Bronson wrestling wraps up Big 8 crown; Vikings boast 4 champions, 10 total All Big 8

(Editor’s Note: Because of the tremendous amount of success of all three local teams when it comes to their efforts on the mat, all three teams and their results will appear in their own separate story. This particular story will recap the results of the Big 8 conference champions, the Bronson Vikings.)

QUINCY, MI. — The Coolest Gym in Michigan played host to the 2022-23 Big 8 Conference Wrestling Championship in a long Saturday of intense and exciting action.

The Bronson Vikings capped off a dominant conference season Saturday, officially wrapping up the Big 8 conference championship with a win at Saturday’s event. The Vikings finished their dual meet schedule unbeaten at 7-0 and officially became conference champions, reascending to the thrown with a win at Quincy High School with a score of 169 points. Bronson boasted four weight class champions, three runner-up finishes, two third place finishes and two fourth place honors, for a total of 10 All Conference honorees.

The Union City Chargers finished in second place at Saturday’s event with a score of 161.5 points and with their 5-2 dual meet record officially wrapped up second place honors in the conference. Union City finished the day with five weight class champions, two runner-up finishers and one third place honor for a total of eight All Conference honors.

The up and coming Quincy Orioles finished in third place overall at the tournament with 143.5 points. thanks to two weight class champions, three runner-up finishes, two third place honorees and three fourth place honorees.

Rounding out the end of season standings was the Jonesville Comets in fourth place with 96.5 points; Reading in fifth place with 92 points; Homer in sixth place with 85 points; Springport in seventh place with 52 points; and Concord in eighth place with 26.5 points.

Bronson had four weight class champions, including Owen Kimmons at 120 pounds, Layne Knisely at 138 pounds, Carson Norton at 165 pounds, and Jacob Britten at 175 pounds.

Sophomore Owen Kimmons (28-11) secured his second career Big 8 title with his win at 120 pounds after winning the 112 pound weight class last season. Kimmons rolled through the 120 pound weight class, winning via pin fall over Jordyan Metcalf of Concord in the semifinals in 1:24, followed by a pin fall win over Quincy’s Caleb Rose in the championship finale in :23 seconds.

Freshman Layne Knisely (33-6) ascended to the top of the podium in the 138 pound weight class, capping off a stellar rookie season. Knisely opened up his run to the conference title with a pin fall victory over Jacob Hamilton of Reading in the first round in 4:42, followed by a razor thin 3-2 decision over Collin Thompson of Concord in the semifinals, setting up a championship match with his Union City rival Aidan Taylor. The last time these two met it was Taylor taking the decision win at the BC Central Invite, well on Saturday it was Knisely’s turn. Not to be deterred the Bronson rookie turned Taylor for the pin fall victory in 3:44, giving Knisely his first Big 8 conference title.

Bronson junior Carson Norton (34-6) took home the Big 8 conference title at 165 pounds after finishing 2-0 on the day. Norton took the first step to a conference title with a first round bye, followed by a pin fall win over Jacob Fisher of Homer in 3:14 in the semifinals, setting up a championship match up with Austin Bowers of Jonesville. Norton defeated Bowers via an exciting 9-6 decision, securing the Big 8 conference title.

Bronson junior Jacob Britten (36-4) brought home his first Big 8 conference title on Saturday, winning the 175 pound weight class. Britten secured a first round bye, followed by a semifinal win over Gavin Peet of Quincy in an exciting 2-0 decision, setting up a championship match with Lukas Strine of Reading. Britten dominated the gold medal matchup, defeating Strine via a 6-0 decision to take home the conference championship.

Bronson also secured three silver medal finishes at the Big 8 conference championships, as Aiden Fill, Perry Lake and Drew Seekman all finished with runner-up honors.

Aidan Fill (9-3) capped off a tumultuous season that saw the Viking sophomore battle numerous injuries, earning runner-up honors at 113 pounds. Fill received a first round bye, followed up by a semifinal win via pin fall over Owen Thomas of Springport in 4:31. In the championship finals it was Fill facing off with Union City sophomore Logan Mears in a rematch of last year’s 103 pound Big championship. This year it was Mears earning an early takedown, a takedown he would turn into a pin fall situation, taking the win in :46 seconds, giving Fill the very respectable runner-up finish.

Also earning runner-up honors for Bronson was senior Perry Lake (33-5) who fell to Springport’s David Becker in the championship final via an exciting 3-1 decision at 126 pounds. Lake opened his run to the silver medal with a first round bye, followed by a pin fall win over Union City’s Kelub Miller in 1:23, setting up the title match with Becker. In a match featuring two of the best wrestlers in the conference regardless of weight, the two left it all on the mat, with Becker exacting revenge for an early season loss with the 3-1 decision win, giving Lake the silver medal.

Bronson’s final runner-up finish came at 150 pounds as senior Drew Seekman (28-9) took runner-up honors at 150 pounds. Seekman took a first round bye followed by a semifinal win over Jeremiah Bedford of Reading via a 14-1 major decision, setting up a championship match with the top seed in Union City’s Colton Russell. The scoring was slow to start but in the end it was Russell earning the 8-3 decision win, giving Seekman the runner-up finish.

Also earning All Conference honors for the Bronson Vikings with a top four finish in their respective weight class was Gabriel Erwin with a fourth place finish at 144 pounds; Mason Lindsey with a fourth place finish at 157 pounds; Jacob Dixon with a third place finish at 190 pounds; and Matthew Blankenship with a third place finish at 215 pounds.

Bronson will look to ride the momentum of their Big 8 conference win into the MHSAA postseason as the Vikings will play host to the Union City Chargers and the Colon Magi for team district wrestling on Wednesday, beginning at 6 p.m. The individual district tournament will take place next Saturday at Bronson High School with a chance at individual honors for the entirety of the Bronson wrestling team.

Full Big 8 Conference Results

106 pounds- Chayse Jensen (Quincy) 28-9 over Landon Winder (Homer) 26-11, via a 9-2 decision

113 pounds- Logan Mears (Union City) 28-6 over Aiden Fill (Bronson) 9-3, via pin fall in :46 seconds

120 pounds- Owen Kimmons (Bronson) 28-11 over Caleb Rose (Quincy) 25-10, via pin fall in :23 seconds

126 pounds- David Becker (Springport) 32-4 over Perry Lake (Bronson) 33-5, via a 3-1 decision

132 pounds- Landyn Crance (Union City) 32-2 over Jacob Reif (Quincy) 33-2, via a 3-2 decision

138 pounds- Layne Knisely (Bronson) 33-6 over Aidan Taylor (Union City) 25-6, via pin fall in 3:44

144 pounds- Derek Ballinger (Jonesville) 20-5 over Montana Connell (Union City) 20-9, via a 3-2 decision

150 pounds- Colton Russell (Union City) 32-5 over Drew Seekman (Bronson) 28-9, via a 8-3 decision

157 pounds- Maddox Miller (Union City) 23-11 over Rylinn Hale (Springport) 23-11, via pin fall in 5:13

165 pounds- Carson Norton (Bronson) 34-6 over Austin Bowers (Jonesville) 20-6, via a 9-6 decision

175 pounds- Jacob Britten (Bronson) 36-4 over Lukas Strine (Reading) 18-12, via a 6-0 decision

190 pounds- Davin George (Quincy) 29-3 over Isaac Shively (Jonesville) 30-7, via a 8-1 decision

215 pounds- Grady Iobe (Union City) 26-1 over Hamilton Spieth (Quincy) 15-8, via a 7-0 decision

285 pounds- Eathan Westfall (Reading) 33-0 over Cooper Stevens (Jonesville) 20-13, via pin fall in :35 seconds

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Bronson wrestling wraps up Big 8 crown; Vikings boast 4 champions, 10 total All Big 8