ST. JAMES – Jackson County Central was first and Martin County second in the team standings at the Big South Conference wrestling tournament Saturday at St. James Event Center.
The Huskies won the title with 263.5 points, with the Red Bulls second with 188.5.
JCC’s point total was a tournament record in the five years under the current format and the Huskies grabbed 31 percent of the available all-conference spots in the 13-team event. And they did it while leaving the 106-pound weight class open.
The top three wrestlers at each weight class earned all-conference honors and Jackson County Central had 10 wrestlers do that. The Huskies grabbed half of the individual titles as JCC had seven champions and two more Huskies made it to the finals.
Senior Payton Handevidt earned all-conference honors for the fifth time as he won the 160-pound title with an overtime win over Brogan Hanson of St. Peter, who took Handevidt to his back at one point.
Junior Logan Butzon is all-BSC for the fourth time as he placed second at 132. He also picked up his 150th career win along the way.
Six other JCC wrestlers are all-conference for the second time.
That group consists of sophomore Nolan Ambrose, first at 113; senior Kie Anderson, first at 120, junior Thomas Freking, second at 138; junior Dylan Withers, second at 145; junior Caleb Vancura, first at 182; and senior William Freking, first at 195.
Claiming all-Big South honors for the first time were junior Matthew Haley, first at 170; and junior Cameron Scholten, third at 285.
Other place winners for the Huskies were Isaiah Rodriguez, fourth at 152; and senior Trace Michelson, sixth at 220.
Martin County was second on the list of all-conference wrestlers with eight, which included two champions.
Senior Jesse Potts is all-conference for the fourth time as he was the champion at 126.
Four Red Bulls are all-conference for the second time, senior Kain Sanders, first at 145; junior Aden Welcome, third at 152; and junior Carver Rohman, third at 160.
Earning all-conference honors for the first time were seventh-grader Maddex Faber, third at 106; sophomore Rylan Cutler, third at 120; and senior Alec Thompson, second at 285.
Other placers for Martin County were freshman Berent Kosbab, sixth at 113; junior Gage Cyphers, fifth at 170; sophomore Riley Allen, sixth at 182; and junior Wyatt Williamson, fifth at 195.
Jackson County Central wrestles twice next weekend. The Huskies go to Wabasso for a triangular with the host Rabbits and Fulda/Murray County Central and then venture into South Dakota for the Parkston Little B tournament.
Martin County is scheduled to wrestle three times next week.
The Red Bulls are at Blue Earth Area for a dual Tuesday, host St. Peter in Fairmont on Thursday and compete in the Plum Creek Duals in Tracy Friday. Other teams scheduled to be there are the host Panthers, Adrian/Ellsworth, Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie, Blue Earth Area and Worthington.
BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE
Team standings
1. Jackson County Central 263.5, 2. Martin County 188.5, 3. St. Peter 163, 4. Marshall 137, 5. New Ulm 112, 6. Pipestone 97.5, 7. Worthington 92, 8. Waseca 87, 9. Blue Earth Area 73.5, 10. Windom/Mountain Lake 62.5, 11. Redwood Valley 31.5, 12. Luverne 11, 13. St. James Area 9.
JCC results
106: Open
113: Nolan Ambrose 1st
120: Kie Anderson 1st
126: Landon Andrews DNP
132: Logan Butzon 2nd
138: Thomas Freking 1st
145: Dylan Witherts 2nd
152: Isaiah Rodriguez 4th
160: Payton Handevidt 1st
170: Matthew Haley 1st
182: Caleb Vancura 1st
195: William Freking 1st
220: Trace Michelson 6th
285: Cameron Scholten 3rd
Martin County results
106: Maddex Faber 3rd
113: Berent Kosbab 6th
120: Rylan Cutler 3rd
126: Jesse Potts 1st
132: Cooper Steuber DNP
138: Open
145: Kain Sanders 1st
152: Aden Welcome 3rd
160: Carver Rohman 3rd
170: Gage Cyphers 5th
182: Riley Allen 6th
195: Wyatt Williamson 5th
220: Max Olson 1st
285: Alec Thompson 2nd
All-conference wrestlers by team
Jackson County Central 10
Martin County 8
New Ulm 5
St. Peter 5
Pipestone 4
Marshall 3
Worthington 3
Waseca 2
Blue Earth Area 1
Windom/Mountain Lake 1
Luverne 0
Redwood Valley 0
St. James Area 0
Team champions
Tournament champions and point total under the current Big South Conference tournament format
2017: Pipestone 171
2018: Martin County 210.5
2019: Martin County 229
2020: Martin County 232
2021: No tournament
2022: Jackson County Central 263.5