SETTING THE SCENE:  The Eagles finished the 2018 Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championships in third place, their best finish since taking third in 2014 and the highest since the inception of the ECC.  Congratulations to Kobey Bronaugh who surpassed the 100 career win mark last week, just the seventh wrestler with 100 career wins and the first to achieve this hallmark in his junior year. 

A LOOK BACK:  Kobey Bronaugh moved one step closer to 100 career wins on Feb. 14 as the Eagles took on Little Miami, whom the squad fell to in the first round of the OHSAA Duals.   Bronaugh collected win 98, but the final outcome was unfortunately the same as the prior meeting of the team and Milford fell to Little Miami, 64-12.

All nine Milford athletes competing at the ECC Championships on Feb. 17 placed in the top four or higher, guiding the Eagles to a third place finish. 

On his way to another conference championship, Bronaugh passed the 100 win mark and left the 2018 Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championship with his second title and 102 wins.  He dominated the 126 weight class, making his way through the bracket with four straight falls, each in less than a minute (0:42, 0:50, 0:18, and 0:28). Bronaugh earned his 100^th career win in the second match of the day, becoming the 7^th wrestler overall to claim 100 victories and the first to accomplish it as a junior.

Joining Bronaugh with an ECC individual championship; junior Max Ward at #120, who was the runner-up at the same weight in 2017.  Max got stronger as the meet progressed, winning matches by scores of 7-5, 8-5, 13-8, and the championship match by fall in 1:36.

Sophomore Isaac Sheldon was the runner-up at #132, while six others finished in fourth place: junior Jack Ward (#152); sophomores Justin Bell (#170), Derek Elliott (#160), Jonah Fouts (#113) and Tristen Messerschmidt (#138); and freshman Mason Roy (#145). 

Loveland, #7 in the area coaches’ poll and the defending ECC champions, won Saturday’s 2018 ECC championship tournament.  Loveland scored 307 points, 120 points ahead of second place West Clermont.

Team results:

1. Loveland: 0 
2. West Clermont: 0
3. Milford: 0
4. Anderson: 116.0
5. Turpin: 0   
6. Kings: 0   
7. Withrow: 0
8. Walnut Hills: 0   

A LOOK AHEAD: The Eagles will head to the 2018 OHSAA Sectional Tournament, held on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23 & 24 at Lebanon High School. 

• Friday, 2/23:                Milford at Sectional Tournament, Lebanon High School, 4:30 pm
• Saturday, 2/24:            Milford at Sectional Tournament, Lebanon High School, 9:30 am   

More information on the Sectional Tournament will be posted later in the week.

INSIDE THE ECC:  With just five member schools reporting, the following Eagles are among the leaders in the league in their respective weight classes as of 2/19/18:

Adam Anderson:  5^th - #145 (4-5, 2 pins)

Justin Bell:  2^nd - #170 (14-16, 10 pins)

Kobey Bronaugh:  1^st - #126 (32-5, 24 pins)

Ray Clayton:  3^rd - #120 (15-14, 4 pins)

Derek Elliott:  t-4^th - #160 (13-15, 6 pins)

Jared Frederick:  4^th - #106 (1-5)

Jonah Fouts:  4^th - #113 (1-5)

Hayden Harvey:  t-4^th - #285 (3-8, 3 pins)

Connor Hawkins:  5^th - #170 (3-4, 2 pins)

Chad Lynn:  4^th - #132 (3-11, 2 pins)

Tristan Messerschmidt:  t-3^rd - #138 (4-12, 4 pins)

Alex Price:  4^th - #152 (2-5, 2 pins)

Mason Roy:  3^rd - #145 (9-14, 6 pins)

Luke Schneider:  7^th - #26 (4-1)

Jack Ward:  3^rd - #152 (7-14, 3 pins)

Max Ward:  7^th - #120 (9-5, 5 pins)

ICYMI:  Milford Wrestling would like to recognize our newest member into the Milford Athletics Hall of Fame, Mike Reckman from the Class of 1995, who was inducted on February 3, 2018. 

Mike Reckman:

• Earned four varsity letters in wrestling
• Career wrestling record of 111 – 25
• Tournament record: 11 – 1^st place, 7 – 2^nd place, 4 – 3^rd place, 3 – 4^th place
• 2^nd most career wins in school history at the time of his graduation
• Two-time Greater Miami Conference (GMC) wrestling champion (1994, 1995)
• Two-time sectional champion wrestling champion (1994, 1995)
• District wrestling champion (1995)
• Three-time state wrestling qualifier (1993, 1994, 1995)
• Milford Wrestling Hall of Fame Member (1995)
• 1995 High School All-American in wrestling
• Earned three varsity letters in cross country
• Greater Miami Conference (GMC) Cross Country Team Championship (1994)

Congratulations Mike!

POLL WATCH:   The final poll of the 2017-2018 season was released 2/5/2018, and LaSalle will end the year as the top ranked team followed by Elder, Harrison, Mason and Fairfield.  Loveland, the only ECC program in the top ten, ends the year at seventh. Just three teams received votes in the final poll, none of which were schools from the ECC.