Jameson eyes U.S. crown tonight

Eight Youngstown-area wrestlers are in the national tournament.
PITTSBURGH -- Undefeated Tony Jameson of Austintown Fitch will try to stake his claim to being the top sophomore wrestler in the United States when he competes for the 125-pound division championship tonight at the National High School Coaches Association National Wrestling Championships.
Jameson (45-0), a two-time state champion who already has posted three wins in the national meet to gain the final, will meet Marshall Koethe (Iowa, 42-1) today at 7 p.m. in the 125-pound championship match at the Petersen Centre in Pittsburgh.
Jameson, who has a two-year record of 85-3, is one of eight Youngstown-area wrestlers in the meet in various class and weight divisions but the only one to qualify for a final.
The top eight finishers in each weight division earn All-America honors.
Jameson has helped Ohio to take the lead in the team standings in the 27-state competition with 167 points entering tonight's showdown.
Pennsylvania holds second place with 150.5, followed by New York (123.5), Alabama (86.5) and Iowa (85.5) to complete the top five.
Two-time state champ
Jameson won the 103-pound state championship last year and captured the 119-pound title this year.
Koethe, who also advanced with three wins, was an Iowa state champion this year after placing second as a freshman.
Jameson gained the national final by with a 12-2 decision over Nicholas Shields (Louisiana), who won a Louisiana state championship as a sophomore after talking runner-up as a freshman.
Koethe gained the 125 national final by defeating Matt Mincey, a Minnesota state champion.
His first two wins
Jameson's previous wins in the meet were a decision over Mark Erickson (Minnesota), 18-3, in the first round, and a pin over Zak Andrews in 4:15 in a quarterfinal.
Erickson was a two-time Minnesota state qualifier while Andrews was a Pennsylvania state qualifier.
Joining Jameson in the sophomore competition tonight will be Fitch teammate Angelo Tabachino, who will be going for fifth place in the 275-pound class against David Lembass (Illinois).
Junior-class tourney
Vying in the junior class competition tonight will be Justin Powell (Boardman), Ross Tice (Brookfield), Nathan Sharp (West Branch) and Matt Walker (Alliance).
Powell (215) will seek third place against Skip Crooks (Wyoming), while Tice (152) will be going for third place against Daniel Waddel (Tenn.).
Sharp (275) will face Darren Collins (Delaware) for seventh place, while Walker (215) eyes seventh place versus Nate Cooper (Oklahoma).
Nick Bodnar (Fitch, 140) and Andy Lamancusa (West Branch, 145) are entered in the senior tournament that begins this morning. Bodnar placed third in state this year and sixth as a junior, while Lamancusa won a state title this year.