Bedford Wins 2018 SEC Championship

Bedford Coach Kevin Vogel called it "a total team effort" with every place and match score in the tournament making a huge difference in setting up the chance for Bedford to win in the end.

The team race came down to the very last match of the day between senior captain Austin Emerson (ranked number 1 in the state) and the number 2 ranked HWT in the state from Ypsilanti. Early in the 2nd period of the match with Austin up 4-1, Coach Kevin Vogel became aware that in order to win the team title his heavyweight needed at least a major decision to take the SEC team title. Coach Vogel needed to relay that information to Austin and got his opportunity after an out of bounds scuffle that was reset to the center circle at about the 1:30 mark of the 2nd period. "Push the pace" they call it, and after turning up the intensity, Austin forced three stalling points giving a lead of 13-3. The major decision was locked up when the Ypsilanti wrestler reached his breaking point. He received his second unsportsmanlike conduct resulting in an automatic disqualification. This gave Bedford 245.5 team points, just enough to top Tecumseh at 243.5 points.

Bedford finishers were as follows:

Champions

Sophomore Colin Jagielski with a pin at 171 lbs

Junior Cade Sutterfield with a come from behind 3-2 decision at 119 lbs over D2 #13 wrestler Senior D1 #6 ranked Neil Antrassian with a 16-3 major decision at 152 lbs

Senior D1 #1 Austin Emerson with the DQ at HWT

Second Place

Senior Hunter Gandee with a narrow 9-5 loss to D2 #12

Junior Blake Wingate at 215 lbs losing a very tight battle vs. D2 #4

Third Place

Freshman Chase Grzegorczyk with a pin at 112 lbs

Junior Nathan Sailer with a pin at 135 lbs

Junior Jeff Johnson with a 8-3 decision at 145 lbs

Sixth Place

Sophomore Mason Rimmer at 125 lbs

Sophomore Tyler Meszaros at 140 lbs

Senior Vito Lucarelli at 160 lbs.