Wrestlers have to wait out storm until today

Staff report

INDEPENDENCE

Jackson-Milton’s Dave Tomaino said it was the first time in his 27 years as a wrestling coach that a postseason tournament — sectional, district or state — was postponed.

“It’s a first for me,” Tomaino said of the weather-related difficulties that extended the Div. III district tournament at Garfield Heights High School through Sunday.

The 48-team, two-day tournament was to have concluded Saturday evening.

Jackson-Milton’s team, which includes nine wrestlers and three or four coaches, left home Friday morning assured that it was still being held with an expected 2 p.m. weigh-in.

“We left at 10:30 [a.m.] thinking the tourney was on, then when we got there, we found out otherwise,” the Jackson-Milton coach said.

“Every district [wrestling site] in northeast Ohio shut down,” he said, believing that the eventual decision to postpone was based on transportation and distance considerations of teams.

“It was pretty nasty,” Tomaino said of his own observations of cars spinning-out and snow plow trucks stuck in the median along the route to the Cleveland-area location.

“We went the speed limit [65] along the Turnpike because it was clear, but we slowed down considerably along I-77,” Tomaino said.

“Girard was stuck in traffic for an hour and a half,” he said of the Indians’ ordeal.

Tomaino has experienced heavy snow for tournaments in the past, but never enough to lead to a day’s delay and an additional overnight stay.

“We’re holed up in Independence at a Holiday Inn and several [other schools] are across the street,” the coach said late Friday afternoon of the dozen or so schools that did arrive, but decided that returning home was imprudent.

“The kids are safe here. We’re trying to keep the guys on weigh and keep things in focus.”

The Bluejays and others were permitted to practice at Garfield Heights.

“We were allowed to work out where the tournament is, so it kind of cut the nerves for the newer guys — to see the place and how things are set up. Maybe it’ll work out OK for them.”

Today’s weigh-in will be 11 a.m. with a 1 p.m. start.

To adjust to the revamped schedule, Tomaino speculated that a round might be added to Saturday’s action.

“They might add a second round of consolations on Saturday, then, on Sunday, just hold semifinals, consolation semifinals and finals. That way, everyone will get out a little earlier on Sunday.”

Of the weekend’s hectic start, Tomaino said: “Everyone’s at a disadvantage or advantage. We’ll see how plays out.”