Red Devils Open Season with Tough Battles Against Top-Ranked Franklin Teams The Jeffersonville Red Devils wrestling program kicked off its season in a big way, with the boys taking on #9-ranked Franklin and the girls facing off against #4-ranked Franklin in their third meet of the year. While the young Red Devils roster faced a formidable challenge, this type of competition is exactly what head coach Danny Struck envisions for his team. “Our coaches’ goal is to find the very best teams to compete with our wrestlers. Our wrestlers’ goal is to try and beat those teams,” said Coach Struck. “Win or lose, it’s about competition and becoming the best versions of themselves by state tournament time.” Franklin’s boys’ team showcased their dominance, featuring seven Team Indiana National Team members and four state-ranked wrestlers. They proved why offseason wrestling creates in-season champions, defeating Jeffersonville with a final dual meet score of 75-6. The young Red Devils team will undoubtedly take valuable lessons from this matchup as they develop throughout the season. Jeffersonville’s lone win came from #12 state-ranked Ben Land, who earned a hard-fought pin. On the girls’ side, Franklin brought an equally stacked roster, with four national team members and four Team Indiana representatives. Despite the challenge, the Red Devils delivered strong individual performances. Returning state qualifier Abi Lemon and #4-ranked Kaylea Beauchamp each secured pins, with Kristin Brown adding a dominant pin at 100 pounds. The girls’ dual meet ended with a score of 68-18, bringing Jeffersonville’s record to 2-2. One of the night’s highlights was a clash between #11-ranked, two-time state qualifier Aubrey Cummings and Franklin’s returning state runner-up. In one of the season’s most exciting matches so far, Cummings battled fiercely but took her first loss of the year. The match provided a valuable learning opportunity as she aims to reach the state podium this season. The JV wrestlers shined, picking up 18 victories across the boys’ and girls’ matches. Wins came from Kavion Brooks, Akeilees Smith, John Steele, Ethan Bronson, Rudy Olvera, Angel Alveraz, Ari Santos, Montana Northern, Jaxon McClemore, Jesse Lajoie, Aman Thacker, Jaylen Howard, Michael Sunkett, Xavier Hayes, Elijah Peterson, Larry Sherman, Chandler Cooke, Ben Land, and Cooper Spaulding. There’s no time to rest for the Red Devils. The girls compete again tomorrow at Jennings County, while the boys varsity team travels to Indianapolis for the Capitol City Classic. JV wrestlers will also head to Jennings County on Saturday. This season’s grueling schedule may be tough, but for Jeffersonville wrestling, it’s all part of the plan to build champions. With every tough match, the young team learns the value of preparation, effort, and the grit needed to succeed at the highest level.