St. Paris Graham nabs Top Gun lead
Fitch is in second in the wrestling event that
concludes today at
Alliance High.
By ERIC HAMILTON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
ALLIANCE — Even without one of its defending state champions in the lineup due to injury, the St. Paris Graham wrestling team already has the 2008 Top Gun tournament title wrapped up — and there’s still another day to go.
Graham, the tournament’s defending champion, owns a big lead over a cluster of five other teams after the first day of competition at Alliance High School on Friday. The seven-time Division II state champions advanced 13 of its 14 wrestlers to today’s semifinals and lead the meet with 175.5 points.
“Why don’t you just give the trophy to Graham tonight and tell not to even come back tomorrow?” offered Fitch coach Brett Powell, smiling. “I mean come back — ever.”
Despite Graham’s huge lead, Powell did have reason for optimism, as the Falcons sit in third place in the team standings with 89.5 points — just one point behind second-place University School (90.5).
Fitch, which stood in second most of the first day, had the opportunity to stay there after moving seven wrestlers into the championship quarterfinals. But they couldn’t take advantage, going just 2-5 in the quarters and advancing just two competitors to today’s semifinals.
“This is a special group and nothing they do surprises me,” said Powell, whose team finished second at Top Gun in 2005. “We don’t have a bunch of superstars but they work hard. We did real well today, especially in the first and second rounds.
“We would have liked to win more in the quarterfinals, but with the depth of this tourney and the level of competition here, you have to be ready for those matches to go either way. We got two guys through and three of four others in position to come back and place.”
Tony Jameson performed as expected, needing just a total of 2 minutes, 3 seconds to pin both his opponents and advance to the 145-pound semifinals. The senior, going for an unprecedented fourth straight Top Gun title, will face Claymont’s Ryder Dynes (14-3).
Should he win that match, a potential showdown with two-time Division II state champion Ben Jordan (St. Paris Graham) awaits him in the finals.
“I want to wrestle him,” Jameson said. “I like the kid personally, but the competitor in me wants to wrestle him. I love to wrestle tough kids. I’m starting to get my conditioning right and getting my calm back and not forcing things.”
The two have never wrestled, but have had a common opponent this season. Troy Christian’s Zach Toal — defending Division III state champion — handed Jameson his only loss of the season (11-9) at Brecksville. Jordan defeated Toal earlier this season 2-1 and 7-3.
Jameson will be joined in the semifinals by teammate Chris Miller, who will face second-seeded Cody Hayes (Mayfield) in the 215-pound semis. Miller is 17-2 this season and was a Division I state alternate in 2007.
Fitch will look to earn places in the top eight in other weight classes, with five wrestlers still alive in the consolation bracket.
Boardman is tied for 10th in the team standings after Day 1 with 58 points. The Spartans moved five wrestlers to the quarterfinals, but had a tough go in that round, going 0-5. State placer Jerry Pasquale was upset in the quarters, while three others lost one-point decisions to drop into the consolation rounds.
Brookfield, led by junior Dann Miller, is 27th in the 41-team field with 33.5 points. Miller moved into the 130-pound semis with a pair of victories. State qualifier Mike Bender lost in the quarters, but still has hopes of placing by making a run in the consolations.
Poland’s Ben Pearce, who placed at Top Gun last year, won is opening match at 145 pounds, but lost to 2007 state placer Dustin Fraley (Miami Trace) in the quarterfinals.
Wrestling begins with consolations at 10 a.m. The finals will begin at 5 p.m., with a finals show starting an hour before at 4 p.m.