YOUTH WRESTLING: TWO ATHENS YOUTH WRESTLERS PLACE AT MAWA EASTERN NATIONALS (2023-05-11)

Valley Sports Report
SALISBURY, Md. – Two Athens youth wrestlers — Silas Bennett and Kruze Payne — competed and placed here at last weekend’s Middle Atlantic Wrestling Association (MAWA) Eastern National Championships.

Bennett went 4-1 over the two days and claimed third place in the Midget 70-pound weight class, while Payne went 2-2 and placed seventh in the Midget 85-pound weight class.

Bennett got things started in Saturday’s round-of-16 with a 10-0 major decision over New Jersey’s Luke Longo.

Bennett kept things rolling in the quarterfinals defeating 2023 Keystone State Champion (8U 67 pounds) Gus Engelman of Mountaintop, Pa. by a 7-0 decision. The win advanced Bennett into Sunday’s semifinals.

Payne entered the tournament as the Northern Regional champion and received a first-round bye. He lost his quarter-final bout to Owen Wysocki of Hanover, Pa.

Payne bounced back strong in the consolation “blood round” with a second-period fall over Evan Ross of South Abington, Pa. to conclude Day 1. The win guaranteed top-8 finishes and “All-American” status for both Payne and Bennett.

In Sunday’s semifinal, Bennett squared off with Southern Regional Champion in Avery Haber, a youth state champion from Maryland. Bennett got off to a quick start with two early takedowns, but while leading 4-1 in the second period was caught and pinned in a “defensive pin” situation while locked in a cradle.

Bennett bounced back quickly in the consolation semifinal with a 13-5 major decision win over 2023 NUWAY State Champion Kaleb Pollock of Baldwinsville.

In the third-place match, Bennett completed his comeback run winning a hard-fought match over Elijah Santiago of Allentown by decision, 4-2.

“Silas had an outstanding tournament,” said coach Travis Bennett. “He showed up ready to wrestle and had some really strong results. While he had his eyes set on the ultimate prize, he showed tremendous heart and maturity to be able to bounce back after the semifinal result and finish the way that he did.”

Payne started off Sunday’s action dropping a tough consolation semi-final match by decision, 7-4, to Ryker Lowe of New Bloomfield, Pa.

Payne then capped things off with an 8-0 major decision win in the seventh-place match against Julian Altiery of Reedsville, Pa.

“Kruze has been extremely dedicated to the sport and putting in the time this year,” said Bennett. “I think he gained some great experience on a big stage and took some things away from it that will make him better.

“Seeing him come down here and achieve his goal of hitting the podium and getting that All American plaque was special,” added Bennett.

Liam Warner also competed for Athens in the Junior 66-pound weigh class. Warner finished 1-2 on the weekend.

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IN PHOTO: Athens’ Silas Bennett on the third-place step of the podium. … PHOTOS PROVIDED.