EOWL Alexander 189 favorite; college choice is Toledo

ALLIANCE -- Brandon Alexander of Howland High, who will be one of the favorites at 189 pounds in the Eastern Ohio Wrestling Tournament, has changed his mind and won't attend Indiana University.
Instead, he's going to continue his football career at the University of Toledo, where he'll play safety.
Asked why he decided to switch, Alexander said, "It's a better fit for me and it's closer to home."
Style, staff preferred
Alexander visited Toledo last weekend and said, "I just like their style of football and their coaching staff. It just felt better."
The 189-pound class at the EOWL tournament will be one of the most-contested, with Canfield's Jarek Esarco one of the top challengers.
Alexander defeated Esarco 9-4 in a match last week and he also defeated him at the East Liverpool Tournament earlier this season.
Eric Chine of Austintown Fitch, who won the 189 title at the Josh Hephner Memorial Tournament; John Underwood of Brookfield, who lost to Alexander at the Howland Invitational, and Paul Martin of Liberty, who was fourth at Hephner, are also in the field.
The 2003 Vindicator wrestler of the year, Adam Hoppel of Beaver Local, a three-time state qualifier, will try to become the only athlete in EOWL history to win four straight championships.
The 152-pound class is up for grabs, as the top four placewinners from last year graduated. Howland's Mario Zambelli, Canfield's Chris Pankewicz, Liberty's Tod Rodgers, Jackson-Milton's Adam Keck and Alliance's John Lee will contend.