NEW PALESTINE — Sydney DeLois reigned supreme on Saturday during the inaugural New Palestine girls wrestling invitational.
DeLois won the individual title at 120 pounds, leading the host Dragons to a 17th-place finish out of 35 teams.
Columbia City won the team title with 148 points, followed by Jay County (114), Northview (78) and Lebanon (70). Greenfield-Central was 13th overall with 40 points.
DeLois won her first match by fall in 1 minute, 8 seconds, then beat Hamilton Heights’ Zoe Pugh 10-5 by decision and Northfield’s Ella Gahl 8-0. She then defeated Bellmont’s Andrea Hernandez 2-0 in the final.
Three other Dragons also placed. Julia Champ finished seventh at 125, going 2-for-2 on the day. Ezra Wagoner finished eighth at 126, with a pair of victories by fall. At 138, Jillian Champ finished eighth.
The G-C Cougars were led by freshman Ella Harpold at 182, finishing 2-1 to place second. Freshman Lilly Shannon was 2-2 at 106 for fourth. Freshman Abi Elliot went 1-2 for fourth at 138. Freshman Campbell Scott was 1-2 at 120 for sixth, and freshman Madalyn Reed placed eighth at 170.
Dragons pin Royals in season opener
The New Palestine boys wrestling team prevailed over Eastern Hancock, 50-27, Tuesday to open the season.
Elijah Alonso (132 pounds) and Sam Olive (195) both won their matches by fall. Bryce Doss (113) and Ethan Sleeth (145) each won major decisions.
Cole Vandygriff (106), Chris Bullock (120), Porter Keevers (182), Juan Camacho (220) and Porter May (285) all won by forfeit.
The Dragons are now 1-0 on the season and return to the mats on Wednesday at home against Center Grove.
Boys Basketball
Dragons drop season opener
The New Palestine boys basketball team rallied from a 13-point deficit, but host Richmond charged ahead to win 60-55 at the Tiernan Center on Wednesday.
In the season opener for both teams, the Dragons trailed 51-38 early in the fourth quarter, but their zone pressure disrupted the Red Devils and led to a 16-2 run that saw the Dragons take a 54-53 lead.
However, the Red Devils went on a 6-1 run down the stretch to escape.
Steele Brasfield led the Dragons with 21 points, while Blaine Nunnally scored 15. They combined for 15 of the Dragons’ 20 fourth-quarter points, with Brasfield scoring eight and Nunnally seven. Ian Stephens added eight points. Logan Strong tallied six, Eian Roudebush three and Bryant Nunnally two.
The Dragons (0-1) are next in action Friday at Eastern Hancock.
Girls Basketball
Royals win fourth straight
The Eastern Hancock girls basketball team survived a four-overtime thriller on Saturday, defeating visiting Wapahani 80-73 to improve to 5-0 in the Mid-Eastern Conference.
The Royals (7-1) and the Raiders stood tied 22-22 at halftime and the trend continued after regulation, 53-53, before Eastern Hancock surged ahead behind 27 points in overtime.
Grace Stapleton scored a team-high 21 points on 6 of 14 shooting with 11 rebounds. Emma Bolding and Sammie Bolding each finished with 14 points. Caroline Stapleton had 13 points. Sydney Springman had eight points and five rebounds. Makenzie O’Neal added seven points and eight rebounds.
The Royals converted 7 of 30 3-pointers with Grace Stapleton burying four and Caroline Stapleton hitting three.
Eastern Hancock went 21 of 30 from the free-throw line led by Grace Stapleton’s 5 of 8 performance. Emma Bolding was 4-for-4, Sammie Bolding went 4-for-6, O’Neal was 3-for-4 and Caroline Stapleton was 2-for-2.
Ruby White hauled in nine rebounds and three blocks to go with three points. Emma Bolding had seven rebounds.
Dragons fend off Warriors
The New Palestine girls basketball team built a double-digit second-quarter lead and staved off multiple runs Saturday to beat host Whiteland, 56-49.
Isabella Gizzi scored 33 points – the second-highest total of her career – and Alaina Miller added 13 for the Dragons.
Gizzi was 9-of-18 from the floor and 15-of-17 from the line for the Dragons, who improved to 5-2 with the victory. Miller was 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
Gizzi also had nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. Miller added a team-high five steals.
Allie Blum scored seven points and Rachel Kelley three. Blum also had five rebounds.
Swimming & Diving
Marauders split against Red Devils
The Mt. Vernon boys swimming and diving team beat Richmond 102-84 and the girls lost 92-88 on the road Tuesday.
The boys team had five individual winners: Ethan Murphy (200-yard freestyle), Camden Cave (200 IM), Brady Gray (50 free and 100 butterfly), Caleb Strege (100 free) and Matthew Garey (100 breaststroke).
The 400 free relay team of Brody Gray, Eli Webster, Murphy and Garey also won.
Calista Smith led the girls team with three come-from-behind wins in the 200 IM, anchoring the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay. She capped the night with a wire-to-wire win in the 100 breaststroke.
Other individual event winners were: Emme Grubbs (50 free and 100 fly) and Riley Nielsen (diving).
Relay event winners were: Ava Crouch, Ila Boston, Emme Grubbs and Maddie Meyer in the 200 medley; Ava Crouch, Alex Biggs, Ella Sinn and Smith in the 200 free. Emme Grubbs, Maddie Meyer, Ella Sinn and Smith in the 400 free.
