Wrestling closed the season with another strong showing at the 2026 LHSAA Louisiana Wrestling State Championships, finishing fourth overall as a team. The Blue Jays once again proved they belong among the state’s elite, highlighted by individual champions, podium finishes, and gritty performances up and down the lineup.

Throughout the weekend, the wrestling team competed with the poise and toughness that have become hallmarks of the program.

Senior captain Michael Barnett delivered one of the most memorable performances of the tournament. After finishing as state runner-up three times in his career, Barnett finally reached the top of the podium at 120 pounds, defeating the returning state champion to claim his first state title. His opponent had lost just once all season, making the victory even more impressive. Barnett’s journey and perseverance resonated throughout the arena, earning him Outstanding Wrestler honors for the Division I state championships.

Another championship came at heavyweight, where senior Will Berry continued the program’s remarkable tradition in the upper weights. Berry captured the state title at 285 pounds, marking the sixth consecutive year the Jesuit wrestling has placed a heavyweight in the state finals and the fourth championship during that span.

Several other Blue Jays turned in podium finishes that helped secure the team’s fourth-place result. Junior Isaac Orillion battled through a torn LCL suffered just a month before the tournament and still fought his way to the state finals at 165 pounds, finishing as runner-up. Senior Quinn Anderson, a team captain at 190 pounds, rebounded from narrowly missing the podium last year to dominate his way to a state runner-up finish.

At 126 pounds, senior captain Max Belsome closed out his career with a third-place finish, defeating the fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-place wrestlers along the way. Belsome leaves behind a legacy of consistency, with fourth, third, and second place finishes at the state tournament during his career. Senior Christopher Stricker added another strong performance at 150 pounds, finishing fourth and becoming a two-time state placer after knocking off the third seed. Senior Conner Vargas also earned a fourth-place finish at 215 pounds, upsetting the third seed in the process.

Junior Matty Bennett stormed back through the consolation bracket to place sixth at 106 pounds after an opening-round loss to the top seed. Sophomore William Roniger wrestled well as the eighth seed at 113 pounds and came just one round shy of placing. Sophomore Charlie Montgomery, in his first season as a starter, rebounded from a narrow one-point loss to an eventual semifinalist and battled his way deep into the consolation bracket. Senior Sean Timler provided one of the biggest upsets of day one, defeating the third seed to reach the quarterfinals at 175 pounds.

The effort across all 14 weight classes was a point of pride for the coaching staff.

“I’m excited about the effort this weekend,” said head coach Jon Orillion ’01. “We needed some things to go our way and we just didn’t catch any of those breaks, but the effort was there from our team all weekend. When you look at the brackets, our Blue Jays showed up to compete. All 14 lived up to their seeds or outpaced them. That’s a good tournament. Although we will not lower our expectations for the program, we can celebrate the effort and success we did have this season. It was a season of growth and development, and I see this team as a much better team now than when we started in November. As a group, we are excited to get back to work, and as always, we look to put ourselves in position for another championship next year. Go Jays!”

With a coaching staff led by Orillion and supported by assistants Paul Hatty, Matthew Firmin ’10, Spencer Harris ’89, Will Honer, William Rosevally ’17, Bodi Harris ’25, and Greg Dornan, the wrestling team continues to set a high standard and the Blue Jays are already looking ahead to the next championship run.

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State Tournament Highlights

• Team Finish: 4th Place
• State Champions: Michael Barnett (120), Will Berry (285)
• State Runner-Up: Isaac Orillion (165), Quinn Anderson (190)
• Third Place: Max Belsome (126)
• Fourth Place: Christopher Stricker (150), Conner Vargas (215)
• Sixth Place: Matty Bennett (106)