Kindergartener wins state wrestling title

by Angie Asam–Staff Writer

Kindergartener Braxton O’Bryant is a state champion. O’Bryant won the heavyweight title in the 2007-09 age bracket at the Michigan Youth Wrestling Association (MYWA) State Finals over the weekend in Battle Creek.

O’Bryant, the son of Rogers City High School principal David O’Bryant and elementary teacher Becky O’Bryant, had a first-round bye in the tournament after taking first place at regionals.

In his first match of the tournament he defeated Chase Brawley of Cassopolis 6-0 to advance to the state finals match. In the finals the score was knotted at zero until late in the third period when O’Bryant earned an escape point to win the match 1-0 and win the state title.

This is O’Bryant’s third year in wrestling and he had an undefeated season with the Rogers City youth wrestling team. In MYWA he went to tournaments and usually had to wrestle kids older than him, if he had a match at all.

SIX-YEAR old Braxton O’Bryant works for a pin in his first match at the Michigan Youth Wrestling Association state finals. O’Bryant would win the match 6-0 to advance to the state championship match which he won 1-0. (Photo Courtesy of Joanne Sobeck

“We’ve seen more growth in Braxton in just a few short years than we could have ever imagined. He has more of a sense of his abilities and how to use his muscles and his brain out on the mat. It is hard to believe that he is just six years old. He has had a lot to learn and we’re excited to see him grow even more in the future,” said Becky and David O’Bryant who appreciate so much what his MYWA coaches have done. George Sobeck, Josh Fleming and Steve Paull coach the MYWA team as volunteers and start working with the young wrestlers involved in early December.

None of the other Rogers City wrestlers were able to place at the state match. Jaylen Fleming and Sam Sobeck each went 2-2 in the tournament. Jaylen Fleming defeated Dewitt’s Jake Brandt 10-7 and pinned Jakub Wayman of Delton. He then lost by pin to Dakota’s Justin Tiburcio, who would go on to take fourth place. In his final match of the tournament he lost to Flint’s Jaron Wilson 6-0, Wilson would go on to place seventh. He was competing at 85 pounds in the 2001-02 age group.

Sobeck pinned Fruitport’s Zack Sykes in 2:56 in his first match. He then pinned Dowagiac’s Ryan Franco in 2:25, Franco would finish seventh. Sobeck then fell to Brendan Zelenka of St. Johns by pin in 3:45. In his final match of the tournament he fell to Lowell’s Jeff Leach 2-0. Leach finished sixth. Sobeck was competing at 85 pounds in the 1999-2000 age group.

Isaac Paull

, Jaymison Fleming and Anthony Paull each went 1-2 at the state tournament. Isaac Paull defeated Holt’s Jesus Montelongo 15-0 to start his tournament in the 67-pound bracket for those born in 2005-06. He then fell to Jake Sukkar of ROC wrestling 7-2 and was pinned by Swartz Creek’s John Anderson in 50 seconds to end his season.

Jaymison Fleming, competing at 77 pounds in the 2005-06 age group, lost his opening match to Dexter’s Lane Petit by pin in 2:32. He then pinned Orion Webster of Hanover Horton in 16 seconds before falling to eventual fifth-place medalist Connor Havill of Dexter by pin in 1:38.

Anthony Paull lost his opening match in the 80-pound bracket for those born in 2003-04 to Adam Pringle of Manchester by pin in 1:49. He then defeated Charlotte’s Alex Thorne 9-4 before falling to Allendale’s Cristian Perez 16-5 to end his tournament.