Sunday, February 28, 2010
Staff reports
MAPLE HEIGHTS — Five area Division III wrestlers earned trips to state competition during Saturday’s district meet at Maple Heights High.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify. Three are from Jackson-Milton.
In the 130-pound weight class, Bluejay Johnny Matacic finished runner-up, losing to St. Peter Chanel’s Mike Kovach in a 3-1 decision.
Two Jackson-Milton wrestlers finished third. In the 112-pound division, Vinny Pizzuto earned third place with a 14-2 decision over Norwayne’s Justin Grier.
In the 119-pound division, Bluejay Tim Wiseman finished ahead of Brookfield’s Tyler Thompson with a 7-3 decision.
Also finishing third was Girard’s Jacob Carpenter (125 pounds). Carpenter beat Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy’s Seth Powers, 5-1.
State competition begins on Friday at Ohio State.
Division I
MENTOR — Boardman sophomore John Dillon lost to Perry’s Nick Hannon in the 125-pound final to finish second at the Division I district meet at Mentor High.
He was the only area wrestler in championship round.
In the consolation finals, Boardman’s Jerry Pasquale decisioned North Royalton’s Matt Yurkovich, 4-2, at 119 pounds to advance to next week’s state tournament, while Fitch’s Shawn Ague placed fourth after falling to Kory Mines of Maple Heights 6-2 at 112 pounds.
Howland’s J.R. Perry also placed fourth, falling to Madison’s Nick Montgomery 11-4 at 103 pounds.
Division II
AKRON — Sectional runner-up West Branch placed four wrestlers in next weekend’s state tournament while Hubbard senior Anthony Nadeja also earned a bid after Division II district competition at Firestone High School.
The Warriors were fourth in the team standings with 102 points. Walsh Jesuit was first with 134.
The four West Branch wrestlers who won sectional titles last weekend — junior Dustin Graham (112 pounds), senior Jake Mellinger (130 pounds), senior J.P. Hoopes (135) and senior Tyler Strawser (140) — all moved on to state competition by finishing third or fourth.
Mellinger and Nadeja were state qualifiers last season.
Graham lost to Canton South junior Joey Morris by a 6-2 decision in the consolation finals.
Mellinger placed third, defeating Louisville senior Nick Katich 8-2. His lone loss this weekend came to Walsh Jesuit sophomore Nate Skonieczny, the eventual district champion.
Hoopes beat Aurora junior Tommy Gallagher 6-1 to place third. Strawser edged Benedictine senior Troy Henderson 2-1 in the consolation final to avenge a second-round, 4-3 defeat to Henderson.
Nadeja placed third by pinning Kenston sophomore Mike Braun at the 4:15 mark of the consolation match.