By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Buchanan's 210 points at Saturday's Lakeland Conference Wrestling Tournament was enough to give the Bucks the outright conference championship. This is the third league title for Buchanan, which finishes 6-0 in the conference.
The win didn't come easy, though, as Edwardsburg stayed within breathing distance of the Bucks heading into the final rounds of the day.
The Eddies actually held a 157-155 lead over the Bucks, but Buchanan took charge in the final and consolation rounds and ended with the victory.
The Bucks had seven wrestlers advance to the finals, with Todd Taylor (125), Nick Wheetley (130), A.J. Long (171) and Ryan Harrington (189) coming out champions.
Taylor pinned Edwardsburg's Tyler Kendle at the 2:21 mark. Wheetley defeated Huston Harrison from Coloma, 11-5. Long beat Mike DeGraff of Cassopolis, 6-4 and Harrington defeated Josh Deubner of Cassopolis, 1-0.
Brandywine, which finished second during the regular season, ended in fourth Saturday with 107 points. The Bobcats ended the dual-meeting standings with a 5-1 record.
Brandywine was without a few wrestlers, which worked to its disadvantage in the tournament. The Bobcats were without Chase Molica, who had a skin infection, Warren Watson, who was out with a broken hand and Ralph Sater, who is ineligible.
Brandywine had two wrestlers make the finals, as undefeated Jeremy Hechtl (215) pinning Edwardsburg's Steve Franklin in 3:04 in the finals.
It was the first Lakeland Tournament championship for Hechtl, who has placed third for the past two years.
Brandywine's Joel Perry was defeated by Berrien Springs' Darius Whitehead, 11-9 in the finals.
The Cassopolis Rangers ended the day in third place with 127 points. Five wrestlers made it to the finals.
Corey Lowe (140), John McCoy (152) and John Grice (285) all won title crowns.
Lakeland Conference Tournament
TEAM SCORES: Buchanan 210, Edwardsburg 175, Cassopolis 127, Brandywine 107, Coloma 99, River Valley 70, Berrien Springs 61
Championship round
103 – John Tanner (Coloma) pinned Cameron Warren (Edwardsburg), 0:37
112 – Luke Faultersack (Coloma) beat David Knisely (Buchanan), 2-0
119 – John Stein (River Valley) won by major decision over Mike Witherow (Buchanan), 13-0
125 – Todd Taylor (Buchanan) pinned Tyler Kendle (Edwardsburg), 2:21
130 – Nick Wheetley (Buchanan) beat Huston Harrison (Coloma), 11-5
135 – Matt Kiser (Coloma) beat Matt Peters (Edwardsburg), 11-4
140 – Corey Lowe (Cassopolis) beat Wade Smous (Edwardsburg), 10-7
145 – Kyle Froehlich (Berrien Springs) beat Alex Hall (Edwardsburg), 9-6
152 – John McCoy (Cassopolis) beat Auston Ferris (Buchanan), 5-2
160 – Darius Whitehead (Berrien Springs) beat Joel Perry (Brandywine), 11-9
171 – A.J. Long (Buchanan) beat Mike DeGraff (Cassopolis), 6-4
189 – Ryan Harrington (Buchanan) beat Josh Deubner (Cassopolis), 1-0
215 – Jeremy Hechtl pinned Steve Franklin (Edwardsburg), 3:04
285 – John Grice (Cassopolis) pinned Pat White (Edwardsburg), 3:05.
Final Dual-Meet conference stanings
1. Buchanan 6-0
2. Brandywine 5-1
3. Edwardsburg 4-2
4. Coloma 3-3
5. Cassopolis, River Valley and Berrien Springs tied at 1-5
Final Overall standings
1. Buchanan
2. Edwardsburg
3. Brandywine
4. Cassopolis and Coloma tied
6. River Valley
7. Berrien Springs