The Batesville High School wrestling team competed in the 32 team Connersville Spartan Classic.

Evansville Reitz won the team competition with a score of 290.5 points followed by Cathedral (247.5) and South Dearborn (176). The Milan Indians were the top Class A school in the tournament and placed eighth overall with a score of 141.5 points. The Bulldogs were 19th with a score of 75 points.

The Bulldogs advanced four wrestlers to the second day of competition.

“This is an extremely tough tournament and we were very excited to have four kids, two of which are only freshmen, advance to the second day,” BHS head coach Mick Reindorf commented.

The biggest highlight of the tournament for the Bulldogs came in the 125-lb. weight division.

Batesville junior Jack Flodder became the first BHS wrestler since Mike Daily (1992) to make it to the finals.

Flodder, who is now 20-4 on the season, lost in the finals by fall (:59) to Jones of Evansville Reitz. Jones is currently ranked No. 3 in the state, according to Reindorf.

Flodder won his first four matches of the tournament. On Friday, he defeated Alley of Hamilton Heights (2-0), Torvick of Cathedral (10-2). The BHS junior followed up with win over Stephenson of Pendleton Heights (fall, 3:31) and Hoehn of Mt. Vernon (4-2).

“Losing in the championship match was heart-breaking,” Reindorf commented. “But it does not overshadow his accomplishment.”

Jacob Deal (140-lbs.), Travis Nunlist (130-lbs.) and Justin Rowland (152. lbs) also advanced to the second day of competition for the Bulldogs.

Deal went 2-0 during the Friday portion of the tournament with wins over Lawrenceburg’s Blake Kirk and Hartman of Northeastern. The BHS freshman was ousted from the tournament with a pair of losses on Saturday.

Nunlist was a two-time winner on Friday. The BHS freshman pinned Pfaff of Eastern Hancock and Helms of Broad Ripple..

Rowland needed three wins on Friday to advance. After a loss to Aucedo of DeKalb, he bounced back to defeat Crooks (Union County), Crosby (Lawrenceburg) and Day (Connersville) to earn a berth in the second day of competition.

“After losing his first match, Justin had to win three straight to advance into Saturday,” Reindorf explained. “One of the wins was an exciting decision over Ty Day, which avenged an earlier season loss.”

Other Batesville wrestlers with two wins on Friday included Justin Paul (119-lbs.), Warren Struewing (160-lbs.) and Brett Pfautz (215-lbs.). Brad Doehrman, Mike Strub, Cory Weatherston and Zach Huber each had one win for the Bulldogs.