Six Ithaca wrestlers are taking the next postseason step, led by district champion Jessee Pannill, into the Division 4 individual regional Saturday at St. Louis.
Pannill was the 157-pound district champion last Saturday at Holton. Earning regional berths via third-place district finishes were Ithaca’s Miles Woodman at 132 pounds, Harper Merchant at 175 pounds and Montie Perez at 285 pounds.
Pannill went 3-0 at 157 pounds, culminating in a 17-1 technical fall against McBain’s Gage Corliss in the championship match. He pinned Central Montcalm’s Cody Ono in 1:48 and Coleman’s Gage Lawrence in 1:08.
Woodman pinned Beaverton’s Remington Brethour in 1:41 in the 132-pound consolation final. Woodman won a 10-1 major decision from Lakeview’s Kypton Moss after dropping a match to eventual district champion Dillan Jones of Pine River, by a 10-3 decision. Woodman, a junior, is 32-13.
Harper Merchant pinned Evart’s Brendan Magnusson in 1:39 in the 175-pound third-place match. Merchant pinned Holton’s Landyn Rudd in 3:29 after losing an 8-4 decision to Lakeview’s Lucas Vail.
It was an all Gratiot County affair in the 285-pound consolation final, where Ithaca’s Perez took a 2-1 decision against Ithaca’s Tiger Russell. Perez pinned Coleman’s Adam Muddman in 4:31 and McBain’s Wesley Nelson in 1:28. He lost to eventual champion Noah Walker from Hesperia 4-0. Perez, a junior, is 33-8.
Placing fourth in the district from Ithaca were Preston Montgomery at 150 pounds and Tysin Jenkins at 157. Montgomery was pinned by Lakeview’s Omari Lane in the consolation final. In the consolation bracket he won a 9-4 decision over Coleman’s Aiden Rooks, then took an 8-2 decision from teammate Greyton Merchant in the consolation semifinals. Montgomery opened the day pinning Montabella’s Stewart Houghton in 3:49 before losing to Lake for the first time.
Jenkins lost by technical fall to Montabella’s Cody Omo in the 157-pound third-place match. Jenkins pinned Coleman’s Gage Lawrence in 1:58. Jenkins first pinned Evart’s Kody Grabill in under a minute then was pinned by McBain’s Gage Corliss.