Top Gun wrestlers ready for mat wars

By Mark w. Miller

St. Paris Graham is the defending champion, while Fitch hopes to better its third-place finish of 2008.

ALLIANCE — Fitch, Boardman and Brookfield are the area high schools entered in the field of 40 teams at the Top Gun wrestling tournament Friday and Saturday at Alliance High School.

St. Paris Graham returns to defend its title with five champions, while coach Brett Powell’s Fitch squad has three 2008 state qualifiers who will wrestle against some of the state’s best athletes as they try to improve on last year’s third-place finish.

The tournament starts Friday at 11 a.m., continues Saturday at 10 a.m. with championship and consolation matches at 5 p.m.

Senior Louis Greco (14-2) who placed third last year for the Falcons at 152 pounds, will compete in the 145 weight class. He is seeded third in the field.

Chris Miller (15-3), also third a year ago, is again entered in the 215 weight class and is the No. 2 seed. Junior Shaun Ague (11-2) will compete at 103 pounds as a No. 4-seed.

Jake Peterson of Fitch is the No. 10 seed at 140.

Boardman High coach Dom Mancini has Jerry Pasquale (16-2) the No. 5 seed at 119.

Also for the Spartans, Weston Rajkovich (12-5) is the 12th-seeded at 160 and Chris Lorimer (13-5) is the No. 11 seed at 125. Rick Cupko (13-7) at 130 is also a points hopeful.

Brookfield has four athletes it is counting on to score points. Tyler Thompson (14-4) is the No. 4 seed at 119. Also for the Warriors, Dan Miller (18-2), 140; Jake Underwood (11-5), 145 and Mark Hiner (7-9), 285 hope to score.

Alliance has 2008 state qualifier Manuel Cintron (10-0), 135; Adam Walker (10-0), 145; Alex Oesh (8-2), 160; Justin Rhome (9-2), 171 and Billy Garlock (10-1), 189, entered.

Howland Invitational

HOWLAND — Veteran Kyle Leek (21-2) is moving up three classes to 140, to compete in the 48th Howland Invitational on Saturday.

Last year’s 125-pound champ, Leek is one of six athletes for the Tigers, who are going for their fifth straight title. Also back are Chris McGuire, 103; Kai Yancey, 125; Osama Hamad, 125; Andy Cornicell, 135, and Bryce Tricker, 160 .

Cranberry (Pa.), Eastlake North, Geneva, Girard, Liberty and Salem are entered in the tournament, along with a “B” team from Howland.

The tournament starts at 10 a.m. with championship and consolation matches scheduled at 6 p.m.

Liberty sophomore Justin Hideg (9-5), 125, finished fourth a year ago and he was runner-up at the Leonard Truck Invitational at Jackson-Milton last Saturday.

Joshua Hideg (11-4), 160, was a champ at Leonard Truck. The Leopards will also be counting on Quincy Harris (9-4), 189; Randy McElroy (8-5), 285, and Jordan Wagner (4-2), 171.

Competing for Girard will be Jacob Carpenter (13-2), 119; Tony Cardiero (16-1), 130; Daniel Gainey (15-3), 135, and Nico Francis (14-2), 152.

Salem athletes who placed in the top four last year at Howland are Patrick Simpson, 112; Miguel Labra, 135; Josh Lankford, 189, and Will Beagle, 215.