Generals Finish With 4 Champions; Ortale Wins Third Title at HVAC!
The Harding wrestling team took to the mats one final time this season to compete in the 2014 HVAC Wrestling Tournament. It turned out to be a great tournament for the Generals as 4 individuals won championships and 8 out of 12 wrestlers placed in the top 3 to give Harding a 4th place team finish.
Winning championships for Harding were Alex Ray '16 at 82 pounds, Daniel McGuire '16 at 95 pounds, Garrett Schultz '15 at 120 pounds and Seve Ortale '15 at 127 pounds.
Alex Ray pinned his opponent from BGA in the finals to win his second HVAC title. Ray won the title last year at 75 pounds. Daniel McGuire capped an undefeated season with a pin in the finals, also against an opponent from BGA. Garrett Schultz earned his title with a hard fought victory over a former HVAC champion from Brentwood Academy. The two wrestlers battled each other in the dual meet a few days earlier with the same result, Schultz coming out on the winning side of a 1 point match. For their efforts, they were voted the best match in the finals!
Ortale became Harding's second ever three-time HVAC champion with a dominating technical fall in the finals over an opponent from BA. He joined Chandler Telfer '10 in the elite three time club! He was also voted the tournament's most outstanding wrestler for the second consecutive season. Ortale finished his Harding career only having lost 1 HVAC match in three years!
Four Harding wrestlers battled back through the consolations to finish third in their respective brackets of the tournament. Will Higgins '16 took third at 107 pounds after only falling 6-3 to the top seed and three time champion from BGA in the semi-finals. Eighth graders Zach Nelson and Scottie Koehner both took third at 135 and 145 pounds respectively. Along with Schultz and Ortale, they provided the wrestling team with some outstanding 8th grade leadership this year. Finally, Will Wheeler '16 took third at 190 pounds and is poised to make a run at a championship next year.
Other competitors for Harding in the tournament were Hutch Morel '17, Drew Lancaster '17, Will Morrison '17 and Cooper Craig '16. There will be a strong contingent of wrestlers returning to the team next year so the future looks bright!
It was a fantastic finish to a great season for the Harding wrestlers!
Back
Winning championships for Harding were Alex Ray '16 at 82 pounds, Daniel McGuire '16 at 95 pounds, Garrett Schultz '15 at 120 pounds and Seve Ortale '15 at 127 pounds.
Alex Ray pinned his opponent from BGA in the finals to win his second HVAC title. Ray won the title last year at 75 pounds. Daniel McGuire capped an undefeated season with a pin in the finals, also against an opponent from BGA. Garrett Schultz earned his title with a hard fought victory over a former HVAC champion from Brentwood Academy. The two wrestlers battled each other in the dual meet a few days earlier with the same result, Schultz coming out on the winning side of a 1 point match. For their efforts, they were voted the best match in the finals!
Ortale became Harding's second ever three-time HVAC champion with a dominating technical fall in the finals over an opponent from BA. He joined Chandler Telfer '10 in the elite three time club! He was also voted the tournament's most outstanding wrestler for the second consecutive season. Ortale finished his Harding career only having lost 1 HVAC match in three years!
Four Harding wrestlers battled back through the consolations to finish third in their respective brackets of the tournament. Will Higgins '16 took third at 107 pounds after only falling 6-3 to the top seed and three time champion from BGA in the semi-finals. Eighth graders Zach Nelson and Scottie Koehner both took third at 135 and 145 pounds respectively. Along with Schultz and Ortale, they provided the wrestling team with some outstanding 8th grade leadership this year. Finally, Will Wheeler '16 took third at 190 pounds and is poised to make a run at a championship next year.
Other competitors for Harding in the tournament were Hutch Morel '17, Drew Lancaster '17, Will Morrison '17 and Cooper Craig '16. There will be a strong contingent of wrestlers returning to the team next year so the future looks bright!
It was a fantastic finish to a great season for the Harding wrestlers!
Inspiring The Mind • Nurturing The Spirit