Poland wrestlers earn first win of season

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Neighbors | Submitted.Poland's A.J. Shields (top) controls action against Girard's Jordan Thompson during Saturday's varsity wrestling match. Shields won both his matches on the day.

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Poland wrestler Tad Duran goes for the pin against Brookfield's Zane Chase on Saturday. Duran went on to earn a 5-1 victory in the match.

The Poland High School wrestling team opened its season by splitting a pair of matches against Brookfield and Girard on Saturday.

The Bulldogs defeated Brookfield 45-30 and fell to the Indians.

”We bumped each of our kids up a weight class,” said Poland coach Tony Stellato. “Our kids handled this very well. Wrestling up is not an easy thing to do. We will be a totally different team once we get our guys into the best weight class that suits them.”

AJ Shields, Tad Duran and Mike Audi each went undefeated on the day, winning both their matches. Against Brookfield, Shields defeated Jordan Thompson by pin with 23 seconds remaining in the third period. Duran decisioned Zane Chase 5-1. Audi decisioned Bill Barr 10-5.

Other contributors to the victory were Joel Miller, Jordan Ziegler, Edwin Figueroa, Bob Bricker and Max Prizant.

Against Girard, Shields scored a technical fall 17-1 victory over Jake Bohr, Duran defeated Shane Howls with 47 seconds remaining in the second period and Audi pinned Steve Ravenstenic at 2:20.

Prizant lost a hard-fought 4-0 decision against Nick Cardiero and Bob Bricker lostv 5-1 to Girard’s Matt Marsha.

The Bulldogs will compete in today’s Painesville Riverside Rumble, a 16-team pool tournament.

“I expect for our guys to wrestle very well this weekend and compete for several placement trophies,” said Stellato. “This tournament will expose our team to a different level of competition in a different area of the state.”