Brock Lewis Rudyard Evashevski Places First

At U.P. Tournament

Senior John Evashevski, 34-1 on the season, finished first in the 135- weight class with a 3-0 record during the Upper Peninsula Tournament in Marquette Saturday, January 23.

This tournament takes the place of the Upper Peninsula state finals, which was held for the last time in 2007. The wrestlers now compete in the statewide tourney.

The Saints finished at a strong fourth place in the 17-team event, behind Escanaba in first, followed by Iron Mountain, Gladstone, Ishpeming, and Marquette.

Galloway Thurston (160), 33-3 on the season, finished second with a 2-1 mark, Richard Bentley (119) was 30-7 overall and Louie Radecki was (130) 29-8, both placing third with 3-1 records.

Joe Ostman (171), 26-6 on the season, took fourth with a 2-2 record. Robert Sayles (189) was 23- 8, placing fifth with a 4-1 mark.

John Evashevski, wrestling in the 135-weight class, has compiled a 34-1 overall record during his senior season at LaSalle High School and captured first place at the U.P. Tourney with a 3-0 record Saturday, January 23. Billy Bentgen (103) 27-11 went 3-2. Dan St. Onge (152) was 26-11 and William Pechta (125) was 16- 13, both at 2-2. Caleb Litzner (145) and 6-11 was 1-2. Dakota McLennan (112) and 13-8 and Joe Krause (140) and 15-8 went 0-2.

The Saints will be at Cheboygan Wednesday, January 27, and will travel to Gaylord to compete in the Blue Devils Invitational Saturday, January 30.

Brock Lewis Named Outstanding Wrestler

Senior Brock Lewis of Rudyard was named Outstanding Wrestler at the U.P. Tourney after winning the 152-weight class with a 3-0 record. Chad Mesnard (145) placed second with a 3-1 mark.

Freshman Galloway Thurston finished second at the U.P. Tourney and has compiled a 33-3 overall record while wrestling in the 160- pound division. Fifth-ranked Saints 1-1 at Onaway Quad

The St. Ignace Saints wrestling team, ranked fifth in the Upper Peninsula Poll by the Wrestling Coaches Association (WCA), improved to 20-7 in dual matches on the season after defeating the host Cardinals 49-15, but fell to the Mio Thunderbolts 48-36 during a quadrangular meet at Onaway High School Thursday, January 21.

The WCA voted Iron Mountain as the number one team, followed by Escanaba, Ishpeming High School, Gladstone, and the Saints in the top five.

In the Saints game at Onaway, "Overall, I was pleased with our effort," said Coach Harvey Bentley. "We had tough matches and against a strong Mio team, the match could have gone either way. Our younger wrestlers had tough competition that will make them better."

Four wrestlers led the Saints with 2-0 records that included John Evashevski (135), Galloway Thurston (160), Louie Radecki (130), and Robert Sayles (189). Dan St. Onge (152) and Joe Ostman (171) went 1-0. Billy Bentgen (103), Dakota McLennan (112), William Pechta (125), Joe Krause (140), and Caleb Litzner (145) were 1-1. Wyatt Orm (171) was 0-1, and Richard Bentley (119) was 0-2.

The match between the Saints and Thunderbolts reunited old rivals, as Coach Bentley and Mio's coach, Tim Jensen, wrestled against each other for three years while in high school, at LaSalle and Grayling, respectively.

"We competed in the 98-105- 112-weight divisions and had some good matches and we have remained good friends as coaches," said Coach Bentley.