10 teams to compete at Leonard tourney

Saturday’s event runs all day at Jackson-Milton High School.

By JOHN BASSETTI

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

NORTH JACKSON — Any sport that offers a range of weight classes to address the gamut of sizes is good.

A tournament in that sport that extends participation regardless of ability is even better.

That’s the mantra of the Leonard Truck and Trailer wrestling tournament to be held Saturday at Jackson-Milton High School.

Leonard, a North Jackson firm, sponsors the event while the Jackson-Milton wrestling program is the staging entity.

Cardinal Middlefield, Garrettsville Garfield, Girard, Warren JFK, Liberty, Salem, South Range, Waterloo, Wellsville and Jackson-Milton are the 10 schools entered in the tournament, which begins at 11 a.m. and continues until 8 p.m.

“We’ve kept the same teams year in and year out,” Jackson-Milton coach Dave Tomaino said of the event now in its 11th year. “It’s a nice, smaller tournament for the area and the Leonards have been very generous to donate the awards every year,” Tomaino said of Leonard Truck owner Clint Leonard and his father, Stan.

“They’re North Jackson people and Clint wrestled in high school and it’s his way of giving back to the program.” Tomaino said.

Clint Leonard graduated a year before Tomaino was elevated as head coach in 1986.

“It’s almost like a community effort because of the support,” Tomaino said of volunteers, who make the tournament an annual centerpiece of activity.

“People donate food and they have good concession stands. It’s everyone getting together and having a good time.”

While haluski and sausage are being served in the kitchen, decisions and takedowns are in progress on the mat.

Champions in 14 weight classes will be awarded, along with an MVP and special award for most pins in least time.

“That award looks like a boxing belt,” Tomaino said of the special award with an attractive golden rim.

“Whoever wins that is excited about it,” Tomaino said of the award that came into existence in 2009. “We got the idea from another tournament.”

One of the special signatures of the Leonard tournament is its attention to lesser-rated wrestlers.

“Most teams have fairly full lineups, but we let them bring extra kids to fill up the classes,” the J-M coach said. “If a kid’s not the best [at his weight class], he may not get a chance to compete during the season. This gives them a chance at the varsity level. We want to give them extra time on the mat.”

Tomaino has three wrestlers who placed at state in 2009: Vinnie Pizzuto (112), Tim Wiseman (119) and Johnny Matacic (130) — all juniors.

Pizzuto finished sixth at state last year at 103. However, he won’t participate in the Leonard event because of a knee injury.

“We’re hoping to get him back for sectionals,” Tomaino said.

Last year, Wiseman and Matacic were at 112 and 125, respectively.

Girard senior Nico Francis (152), who placed at state last season at 145, is expected to prevail on Saturday.

Jackson-Milton’s other top returnees are junior Alex Tomaino (135) and senior Anthony Tomaino (160). Both Alex and Anthony were district qualifiers last year.

Tomaino started as an assistant in the Jackson-Milton system in 1979, then served as junior high coach from 1980-86.

Recently, he was selected as coach-of-the-year for Division III by the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association for the 2009-2010 season. Tomaino will be honored during the state tournament in Columbus in March.

The recognition is a first for Tomaino, who is a five-time Eastern Ohio Wrestling League coach-of-the-year.

On Saturday, the weight classes for the Leonard tournament are 103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215 and heavyweight.

While the wrestlers try to gain victories, the spectators may be making gains in their own weight classes.

“Come hungry,” Tomaino said. “There’s nowhere to go, so you have to eat here. If you have to stay, we make it affordable.”

bassetti@vindy.com