The St. Ignace Saints wrestling team captured its sixth district championship in eight years with a win over Boyne City and Rogers City Thursday, February 19. Team members include (front, from left) Dylan Brown, Louis Radecki, Darren Bates, William Pechta, Kaiden Shiemke, Dan St. Onge, Lucas Thurston, Devin Chargo; (back) Allan Honeycutt, Eric Brown, Mike McNeely, Tyler Oja, Rob Sayles, Stefan Saffian, Billy Grogan, John Evashevski, Rob Robinson, Assistant Coach Wade Huskey, and Head Coach Harvey Bentley. In their first year in the Division 4/ District 4 playoff bracket, the St. Ignace Saints wrestling team ended Rogers City's 22-consecutive district championship streak with a decisive 49-27 win over the host Hurons Thursday, February 19.

The Saints, 30-6 in dual matches this season, breezed into the district finals with a 54-6 win over the Boyne City Ramblers in the district semifinals. The Hurons upended the Onaway Cardinals 42-30 in the second semifinal round.

The Saints have earned three district titles in a row, including two in their previous bracket, Newberry and Rudyard. This year, the Saints competed with Boyne City, Onaway, and Rogers City, holder of the district crown since 1986.

The Saints' Tyler Oja, with Coach Harvey Bentley, won the 152- weight class at the SAC meet for his 100th career win at LaSalle High School Saturday, February 14. Both St. Ignace and Rogers City are members of the Straits Area Conference.

The Division Four/District Four championship match started at the 125-weight division, with Kaiden Shiemke pinning his opponent with 10 seconds left in the first period, jump-starting the Saints to a 6-0 lead.

Eric Brown (130) posted a 6-2 decision and John Evashevski (135) won a 15-0 technical fall for a Saints 14-0 lead before Allan Honeycutt (140) suffered a tough 4-1 setback, but the Saints still led 14-3.

The Saints recorded five consecutive pins to extend their lead to 44-3 as Rob Robinson (145) earned a second-period pin, Rob Sayles (152), a first-period pin, Tyler Oja (160), a first-period pin, Billy Grogan (171), a second period pin, and Stefan Saffian (189) earned a second-period pin.

Rob Sayles won the 152- pound division during the district finals at Rogers City. St. Ignace was open in the next three weight classes (215, 285, 103), forfeiting 18 points, but the Saints had built a 44-21 advantage and clinched the title with two matches remaining.

Mike Mc- Neely (119) won on a 16-1 technical fall and William Pechta (112) dropped his match on a pin.

In the semifinal win over Boyne City, the Saints won their 11 weight classes, while nine of the St. Ignace wrestlers went 2-0 on the evening.

The St. Ignace squad has won six district titles in eight years (2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009) and captured its first regional crown in 2004 to qualify for the state finals before falling in the opening round to New Lothrop.

The Saints will travel to Munising and battle highly rated Iron Mountain in the Division Four Regionals Wednesday, February 25, at 6 p.m.

Tyler Oja Captures

100th Career Win

Senior Tyler Oja, a four-year wrestler for the Saints, captured his 100th career win during the Straits Area Conference meet at LaSalle High School Saturday, February 14.

Kaiden Shiemke started the Saints out with a win in the district finals' 125-weight class. Nine Saints Qualify

for Regional Finals

Nine St. Ignace Saints wrestlers qualified for the regionals with top four places in the district individual finals Saturday, February 21, at Rogers City.

Mike McNeely (119), Eric Brown (130), John Evashevski (140), and Rob Robinson (145) finished first; Tyler Oja (152) placed second, and Dan St. Onge (145), Billy Grogan (171), and Stefan Saffian (189) took third in their respective weight classes.

LaSalle High School will host the individual regional tournament Saturday, February 28, with wrestling to begin at 10 a.m.

Bulldogs Qualify for Regionals

Four Rudyard Bulldogs wrestlers qualified for the individual regionals to be held at St. Ignace Saturday, February 28.

Chad Mesnard (140) and Dylan Tulgetske (285) finished third and Logan Perry (215) and Brock Lewis (152) placed fourth at the individual districts at Rogers City Saturday, February 21.

Eric Brown of St. Ignace with a win in the district finals' 130- weight class. The Saints' Rob Robinson finished undefeated in the 145-weight class at the district finals. The Saints' John Evashevski placed first in the 135-weight class at the district finals.