NORTH VERNON

While they didn’t take home any titles, the Seymour wrestling team fought for each point at the Hoosier Hills Conference tournament Saturday.

Seymour finished sixth in the eight-team field, and had a number of wrestlers place in the top-five for their individual weight classes.

Columbus East dominated the eight-team field with 244 points to earn its first HHC title since 2011.

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Floyd Central came in second at the tournament with 205.5 points followed by: Jeffersonville (178), Jennings County (172.5), New Albany (167.5) Seymour (133), Madison (99) and Bedford North Lawrence (49).

Justin Ruddick advanced to the semifinals in the 120-pound division on a forfeit before winning by major decision against Bedford North Lawrence’s Derek Hutchins, 11-1.

Ruddick faced a tall task in the finals matchup, taking on East’s Cayden Rooks. Rooks would take the title with a pin at 1:29, and Ruddick finished as runner-up.

David Shuffitt (132) also placed second on the day. Following a forfeit in the first round, Shuffitt pinned Floyd Central’s Isaac Smith in 5:32.

In the finals, Shuffit lost by technical fall to East’s Dawson Combest.

Cheaney Reichenbacker (145) got some revenge en route to a third place finish.

After an opening 18-8 major decision loss to Jeff’s Jack Ferraro, Reichenbacker bounced back to pin (3:30) Bedford North Lawrence’s Koby Werner.

Reichenbacker then bested Floyd Central’s Corbin Hale in an 8-4 decision before beating Ferraro 4-2.

“The 145 was easily the toughest weight class here,” Owls coach Todd Weaver said. “Cheaney lost big early and had to wrestle all the way back and face the same guy. He wrestled a fantastic match and won it in overtime.”

Kevin Corrales won by pin (1:59) against Bedford North Lawrence’s Tristan Hanners before losing by an 8-3 decision to Jeff’s Luke Smith. Corrales then defeated New Albany’s Austin Philips (pin, 3:53) and Jennings County’s James Jump (5-3 decision) to place third.

Another third place went to Seymour’s Dalton Miller (220), who opened the day with a pin (1:33) over Madison’s Eric Leach. After falling to eventual champ, Austin Sheckles of East, by a 4-2 decision, Miller won a 7-1 decision against Floyd Central’s Josh Harvey and 3-2 match over Jeff’s Josh McCorkle.

The Owls’ Zack Newton (152) pinned Joe Gohl in 1:36 before falling to East’s Andy Davidson. Newton turned around to defeat Jennings County’s Jacoby Trotter on a 4-0 decision prior to getting fourth in the competition with a 9-0 major decision loss to Jeff’s Josh Cooper.

Leo Pena (182) went 2-2 on the day, defeating Bedford North Lawrence’s Ben Weaver on a 9-1 major decision and Madison’s Skylar Lee on a 15-5 major decision for fifth.

A fifth place finish went to the Owls’ John Shuffit (126), finishing 2-1, with a sole loss to the eventual champion Graham Rooks of East.

Jeren Keller (138) and Jacob Rotert (160)  both placed sixth for Seymour with forfeit wins.

Isaiah Pichardo (106) dropped his first match before defeating Jennings County’s Teagan Johnson 5-0 to advance to the fifth place contest. Pichardo lost by technical fall to get sixth.

After dropping his first two contests, Ezra Barr (170) pinned Bedford North Lawrence’s Isaac Johnson in 2:52 for seventh.

Seymour forfeited both the 113 and 285 weight classes entirely.

This weekend, the Owls will return to Jennings County for sectional.

“I loved the way we wrestled Thursday night (at Jennings County), and today I thought we did pretty well,” Weaver said. “We shrunk the matches and controlled what was going on. We’re going to get our take-downs and escapes, make it to the third period and see what happened. We’re getting better at that instead of going out there and giving up bad shots and big points.

We’re wrestling pretty well in that aspect, and that’s important because in sectionals it’s only about advancement.”