WRESTLEMANIA

By ERIC HAMILTON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

When the high school wrestling season began in December, every Valley wrestler had the same ultimate goal: make it to the state meet. Now, three months and, in most cases, nearly 40 matches later, what began as a dream has become a reality for 16 area competitors.

The area contingent will begin its quest for state championships today at the state tournament in Value City Arena in Columbus. The three-day marathon will feature the state’s best wrestlers competing on 10 mats in front of huge crowds. Forty-two champions, in three divisions, will be crowned Saturday night.

Only one of the 16 locals knows the experience of winning a state title. Fitch High’s Tony Jameson will be a focal point at this year’s event, as he attempts to win his fourth state championship. He would be the 16th wrestler ever to do it and just the fourth to win all the titles in Division I.

He will be the favorite in the 145-pound bracket that features three returning state placers. In the opening round, Jameson will face Bowling Green’s Rudy Hendon (38-5).

Should Jameson win, he would meet Lakota West’s Jess Stevens (16-3), who placed eighth in 2007, in the second round. The other hurdle Jameson could face in the final is 2007 runner-up Josh Demas (35-3) of Westerville North.

“I just have to get in the best shape that I can in the next three to four days,” said Jameson after winning the Massillon Perry district last Saturday. “I think I’m feeling less pressure this time around and I just need to do what I’ve been doing and take it one match at a time.”

Fitch is hoping to have more than just Jameson on the podium Saturday night. The Falcons are sending a school-record five wrestlers and will seek their fourth straight top 10 team finish.

At 103 pounds, sophomore Shawn Ague (33-9) will look to pull off an upset right away. After finishing fourth at Perry, he will take on district champion Jacob Corrill (37-5) of Cincinnati Moeller in the first round. The weight class features just one returning state placer in Perry champion Kory Mines, who was sixth in 2007.

Josh Pankewicz (25-12) also finished fourth at the district tournament and will face a top seed in the first round. His opponent is Mark Tomanek (38-2) of Avon Lake. In the wide open 160-pound bracket, just one returning state placer is in the field and he is in the opposite half of the bracket from Pankewicz.

Louis Greco (38-6) will meet district champion Eric Gobin (36-8) of Moeller in the first round. Gobin is one of four returning state placers in the 152-pound bracket and finished seventh in 2007 and fifth in 2005.

Fitch’s Chris Miller took third at the Perry district and will avoid meeting a district champion in the opening round. Miller (36-5) will battle Beavercreek’s Cody Smith (34-4) today. The 215-pound field boasts three returning placers, including Lake’s Tyler Rasho, who was sixth in 2006.

Canfield’s Brad Benedict (27-7) and Boardman’s Jeff Liggitt (35-8) will both compete at 135 pounds. Benedict will face district champion John Gallagher (38-5) from Cincinnati St. Xavier in the opening round, while Liggitt will meet Mason’s Nick Difabritas (40-4).

The rugged weight class has four returning placers, including projected state champion Collin Palmer (26-0) of St. Edward.

Division II

Most of the area’s five Div. II state qualifiers should have a rough go of it at state, with the bulk of them competing in very string weight classes.

Hubbard’s Tanner Thompson (15-14) faces a 103-pound bracket with only one returning placer. The sophomore will face Padua Franciscan’s Andrew Roman (36-6) in the first round.

At 125, Howland’s Kyle Leek (32-8) will meet district champion Jacob Vaughn (36-6) of St. Francis DeSales, who is a two-time state placer. The bracket includes four other returning state placers.

Leek’s teammate, Greg Ryan (38-3), will look to fare well in his second state tournament, this year at 135. Ryan, who took third at district, will meet Rossford’s Jordan Wray (35-4) in the first round. The field in this bracket features three state placers.

Poland’s Ben Pearce (33-5) had the best district finish (second) of all the area’s Div. II qualifiers, but enters a tough bracket in Columbus. The senior will wrestle Whitehall-Yearling’s Corey Dulaney (44-4) today. The weight class includes five state placers, including three-time placer and two-time state champion Ben Jordan of St. Paris Graham.

West Branch’s Jeremiah James (28-10) will compete at 18 and meet district champion Kirk Wetherell (37-3) of Cambridge in the opening round. Of the four returning placers in this class, two are in the same half of the bracket at James.

Division III

Of the area’s four Div. III qualifiers, Brookfield’s Tyler Thompson (35-10) may have the best opportunity to place. The 103-pounder will meet Sandusky St. Marys’ David Harrington (39-12) in the opening round. The weight class includes no returning state placers.

Jackson-Milton’s Santino Pizzuto has a good draw as a district champion at 112. Pizzuto (31-4) will face Bishop Hartley’s Chris Fusco (31-4) in the first round. There are two returning placers in the bracket, but both are on the opposite side from Pizzuto.

Brookfield senior Dan Miller will look to make the most of his first state berth at 130. Miller (42-7) received the toughest draw of any area competitors and must face three-time placer and two-time champion Daniel Kolodzik (Miami Valley) in the first round. There are five other state placers in the bracket.

South Range’s Beau Bowden (39-10) will battle 2007 state placer Levi Schwab (39-3) of Clinton-Massie today at 171. The field includes two state placers.