Tristen Chambless (right) reached the consolation semifinals at last week’s individual district. Photo by Dan Nilsen ORTONVILLE — Swartz Creek wrestlers didn’t get very far on the tournament trail this season. It’s hard to do that with a giant blocking the path.

No. 1 St. Johns dominated both the Div. 2 team district at Owosso and the individual district at Owosso last week, leaving crumbs for the rest of the teams in the field. The Redwings are the top-ranked team in any class in Michigan by michigangrappler.com and the No. 3 team in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News.

Creek didn’t face St. Johns in the team district, losing to host Owosso, 59-8, in the semifinals. St. Johns waxed Owosso, 68-12, in the final.

The Dragons didn’t get anyone through the individual district, although two came close. Tyler Bencheck and Tristen Chambless each fell one win short of the third-place final, which would have ensured a spot in the regionals this Saturday at Mount Pleasant. The top four placers in each class moved on.

Bencheck won his first-round match at 103 pounds with a fall in 3:12, but then fell into the consolation bracket with a loss in his next match. He stayed alive by beating Myles Bartlett of Owosso, 10-2, but was pinned by Kearsley’s Jakob Chapman, who went on to win the third-place match.

Chambless opened the 152-pound competition with a 13-11 win, but fell to Corunna’s Jorden Thomson in the next round. Chambless beat St. Clair’s Brad Johnston, 7-5, to stay alive, but lost to Austin Woodruff of Cros-Lex in the consolation semifinals.

At 125, Steven Scott lost his opening match to top-ranked Jacob Schmitt of St. Johns and fell in the next bout to Trevor Connor of Marysville.

Cale Purdy won by forfeit at 160, but was ousted in his next match by Zakary Tarrence of Kearsley.

Five other Dragons were eliminated in their first match: Blake Griwatsch at 119, Kody March at 135, Matt Gilson at 145, Robert Tucker at 160 and Warren Jarrad at 285.

St. Johns had 10 champions and 13 qualifiers.