Saturday, February 24, 2007
Boardman's state-bound senior will be eating right this weekend.
BY ERIC HAMILTON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MASSILLON -- Boardman's Anthony Wills will find out in the next week that there are plenty of pros and a few cons to being a state wrestling qualifier.
Above everything, the thing he thinks he'll struggle with the most will be altering his junk food diet. At least for one week, he'll have to give up one of the things he loves the most -- Taco Bell.
"What can't you like at Taco Bell?" said Wills, after winning his first district championship with an 8-7 victory over Twinsburg's Mike Mencini Saturday at Massillon Perry. "I love Taco Bell, junk food and pop. The Fiesta Potatoes are really good; and the quesadillas. But I'll have to watch my weight now and not cut weight at the last minute like usual."
Wills, a senior, fought off a last-second takedown attempt by Mencini in the closing seconds to win. The officials discussed the no-call briefly before declaring Wills the champion.
"I stopped him from getting it by pulling my hips up," explained Wills. "It feels good to beat that kid again because I beat him in the sectional finals last week.
"It feels great to be going to state as a senior. I worked real hard in the room this year and in the offseason. It's going to be tough down there and there won't be any blowouts. I'm hoping to finish in the top four."
Moving on
Wills was one of seven area wrestlers that qualified for next week's Division I state tournament in Columbus, including four that will make the trip for the first time.
Freshman Jerry Pasquale (103) of Boardman, Howland junior Greg Ryan (130) and Fitch senior Brian Weidenthal (152) earned their first state bids.
That trio will be joined by Fitch's Tony Jameson (135) and Matt Kuti (189) and Boardman's Justin Powell (215), who qualified for state in 2006.
Powell claimed the area's other district championship, beating Brecksville's Jim Neumunaitis in the 215-pound title bout. Powell, who finished third in 2006, is the projected state champion going into the state tournament.
Rare loss
Jameson, a two-time defending state champion, finished third at 135 pounds to earn his third straight state tournament berth. The junior lost 5-3 in the semifinals to St. Ignatius freshman standout David Habat, before dominating Marcel Clopton (Shaker Heights) 13-5 to finish third.
The loss to Habat snapped Jameson's 84-match winning streak. His last loss was as a freshman in the district semifinals. He had been perfect since, winning two state titles.
"I've been thinking about my senior season; a loss does that to you," said Jameson. "I haven't been offensive whatsoever in my matches, so I just wanted to come out and be offensive in that match [against Clopton]. It felt great to control him like that and know that I don't have to rely on my defense for points. If I need points, I can go out and get them.
"Habat is a great kid and he wrestled a tough match. I just wasn't even into the match -- my heart or my head. But next week I'm going to take it one match at a time and not look ahead like I did today."
Battling back
After losing in the championship quarterfinals Friday, Pasquale fought through the 103-pound consolation bracket to win four straight matches and earn the fourth and final state berth. Pasquale lost to Wadsworth's Danny Foore in his bid to finish third.
Kuti also took the tough road to state, losing in the quarterfinals and dropping into the consolation bracket. The senior rebounded by winning his first two bouts in the lower bracket, clinching his second straight state berth, after qualifying in 2006.
Weidenthal, a senior, lost to Perry's defending state champion Thomas Straughn in the semifinals, but clinched his first state trip with a 5-1 victory over Boardman's Nick DeMarinis. Weidenthal lost a tough 3-2 bout to Kenston's Dan Olson and finished fourth.
Ryan rallied to win two matches in the consolation bracket on Saturday to advance to his first state tournament. The junior beat Lodi Cloverleaf's Kurt Wentink to earn third place at 130 pounds.
Sparked by five individual champions, Perry defended its district team title, scoring 167 points.
Fitch and Boardman battled 2006 district runner-up Wadsworth for second place, as the three teams were separated by just three points. In the end, the Grizzlies took second-place honors with 97 points. Fitch and Boardman tied for third with 94 team points. Solon (85) finished fifth.
State tournament action begins Thursday in Columbus and continues Friday and Saturday.