Arcanum’s Hoffman remains undefeated after tri-meet

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ARCANUM – Try as they might the talented wrestlers from Brookville and Milton-Union could not handle Arcanum’s juggernaut Ethin Hoffman on Wednesday night as he remains unbeaten at 9-0. Hoffman, a senior, is a two-time state qualifier and looking for more foes to conquer for the orange and black.

Coach Jared Beatty’s battalion battled two tradition rich teams from the Southwestern Buckeye League where no quarter is given and they gave both squads a run for their money. In fact Brookville had no seniors on the team and yet they sported an awe inspiring 7-2 dual meet record with their only losses to Covington in a squeaker and got pulverized by powerhouse Versailles recently.

Arcanum’s squad is rallying around Hoffman and it is getting better each and every time out when they get to showcase their skills. What will be even better is when they get their full complement of wrestlers back and that could be in mid-January with their heavyweight returning. The Trojans are shying away from no one and it will pay off down the road with league and sectionals coming. However forfeits continue to play a major role in point production for the ever improving Trojans.

Arcanum faced off against the Blue Devils first, who defeated Milton-Union, 40-31. At 113 pounds Arcanum had to forfeit against Bailey Larson of the blue and white for a quick 6-0 Devil lead. Cameron Haney at 120 pounds for the Trojans took care of James Baldwin by the count of 15-1 in convincing fashion as the deficit shrunk to 6-4. Arcanum had to forfeit another weight class at 126 to the Devils’ Brendan Moore to make the score read 12-4. The132 pound match was another forfeit for Arcanum to Mason Esterline to give up another six points for a 18-4 count. Finally, Arcanum got to wrestle at 138 pounds with Hoffman toeing the mat and he did not disappoint. He turned Ashton Macri every which way but loose by using the butcher, cross face and several other moves. This electrified the crowd of 300 fans watching before pinning him at 1:31 of the second frame after being up 4-1 and 8-1 as 18-10 was now the count. Braydin Gillem (145) was up next for Arcanum and was ready to wrestle a gem against Jayden Behnken of Brookville. This match went back and forth in the early beginnings until Behnken took control late in this high scoring 17-10 match as the orange and black numbers now read 22-10. At 152 pounds Arcanum came in with Devin Keckler going against Gianni Carey. Keckler got control late in this low scoring affair and posted a 5-2 victory to move the Trojans closer at 22-13. The 160-pound match was a double forfeit in which no team scores points. Arcanum got a quick six points at 170 pounds when the Devils had to forfeit against Cael Gostomsky to make it really interesting at 22-19. At 182 pounds Arcanum’s Marcus Fourman went down quickly to Brookville’s Luke Williams via the pin route at 1:14 of the first for a 28-19 count. Arcanum’s Dylan Rhodehamel went against Brookville’s most talented wrestler Chase Dyer at 195 pounds and was pinned in the second with 33.9 seconds left for a 34-19 Brookville lead. Arcanum big man Jack Reed wrestled Matt Hamm at 220 pounds. He was pinned at 1;36 of the first for a 40-19 count. 285 pounds was a forfeit against Arcanum with their heavyweight still on the mend enabling Logan Marburger to get another quick six for a 46- 19 lead. Cristian Snider earned a pin at 106 pounds against Jacob Surber with 6.4 seconds to go for a final tally of 46-25 in favor of Brookville.

Arcanum and Milton-Union went quickly simply because of the number of forfeits involved with the Bulldogs finally prevailing 35-33 on the last match. At 120 pounds, Haney handling Andrew Collins on a quick pin at the minute mark. Milton’s Zach Quesinberry winning on a forfeit at 126, and the same things happened at 132 pounds for Milton-Union’s Aaron Beckman. The 138-pound match was Hoffman having a tough dual with Peyton Brown. Back and forth it went with Hoffman getting a takedown with 28 seconds left to go up 6-3 and let Brown escape for an exciting 6-4 win. The match at 145 was a double forfeit as neither team gained a point. Keckler faced Dylan Schenck at 152 before losing out 10-0. Double forfeit rose it’s ugly head again at 160 pounds for no gain for either squad. Forfeits then helped in Arcanum’s favor at the heavier weight classes except at 285 pounds. After all the forfeiting was said and done and the scoreboard finally came back on to register a 33-30 advantage for the Trojans with one match to go, the 106-pound weight class would decide it all. Arcanum’s Cristian Snider would succumb to the Bulldogs’ best wrestler perhaps in Zach Avey. Avey had all the answers in this one and won going away 19-2 for a match-deciding five team points to make Milton-Union come out on top by two.

”We are improving and getting better each and every time out which is what we want at this time of year,” Beatty said. “I am very proud of senior Ethin Hoffman as he is 9-0 and actually had someone who could give him a workout in Peyton Brown. Ethin is a two-time state qualifier and we want him to get back there and place this time.”

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By Ted Landis Jr.

For The Daily Advocate

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