Canfield wrestlers third at Holiday Duals

The Canfield varsity wrestling team battled two of the Midwest’s top teams during its annual Holiday Duals Tournament Dec. 15.

Included in the tournament field were 12-time Ohio Division II state champions St. Paris Graham and the Richmond Michigan Blue Devils, six-time Division III title winners, including the last three years. Other teams competing were Revere, Ravenna Southeast, Rootstown and Tallmadge.

The Cardinals started the day strong with a 63-6 victory over Revere. Posting wins were Stephen Daprile (120 pounds), Jake Dunbar (132), CJ Frost (138) and Shawn Williams (145), as Canfield claimed nearly every match.

Against Michigan powerhouse Richmond, the Cards held their own, including wins by Stephen Hamilton (160), John Poullas (170) and Jacob Esarco (205), but ultimately fell 41-21.

Wrestling eventual tournament champions St. Paris Graham, wins by Hayden Smith (195) and Curtis Burns (285) were not enough as Canfield lost, 69-9.

Graham defeated Richmond in the championship round, 50-24.

Canfield claimed third place over Ravenna Southeast, winning 70-3 behind wins by Kyle West (106), Anthony Spencer (126), David Labra (152) and Stan Socha (182).

Revere placed fifth with a 41-27 win over Rootstown.

“I was extremely proud of how well we responded against a very talented Southeast team. We schedule teams like St. Paris Graham and Richmond Michigan because we want to challenge ourselves against the best. The EOWL is always brutal, so we feel that our schedule will prepare us for the end of the season run,” said Canfield coach Dean Conley.

“Finally, I have to thank everyone who helped with our event. It takes so many people to run a competitive tournament and our parents hit it out of the park. It was great to see all the alumni come back and support the team.”