Charbonneau sets EHS career wins record
EHS loses 33-30 after heavyweight pin
By Jeremy Shapiro
Friday, February 3, 2012
The outcome of the match was not ideal, but Thursday’s dual at Gardner-Edgerton put Brandon Charbonneau on top of the Emporia High School record books.
Charbonneau defeated Kenny Shireman 14-2 in the 138 pound match to win his 133rd career high school match. That is more than any other wrestler in the illustrious history of Emporia High School wrestling.
Charbonneau passed Sal Tover, who had won 132 matches from 2006 to 2009. Dusty Spaulding is third on the list with 131 wins.
“I’m happy for him,” said Dennis Charbonneau, his father and coach at EHS. “He’s been wrestling a long time, so it’s nice to see him have success. It takes a lot of planning, which he does. I’m proud of how well he’s done and how he has become a leader.”
With the win, Charbonneau remains undefeated this season. He hasn’t loss since the state semifinals last season. Dennis Charbonneau said his son’s goal is an undefeated season.
“He knows if he reached that goal, he would have the opportunity to set the career wins record, but I’m not sure that itself was a goal,” Dennis Charbonneau said.
Once Brandon reached 132 wins by going 4-0 at Garden City last weekend, Coach Charbonneau said he was aware of the significance of Thursday’s match.
“But I don’t think that was going through his head tonight,” Dennis Charbonneau said. “He wanted to help us win the dual.”
The dual came down to the final match, but Class 6A No. 4 Gardner-Edgerton defeated Emporia 33-30.
EHS started with three straight wins. Max Detwiler won by technical fall, Garrett Whitson earned a pin and Isaac Russell won 9-7. Skyler Carlson was pinned at 126 and Bryce Dakin lost a close one 4-3. After Charbonneau’s win, the Spartans dropped the next two before Noel Torres earned a 7-5 win at 160.
Things were looking bleak after losses at 182 and 195. Luis Zuniga trailed 9-1 in his match at 220, when he turned things around in a flash by pinning his opponent.
It all came down to the heavyweight match. Anthony Salazar ended up getting pinned, giving Gardner-Edgerton the dual victory.
“We battled, but we lost in the end,” Dennis Charbonneau said. “It’s never fun to lose. On paper we should have probably lost by 20, so I’m pleased with how we did tonight.”
EHS is now 11-4 in duals this season. The team is back home Feb. 9 for duals against Shawnee Mission South and Shawnee Mission West.