Marquette’s Joe Lagrou, left, wrestles against Rudyard’s Deven Ellison in the 119 weight class division during the final bouts of the 2019 Upper Peninsula Championships, Saturday afternoon at Marquette Senior High School. (Journal photo by Corey Kelly)

By RYAN SPITZA

Journal Sports Writer

MARQUETTE — 17 varsity wrestling teams from across the Upper Peninsula were present for the 52nd annual U.P. Championships wrestling meet Saturday as 28 wrestlers across 14 weight classes advanced to the final round and battled under the lights, music and glamour of the MSHS Barb Crill Gymnasium.

Five wrestlers from Marquette County schools advanced to the finals, which included Marquette’s Joe Lagrou and Griffin Moore, Westwood’s Rocco Carlson and Sam Gilles and Ishpeming’s Alaric Martin.

Escanaba earned the team title with a score of 193 to claim the Duval Trophy for the second straight year followed by Gladstone with 159, Iron Mountain 142.5, Westwood 127 and St. Ignace with 118.5 to round out the top five.

The Redmen also claimed the Mariucci Trophy for the first time in history, awarded to the best dual-meet team from the previous season.

MSHS head coach Tony Gentz said he’s proud of his 2017-18 squad for claiming the Mariucci Trophy, and hopes this year’s roster can build on it.

“It was awesome,” he said. “It was a very special team last year and we obviously won the Mariucci Trophy because of our season but we were also back-to-back district champs for the first time in school history. It was a great team last year and it’s something this year’s team has to look forward to and I hope we can build on it.”

Shifting ahead to this year, Lagrou (25-4) claimed a U.P. Championship for a second consecutive season. The Redmen junior defeated Rudyard sophomore Deven Ellison (20-4) by fall at 3:18 in the 119-pound weight class.

Lagrou’s teammate Moore (22-8) was defeated by Gladstone senior Adam Bruce by a 7-0 decision in the 130-pound weight class in a rematch from last season’s Championships.

For Ishpeming, Martin (18-0) beat Escanaba’s Baily Papineau (15-6) by major decision in the 171-pound class for his first U.P. crown after suffering a defeat last year as a sophomore.

For Westwood, Carlson (23-6) was defeated by Kingsford senior Trevor Povolo (24-4) in the 160-pound weight class by major decision, while Gilles (27-1) won his second consecutive U.P. Championship, topping Kingsford’s Eddie Cardew (22-5) in the 285-pound class by fall at 5:44.

Gilles said he had a challenge ahead of him, being smaller and wrestling in the 285-pound class

“It feels great to come out for my last U.P. Finals appearance and come out on top,” he said. “That’s always been my goal to win U.P.’s and to win it for a second time, it’s a great feeling.

“I weigh about 211, but I was wrestling heavyweight for competition purposes.

“My strategy was to stay smart knowing I was wrestling kids a lot more heavier than me. Staying back and staying in good position was the key.”

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.