Six area wrestlers in semis in Div. II

By Eric Hamilton

They’ll be going for district titles today and hopefully on to state next weekend.

AKRON — Six Mahoning Valley wrestlers advanced to the championship semifinals today at the Division II Akron Firestone district tournament.

Howland’s Kyle Leek (140) and Bryce Tricker (160) each won both their matches and are just one victory away from the state tournament.

Also in the semis are Hubbard’s Robbie Lias (215) and West Branch’s Jake Mellinger (130), Brent Stoffer (152) and Eric Bates (171).

For Leek, who finished fourth at districts last season before going on to win state runner-up honors, this year’s Day One was much different.

He dominated both his matches on Friday and instead of four wins from state like he was last year, he’s just one win away.

“I think it’s perfect,” said Leek, when asked how he thought the 140-pound bracket was set up for him this weekend. “It’s real important for me to win my first two matches, so that I can maybe wrestle [Harrison] Hightower in the finals.

“He’s a really good kid and a great wrestler and I want to wrestle him here this weekend. I’m glad I have a chance to meet him in the finals, instead of the semifinals. But I just need to keep winning, because anything can happen.”

Hightower, a junior from University School, is the projected state champion by the Brakeman Report and is a defending state titlest, winning at 130 pounds last year as a sophomore.

A spot in the semis came as a surprise for Tricker, who didn’t even make it out of sectionals last year as a freshman. He was a district alternate, finishing fifth at the West Branch sectional.

But Friday he wrestled like a veteran, even winning his quarterfinal match by pin.

In the semis, he will face projected state champion Adam Walters of West Geauga.

“We’ll see how he responds tomorrow,” Howland coach Brian Earich said. “He has really grown between his freshman and sophomore years. He bringing his hips deeper on his shots and he loves to pin.

“I just tell the kids that at this point in the year, you just go out and wrestle and watch the scoreboard later. He was a pleasant surprise for us today and I think he’s in real good shape right now.”

Tricker entered districts without any unrealistic expectations, just hoping to win a match or two, after missing out last season.

Now, already having overachieved, he’s just thinking about his next match — after having a nice, big meal Friday night.

“I’m going to get some soup now, but then there’s some pizza and pop waiting on me,” said the sophomore. “I just need to get a lot of fluids and get some rest tonight and be mentally ready tomorrow.

“I’ve been cutting a lot of weight to get ready for this, so I need to get some food and get my energy back for tomorrow. I felt like I didn’t have all of my energy tonight.”

West Branch coach Mike Helm was pleased with getting three of his wrestlers through to the semifinals at such altough district. He was disappointed with Round 1, but knows those that lost aren’t out of the tourney yet.

“We have some guys that can come all the way back through in wrestlebacks,” said Helm. “We wrestled well in the quarters, but had a few disappointments. But this thing is a meat grinder and you have to be ready for every match.

“Mellinger’s win was huge over a good kid in overtime and Bates will face his nemesis in [Dustin] Sarosy of Perry. Maybe this will be the year for Bates.”

For all six area semifinalists, all they need is one win today to advance to state. A loss in the semis drops them into the consolation semifinals, where a victory clinches them at least fourth place. The top four in each weight class advance to Columbus.