw 127

(tie) 8. Jesuit 127

10. Sulphur 100

11. Airline 86

12. Parkway 77

13. Live Oak 73

14. Zachary 71.5

15. Belle Chasse 69

16. Archbishop Rummel 67

17. Southside 66

18. Dutchtown 60

19. St. Amant 56

20. Archbishop Hannan 53.5

21. Chalmette 51

22. Brusly 48.5

23. De La Salle 47

24. Rayne 45

25. John Curtis Christian 41

26. Central 35

27. St. Michael 32

28. Fontainebleau 31

29. Baton Rouge 24

30. Erath 23

Individual Final Results:

106 pounds: Landon Reaux (Southside) pinned Ashton Sonnier (Teurlings Catholic), 5:14

113: Ernie Perry (Airline) def. Ethan Boudreaux (Teurlings Catholic) 12-4

120: Glenn Price (Archbishop Shaw) def. Dylan Laurian (Holy Cross), 5-2

126: Charles Sauerwin (Holy Cross) def. Ethan Castex (Brother Martin), 7-3

132: Evan Frost (Holy Cross) def. Jace Chenevert (St. Amant), 17-2

138: Jacob Frost (Holy Cross) def. Jacob Ramirez (Archbishop Rummel), 15-0

145: Peter Kelly (Catholic BR) def. Hunter Addison (North DeSoto), 6-4

152: Andrew Trahan (Brusly) pinned Joshua Vincent (Teurlings Catholic), 4:21

160: Peyton Ward (St. Paul’s) def. Rocco Horvath (Brother Martin), 8-4

170: Brad Mahoney (East Ascension) pinned Mark Pennison (Archbishiop Hannan), 1:54

182: Jude Monaco (Archbishop Shaw) def. Blain Cascio (St. Paul’s), 4-3 OT

195: Corey Hyatt (Sulphur) pinned Nawab Singh (Live Oak), 4:27

220: Dennis Daughtery (Jesuit) pinned Joel Lanclos (Teurlings Catholic), 3:31

285: Ashton Freeman (Zachary) pinned Gavin Soniat (East Ascension), 7:53