Crestwood (barely) edges West Branch for Div. II title

BELOIT — As the final team results were announced over the loudspeaker on Saturday, West Branch High wrestling coach Mike Helm stood next to a few Crestwood coaches, listening with a mixture of resignation and hope.

When his team came up five points short, 220-2151‚Ñ2, he nodded his head, congratulated the Crestwood coaches and said, “I knew it was close.”

Despite putting eight wrestlers in the championship round, and placing 10 in next week’s district tournament, the Warriors couldn’t quite catch the Red Devils at the Division II sectional at West Branch High.

“If you had told me at the beginning of the tournament that I’d get eight guys to the finals and 10 qualifiers, would we take it? Yeah, we would have,” said Helm. “We wrestled real well.

“It’s not very often that you got eight guys in the championship of a tournament and you’re behind going into the final round. Usually you’re walking away with the tournament.”

Four West Branch wrestlers won sectional titles: Dustin Graham (112 pounds), Jake Mellinger (130), J.P. Hoopes (135) and Tyler Strawser (145). Four others finished second: Chad Hupp (125), Adam Lamancusa (160), Jon Wilson (215) and Nathan Gambone (285).

Crestwood had five champions and three runners-up.

“Crestwood’s a solid team and this is a good tournament,” said Helm. “We’re going to be in position to go out there next week and get some wins and beat some good kids.”

Hubbard senior Anthony Nadeja (20-2) scored one of the weekend’s biggest upsets when he handed Lamancusa (34-1) his first loss by a 12-4 major decision. He jumped into his coach’s arms after the win and was still pacing the lobby five minutes after his victory.

“I planned on coming here and taking first, no matter who was in the way,” said Nadeja, who took a 7-1 lead in the match. “Starting out well definitely built my confidence. He’s a good wrestler, especially on defense and he’s able to block my shots but I just felt as long as I put a little more oomph into it and score good with my shots, I was pretty confident in my takedowns.

“Once I got that first one, I was able to relax and I just started wrestling.”

Canfield junior Robby Reed (37-4) won his second straight sectional title, defeating Hupp by a 7-0 decision.

“I was trying to go for the pin [at first], but it couldn’t happen, so after that I just tried to stay in control, stay on top,” said Reed, who won last year’s title at 119 pounds in the Division I sectional. “That’s the way I wrestle.”

He reached the semifinals at last year’s district tournament needing only to win one of his final two matches to advance to Columbus. Instead, he lost three straight to finish sixth.

“I don’t want a repeat of that,” he said. “I’m a lot more confident now.

“Last year I wasn’t sure of myself. This year I’ve had some big matches against some good kids and I’ve won most of them, so I feel a lot better.”

scalzo@vindy.com