Wrestling coaches know way to state

Combined, Jackson-Milton, West Branch and Fitch have 12 wrestlers competing for state honors.

Staff report

COLUMBUS — There’s something about high school heavyweight wrestlers becoming top prep coaches in middle age.

Brett Powell of Austintown Fitch, Dave Tomaino of Jackson-Milton and Mike Helm of West Branch all wrestled as heavyweights in high school and the three will coach 12 of their young charges in the state wrestling meet this weekend.

While in high school, Helm was a state qualifier when he was a senior at West Branch. Powell was a year behind Helm on the Warriors’ team and he took sixth place in the state as a senior.

Tomaino was twice a state qualifier as a heavyweight at Jackson-Milton.

In Div. III, Tomaino will have five of his wrestlers compete in the state, including three sophomores.

In Div I, Powell will have three of his kids in action while Helm has four West Branch kids wrestling Div. II.

“We do seem to have a lot of heavyweight wrestling coaches here in the Valley,” Tomaino said.

“You know, you love the sport [and] it gets into your blood. It’s a passion.”

One of the sophomores J-M has advancing is Vinnie Pizzuto who went 36-7 at 103 pounds.

“He’s like a pit bulldog,” Tomaino said of his style. “He goes after it.”

Another sophomore, Tim Wiseman, finished 32-4 at 112.

“Tim is a real hard-nosed kid,” Tomaino said. “He’s very aggressive with a street fighter style.”

Johnny Matacic (125, 41-6) is the third 10th grader from Jackson-Milton in action.

“Pound-for-pound Johnny is one of the toughest kids on our team,” his coach said.

“Nothing that he does will surprise me.”

Tomaino feels his three youthful athletes could have a certain advantage.

“Seniors sometimes freeze up, but younger wrestlers are not as nervous.

“Sophomores feel they have nothing to lose; seniors are more cautious.”

Senior Santino Pizzuto (119, 38-6) won the district last year then lost twice at the state.

“In terms of technique, he’s real fine. He’ll keep his matches close,” Tomaino said.

The other Jackson-Milton senior is Dan Clawson (215, 24-8) who missed advancing to the state by one match in 2008.

“Dan is like a rock,” Tomaino said.

“He has good finesse on his feet. He rose to the occasion.”

Powell is in his 25th season at Fitch and this is the 23rd time he’s had at least one of his boys advance to the state.

Fitch junior Shawn Ague (31-8) is returning to Columbus after winning a match last winter before falling twice at 103.

“He’s pretty much a veteran,” Powell said of Ague, 112. “There’s a lot of intimidation factors there,” he said of the experience.

At 140 Fitch senior Jake Peterson is 37-12.

At the Massillon Perry district last week, Peterson had to eliminate a wrestler with two years of state experience just to finish fourth and advance.

“Peterson was an alternate last year,” Powell said.

“He had to overcome a lot this year.”

The third Falcon is 145-pound senior Louis Greco (41-4).

He went to the state last winter at 152 but lost twice.

“We expect a lot more this year,” Powell said. “We expect to have him around much longer.”

“There’s mutual respect between our programs,” Powell said of the Fitch and West Branch teams, since he and Helm were prep teammates.

“We watch to see what the West Branch kids do. There’s always been a good program there,” Powell said.

The four West Branch wrestlers in the state are Jake Mellinger (130, junior, 31-4); Brent Stoffer (152, senior, 33-5); Adam Lamancusa (160, sophomore, 32-11); and Eric Bates (171, senior, 33-5).

For the record, Helm graduated high school in 1977, Powell in 1978 and Tomaino in 1979.