St. Ignace won the U.P. division of the Rudyard Bridge Brawl. (Photograph courtesy of Terri Fitzpatrick) St. Ignace was the winner of the Upper Peninsula division at the Rudyard Lions Club Bridge Brawl Friday, December 15, at Harris Kahl Gymnasium. Alpena clinched the Lower Peninsula division during the tournament.

The format pitted the U.P. teams of St. Ignace, Manistique, Rudyard, Norway, and Negaunee against the L.P. teams of Alpena, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Mancelona, and Frankfort in five dual matches.

St. Ignace and Manistique both finished with 4-1 records, however, the Saints won the U.P. title on total points scored (278 points) while Alpena won the L.P. division with a 5-0 mark.

The Saints defeated Charlevoix 69-6, Mancelona 66-10, Frankfort 64-12, and Cheboygan 42-27 while losing a heartbreaker to Alpena 42- 37.

Alpena’s victory over St. Ignace came down to a questionable call by the referee, said Saints Head Coach Harvey Bentley.

Saints wrestler John Evashevski was given a defeat by technical default after having to stop play three times to tend to a bloody nose. Coach Bentley said a team is supposed to be given a total of five minutes to stop play (called “blood time” in wrestling) for minor medical treatment to a player, which it did not receive.

"The referee made the wrong call that would have changed the outcome of the team scoring," said Coach Bentley. "Following the meet, I was told of the mistake, but nothing could have been done about the decision. I was not pleased with the call against John Evashevski, but, overall, the younger wrestlers, Arthur, Evashevski, Grogan, Saffian, and Nate and Andy Tamlyn have performed well during the early part of the season." The Alpena match was outstanding

from the start to the finish. Starting at the 112-pound weight class, Mike McNeely won 18-7, Brandon Garries (119) won 14-4, Sam Fitzpatrick (125) pinned his opponent, Evashevski (130) lost, Mario Calcaterra (135) lost, Shawn Cowell (140) won on a pin, Billy Grogan (145), Stefan Saffian (152) and Nate Tamlyn (160) all suffered defeats, Derek Marshall (171) won, Andy Tamlyn (189) lost, James Sayles (215) won a pin, the Saints forfeited at heavyweight, and Matt Arthur (103) won.

The 13-man Saints team totaled a 49-16 overall record on the day,

led by Cowell (140-pound weight division), Fitzpatrick (125), Mc- Neely (112), and Garries (119) with 5-0 records and two pins each.

Marshall (171) and Arthur (103) were 5-0 with one pin, Sayles (215) at 4-1 with three pins, Calcaterra (135) 4-1, Evashevski (130) 3-2 with two pins, Grogan (145) 3-2, Tamlyn (160) at 2-3 with two pins, Tamlyn (189) 2-3 with one pin, and Saffian (152) at 1-4.

St. Ignace, 11-3 in dual matches this season, travels to Mio Thursday, December 21, to face the Thunderbolts and the Petoskey Northmen.