Six area mat aces in title defenses

Tony Jameson will try to become only the second four-time EOWL champ.

By ERIC HAMILTON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

Six Valley wrestlers will defend their 2007 individual crowns this weekend at the Eastern Ohio Wrestling League Tournament at Canfield High. Boardman is the defending team champion.

Three of the returning champions could be wrestling in the same weight class (145 pounds). Fitch’s Tony Jameson will try to become just the second four-time league champ (Beaver Local’s Adam Hoppel is the other).

Jameson’s competition will include 2007 champions Greg Ryan (Howland) and Joe Skaggs (Jackson-Milton). It’s possible Skaggs may move up to compete at 152 pounds.

The 160-pound weight class will be one of interest, as it features two returning state qualifiers in Jon Bittenger (Beaver Local) and Mike Bender (Brookfield). Fitch’s Josh Pankewicz was a state alternate in 2007. Other contenders in the group will be Salem’s Joe Hamilton and Liberty’s Josh Hideg.

The lighter weight classes should prove entertaining with a lot of talent. At 112 pounds, as many as six wrestlers could earn the title. The bracket will feature state qualifier Arizona Miller (Beaver Local), who won an EOWL title in 2007.

In the mix will be Tyler Thompson (Brookfield), Tanner Thompson (Hubbard), JP Hoopes (West Branch), Jared Miller (South Range) and Tony Pozzuto (Liberty).

The 119-pound bracket likely will include 2007 EOWL champion Santino Pizzuto (Jackson-Milton), Canfield’s Brad Battison, Jake Mellinger (West Branch) and Nick Nadeja (Hubbard).

State placer Jerry Pasquale (Boardman) and Shawn Ague (Fitch) will battle for the 103-pound title after finishing second and third, respectively at that weight in the 2007 EOWL Tournament. Jackson-Milton’s Vinny Pizzuto should be a factor in the bracket as well.

Girard’s Tony Cardiero and Fitch’s Zack Martin will be among the top wrestlers at 125 pounds. Both competitors placed at the Joshua Hephner Memorial Tournament last weekend. South Range’s Lance D’Angelo could be a darkhorse among the rest of the field.

2007 league champion Kyle Leek (Howland) will seek a second straight title – this time at 130 pounds. He main competition will be 2007 state alternate Dann Miller (Brookfield).

Canfield’s Brad Benedict will go for his second EOWL title, having won in 2006. The senior will compete at 140 pounds and will face opposition from Brookfield’s Cody Thompson, Boardman’s Jeff Liggitt and South Range’s Brennan Witmer.

At 152 pounds, a quartet of wrestlers will be favored to place. Fitch’s Louis Greco will look to follow up his strong showings at Top Gun and the Hephner. His foes will include Eric Bates (West Branch), Sal Esposito (Liberty) and Hubbard’s Adam Mierzwa.

In the heavier weights, the toughest bracket looks to be at 285 pounds. The field will include Fitch’s D.J. Moss, Howland’s Reese Mowery, South Range’s Billy Manypenny and Salem’s Greg Lambert.

At 215 pounds, Warren JFK’s John Drummond will look to be the bracket buster and will face Fitch’s Chris Miller and Boardman’s Bobby Creatore.

Joe Grech (Howland), Gary Bass (Girard) and Beau Bowden (South Range) look to be the favorites at 171 pounds.

In the team competition, Fitch has finished in the top two the last two years. Beaver Local was third in both 2006 and 2007, while Howland has two top 5 finishes.

The tournament begins Friday at 5 p.m. with two rounds of championships and two rounds of consolations. The finals are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday.

The 2008 class will be inducted into the EOWL Hall of Fame on Saturday evening. The class includes Ken El-Hayek (Boardman), Chris Peretti (Boardman), Chris Canale (Canfield), Brian Davidson (Salem), Derick Fletcher (Fitch), Denny Orr (Canfield) and John Hallock (Howland).