Cowan, Rhodes and Weed lead Braves in tournaments

The Absegami Braves opened their wrestling season in two tournaments right before and after Christmas. It was certainly no surprise that returning stars Sean Cowan, Ray Weed and George Rhodes led the way with a first-place finish, three seconds, and a third. Sophomore Christopher Eaton had a fourth-place finish.

At the Robin Leff Tournament at Southern Regional Cowan, wrestling at 157, lost in the finals to Blair Academy’s Louis Colaicco 12-7. Cowan tore his way into the final with a 16-0 technical fall, a 4-1 win and a 10-0 major decision. Cowan had a similar performance at the Mustang Classic at Brick. He made his way into another final this time via an 18-3 tech fall and a 6-5 squeaker prior to losing to Kingsway’s Dakota Morris in the final via a 19-3 technical fall.

Rhodes, at 175, finished third at the Leff Tournament via a 7-2 win over Mt. Olive’s Hunter Perez. Rhodes won his first-round bout with a first-period pin and his quarterfinal match with a third-period pin. At Brick Rhodes and Perez decided to do it again, this time in the finals. Rhodes won this one 7-3. Rhodes pinned his way through the first round and the quarters before winning a 7-3 decision in the semis.

Weed lost in the Mustang 165-pound finals at Brick in overtime 4-2 to Jurius Clark of Camden Catholic. Weed got to the finals with a second-period pin and an 8-6 nailbiter.

Eaton, wrestling at 120 this season, finished fourth at the Leff Tournament. He defeated foes from Delsea and Southern before falling in the semis to EHT star Sean Dever. Eaton lost his third-place bout to Tyler Wood of St. Mary’s.