By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Ryle wrestlers won seven of 14 weight class titles in the Region 5 tournament and placed first in the team standings for the fifth consecutive year on Saturday at Campbell County High School.
The Raiders’ gold medal winners were seniors Landon Evans (138), Rider Trumble (157) and Travis Steiber (190), junior Callen Schmidt (165), sophomore Keigan Reisenbeck (175) and freshmen Bryant Brinkman (106) and Aiden Brinkman (113).
Their victories in the championship finals gave Ryle a final total of 247.5 points. Conner placed second with 199 followed by Simon Kenton with 175.
The top four finishers in each weight class qualified for the state tournament on Friday and Saturday at Kentucky Horse Park. Ryle had 10 state qualifiers. Conner, Simon Kenton and Highlands each had six.
The Ryle wrestlers with the best won-loss records are Evans at 32-0 and Trumble at 45-2. Both of them will be competing in their final state tournament after placing third in last year’s season finale. Evans was a state champion as a sophomore.
This will also be the last state tournament for Walton-Verona senior TJ Meyer (144) and Simon Kenton senior Jonah McCloskey (132), who both lost matches in last year’s state finals. Meyer has been a state runner-up three consecutive years and has more than 200 career wins.
Two other region weight class champions — Conner junior Clayton Badida (120) and Boone County freshman Jayden Porter (285) — have reached the 50-win mark this season.
Region 5 boys wrestling finals
106 WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Bryant Brinkman (Ryle) over Keaton Dicken (Conner), 9-6. Third place — Parker Wilkins (Highlands) over Tracker Blackburn (Scott), 4:14.
113 WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Aiden Brinkman (Ryle) over Cole Young (Boone County), 2:46. Third place — Zaq Abdi (Conner) over Remi Rodriguez (Highlands), 4:18.
120
WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Clayton Badida (Conner) over Brayden Donato (Walton-Verona), 3:54. Third place — Emilio Rodriguez (CovCath) over Ryan Nickelman (Highlands), 4:15.
126
WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Braydan Blevins (Simon Kenton) over Luke Cornwell (Ryle), 12-11. Third place — Michael Smith (Scott) over Ethan Piasecki (Dixie Heights), 0:45.
132
WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Jonah McCloskey (Simon Kenton) over Travis Votel (Highlands), 3:26. Third place — Jagger Irvin (Ryle) over CJ Holt (Walton-Verona), 5-0.
138
WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Landon Evans (Ryle) over Ian Lawrence (Simon Kenton), forfeit. Third place — Kayson White (Highlands) over Justin Kidd (Dixie Heights), 0:55.
144
WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — TJ Meyer (Walton-Verona) over Xavier Montanez (Dixie Heights), 1:00. Third-place — Deacon Heisler (Campbell County) over Landon Windeler (CovCath) 4:33.
150
WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — TJ Hicks (Highlands) over Parker Smith (Simon Kenton), 17-8. Third place — Luke Peace (CovCath) over Isaac Ray (Ryle), 15-7).
157 WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Rider Trumble (Ryle) over Aidan Maher (CovCath), 5:41. Third-place — Corey Freihofer (Cooper) over Nathan Seth (Conner), 10-2.
165 WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Callen Schmidt (Ryle) over Benjamin Woosley (Simon Kenton), 12-2. Third place — Keegan Bishop (CovCath) over Ben Turner (Cooper), forfeit.
175 WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Keigan Reisenbeck (Ryle) over Benjamin Walton (Walton-Verona), 7-4. Third place — Rohaan Waraich (Conner) over Kylan Sturgeon (Scott), 2:31).
190 WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Travis Steiber (Ryle) over Henry Morales (Dixie Heights), 2:39. Third place –– Aiden Bowling (Scott) over Alijon Suhrob (Boone County), 2:08.
215 WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Luke Hyden (Walton-Verona) over Gio Moreno (Boone County, 1:29. Third place — Brayden Allender (Campbell County) over Jaydan Rutherford (Simon Kenton), 4-1.
285 WEIGHT CLASS
Championship — Jayden Pointer (Boone County) over Mason Krentz (Scott), 4-0. Third place — Brayton Haaser (Conner) over Christian Brown (Cooper), 3-1.
TEAM SCORES
Ryle 247.5, Conner 199, Simon Kenton 174.5, Walton-Verona 130.5, Highlands 126.5, Covington Catholic 122.5, Scott 121, Dixie Heights 94, Cooper 79.5, Boone County 76, Campbell County 68, Holmes 37, Newport 4.