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Boardman frosh gains first victory
AUSTINTOWN — Making your high school wrestling debut is nerve-racking enough, but when you have to do it in your first match of your league tournament against a state qualifier, it’s enough to give you major butterflies.
But for Boardman freshman John Dillon, it was an opportunity he has waited way too long for.
In easily the most anticipated match of Day One of the EOWL tournament, Dillon faced Fitch’s Shawn Ague in the second round of the 103-pound bracket Saturday night. Both received byes in the opening round to set up the bout between the top-seeded Ague and unseeded Dillon.
After a scoreless first period, Ague chose bottom. Dillon maintained control on top until 24 seconds left in the second, when Ague scored an escape to take a 1-0 lead.
In the third, Dillon took advantage of Ague’s riding him too high, shaking him off to get a two-point reversal, taking a 2-1 lead with 1:00 left.
The freshman overpowered Ague on the mat and turned him for three back points down the stretch to secure his first varsity win — a 5-1 victory.
“It feels real good,” said Dillon, who won a junior high state title last year. “My adrenaline was really pumping once I got on the mat. I came in unseeded, so I knew I’d get him right off the bat and knew he’s a good wrestler.
“My nerves were pumping real bad out there, but I tried to just focus and do the best I could. I just shook him off when he got too high, then got a turn at the end. I’ve been wanting to get back on the mat real bad, so it feels great to be out there again.”
It was tough to tell who faced the most pressure — Dillon, who is projected to finish as high as sixth in the state, despite not wrestling a single high school match — or Ague, a state qualifier, who had three years more experience.
“I think it was the same,” said Ague. “I’m sure him being a freshman and everyone saying he is so good made him nervous. I didn’t feel that much pressure, because I kind of like when I come in as the underdog.
“After I got the escape, I just wanted to score again and push the pace. But I didn’t get enough pressure on the hips and I got too high and he got his boot in and turned me. But I lost to [Jerry] Pasquale here last year, then beat him at districts to place. So I just have to learn from this.”
Ague has overcome disappointing losses before and shows the ability and determination to do it again. He’s already overcome a battle with cutting weight to compete at 103. And with the experience of wrestling at the state tournament, he’ll likely be ready to compete for a state berth again in a few weeks.
Both wrestlers are expected to battle for state tournament berths at the Massillon Perry district in three weeks. The 103-pound bracket is loaded with state placers and qualifiers, with as many as seven to eight competitors battling for just four spots.
Every wrestling prognosticator has Dillon in the mix, despite his lack of high school experience. The projections are solely on potential and what he accomplished in junior high.
Dillon says it’s hard to deal with such high expectations, but knows the only way is to wrestle his best.
“Some people say I’m going to do good, some say I won’t,” said Dillon. “I just have to focus on doing my best and see where that takes me. I’m glad to be back to help my team, instead of just watching.”
Dillon (1-0) will face West Branch’s Dustin Graham (19-6) in today’s semifinals. The other 103-pound semifinal will feature Beaver Local’s John McComas (24-3) against Jackson-Milton’s Vinnie Pizzuto (30-4).