Airline sophomore Ernie Perry III is a two-time state champion.
Perry edged Mason Elsensohn of Brother Martin 2-1 in the Division I 113-pound weight class championship match at the LHSAA Wrestling State Tournament on Saturday at the Raising Cane’s River Center in Baton Rouge.
Perry won the 106-pound class at the state tournament last year.
Perry pinned Trey Faherty of St. Paul’s in 2:55 in the semifinals Saturday morning.
He trailed Elsensohn 1-0 after two periods. But Perry scored two points on a reversal at the 1:03 mark of the third period to pull ahead.
Perry was the only Bossier Parish wrestler to bring home a title.
Parkway senior Steven Driggers turned in a gutsy performance in the Division I 182-pound class.
Wrestling on an injured right knee, he advanced to the finals with a pin of Central Baton Rouge’s Austin Reason in 3:12.
Unfortunately, Driggers was unable to finish his championship match against Blaine Cascio of St. Paul’s. The match was deemed a medical forfeit.
According to a post by his father Brian on Facebook, Steven “finished tearing his meniscus and couldn’t even stand.”
Brian posted photos of Steven lying in his uniform on a gurney in the medical area with a large bag of ice over his right knee.
Driggers was the only Bossier Parish wrestler to earn a runner-up finish, but several made the awards stand.
Fourth-place finishers were Haughton’s Christopher Rodriguez (Div. II 220), Bossier’s Ja’Cory Tyler (Div. III. 120) and Bossier’s Christian Johnson (Div. III 170).
Fifth-place finishers were Parkway’s David Viers (Div. I 113), Benton’s Aiden Carinio (Div. II 138), Haughton’s Louis Lindsey (Div. II 126) and Benton’s Ezekial Tarin (Div. II 285).
Sixth-place finishers were Haughton’s Adam Franklin (Div. II 106), Benton’s Hayden Comeaux (Div. II 113), Benton’s Jackson Peters (Div. II 145), Haughton’s Charlie Yocom (Div. II 182), Bossier’s Moses Thomas (Div. III 132) and Bossier’s Billy Broom (Div. III 285).
Parkway and Airline finished 10th and 11th in Division I with 86.5 and 83.0 points, respectively. St. Paul’s won with 291.
Benton was ninth in Division II with 55 points. Haughton was 10th with 41. Teurlings Catholic won with 301.5.
Bossier finished ninth in Division III with 58 points. Basile won with 219.5.
