It was a perfect day for the Goodrich varsity wrestling team and for several Martian wrestlers.
Goodrich went 5-0 to capture the Chesaning Team Tournament Saturday, Jan. 7 at Chesaning High School. Five Goodrich wrestlers helped the team’s cause by going 5-0 on the day: David Garr, Mark Weber, Nick Gatchell, Brad Armstrong and Kyler Elsworth.
The Martians started the day with a 66-15 win against Pinconning. Goodrich won eight matches by forfeit, while Elsworth pinned Jake Hoffman in 1:09 in a 152-lb. matchup, Kyle March (171) pinned Kyle Filcek in 2:40, and Weber (112) pinned Tyler Wieland in 34 seconds.
In their second match, the Martians had little trouble dispatching Cedar Springs 59-9. Drew Weil (125), Grant Overcashier (130), Gatchell (135), Joe Hopkins (160) and March (171) won by decision.
Meanwhile, Armstrong (145), Jeremy Gauthier (189), Garr (103), and Weber (119) won by pinfall, while C.C. Weber (112) won by forfeit.
Next up for the Martians was Carrollton, who gave Goodrich a battle before the Martians prevailed 49-26. Three Goodrich wrestlers ? Overcashier (130), Gatchell (135) and Garr (103) ? won their matches by technical fall, while March (171) earned a 12-4 decision against Logan Carroll.
In addition, five Martians ? Lovell (140), Armstrong (145), Elsworth (152), Hopkins (160) and Mark Weber (112) won by pinfall.
Goodrich then held off the challenge of Central Montcalm by a 45-25 score. Weber (119) earned a 9-7 decision against Wayne Bogue, while four Goodrich wrestlers ? Gatchell (135), Elsworth (152), Justin Seaford (275) and Garr (103) earned pinfall wins. Armstrong (145), Dustin Brooks (152) and Hopkins (171) won by forfeit.
In the final match of the tournament, the Martians dashed the hopes of the hometown Chesaning faithful, defeating the Indians 42-29.
Armstrong (145) pinned Austin Ewing in 3:29, while Elsworth (152) pinned Ryan Koch in 3:00 and Garr (103) pinned Steven Labelle in 1:43.
Three more Goodrich wrestlers earned decisions, as Weber (112) defeated Chad Rieber 14-5; Weil (125) defeated Mike Smith 10-2; and Overcashier (130) defeated Miller Dugalech 21-7. In addition, Gauthier (189) and Gatchell (135) won by forfeit.
The Martians split a dual meet Jan. 4, defeating Lake Fenton 51-24 and losing to Durand 40-33.
Against Lake Fenton, after Gatchell (135) and Lovell (140) won by forfeit, Lake Fenton’s Matt Leadingham earned a 13-4 decision against Armstrong in the 145-lb. class. Elsworth (152) then pinned Curt Ketzler in 1:05 to put the Martians up 18-4.
The Blue Devils then won four of the five next matches to take a 24-21 lead. However, Lake Fenton was hurt by their lack of manpower in the final five matches, as the Martians won four of the five matches by void.
In the one match that was not voided, Weil (125) pinned Lake Fenton’s Jake Maitland in 24 seconds.
The Martians had a reversal of fortune against Durand, as they led at one point 27-10, but lost five of the last six matches against the Railroaders.
After Durand’s Justin Donahue earned a 9-2 win against Weil in 125-lb. action, Overcashier (130) pinned Greyson Little in 1:39 to put the Martians up 6-3. Gatchell (135) then captured a 6-0 decision against Chad Burton to increase the Goodrich lead to 9-3.
Durand’s Fraser Dean then won a 15-5 decision against Lovell in 140-lb. action before Armstrong (145) pinned Brad Aldrich in 4:51 and Elsworth (152) pinned Dan Edmondson in 1:55.
The Martians had two more wins against the Railroaders, as March (171) pinned Devon Brinker in 1:58 and Weber (112) won by forfeit.