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Four Fitch wrestlers place at league tourney
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Austintown's Carman Rezapourian (top) attempts to turn his opponent at the EOWL tournament at Salem High School. Rezapourian finished third at 160 pounds.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Fitch's Jamie Jameson (top) applies pressure to his opponent during last weekend's EOWL tournament. Jameson won the 171-pound championship.
Super Bowl weekend meant more than just football for 17 Valley high schools. Before settling in to watch the big game on Sunday, wrestlers had their own score to settle on Friday and Saturday during the Eastern Ohio Wrestling League tournament at Salem High School.
Wrestlers from 17 squads competed for team titles and individual championships in the 14 weight classes. At stake were a spot on the awards podium and a year’s worth of bragging rights.
“This is our Super Bowl right here,” said Fitch coach Brett Powell. “Every kid wants to win their league, because they see each other all year and they want to be the best in the area. Some of these kids put more emphasis on this tournament than they do on sectionals.
“I really like our league. We have some of the best wrestlers in the state here and in some areas wrestling is dying, but this area has really had a resurrange in the sport. With our league, it doesn’t matter which division you are in, you get to face the best wrestlers. And they make each other better at this tournament right before sectionals.”
Fitch’s Jamie Jameson got better. In fact, he was the best there was in the 171-pound weight class. The junior beat Howland’s Bryce Tricker in the finals to win his first EOWL crown. It was Jameson’s third tournament title this season, after winning the Alliance Top Gun and the Josh Hephner Memorial. He will enter sectionals with a 36-4 record.
Three other Fitch wrestlers earned spots in the top six. Rick Ague was fourth at 103 pounds, Camran Rezapourian took third place in the 160-pound bracket and Lennie McGeachy was fourth at 285.
“We had some injuries and lost Korey Balog to a skin condition and I think he would have placed,” said Powell, who was inducted into the EOWL Hall of Fame prior to Saturday’s finals. “We were hoping to place five of six to have a good weekend. We wrestle in some pretty good tournaments — Brecksville, Top Gun, Hephner and EOWL — so we’re ready for sectionals.”
Fitch (96) finished eighth in the overall team standings and fifth in Division I. Howland (206.5) won the overall and Division I team titles. Canfield (179) was second and West Branch (169.5) was third overall and first in Division II. Jackson-Milton won the Division III team title and Pymatuning Valley was fifth overall and the champion of Division IV.
Wrestling sectionals will be contested Friday and Saturday. Fitch will host the Division I sectional tournament.