Poland sends two wrestlers to Division II districts

Photo

Poland's A.J. Shields goes attempts a single0leg takesdown against hisa opponent during last weekend's Division II sectional tournament at West Branch High School.

Photo

Neighbors | Submitted.Poland wrestlers Mike Audi (left) and A.J. Shields each qualified for this weekend's Division II district wrestling tournament at Alliance High School.

Photo

Mike Audi applies a headlock on his oppoent during thei sectional tournament match.

The Poland wrestling team qualified two wrestlers to this weekend’s Division II district tournament at Allliance High School.

Senior A.J. Shields placed second in the 132-pound weight class at the sectional tournament to move on.

“A.J. has really turned it on in the last month and it showed this weekend. He was calm and took control of what he set out to do,” Csaid Poland coach Tony Stellato.

Sophomore Mike Audi placed third at 160 pounds to punch his ticket to the district tourney.

“Mike has turned the corner and is now winning the close matches and is looking very good doing it,” said Stellato. “He and A.J. are both wrestling with a lot of confidence and that is what you want to see at this point in the season.”

The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualified for the district tournament.

Poland also had two other place winners. Freshman Anthony Mancini placed fifth in the 138-pound weight class and Jason Velasquez placed sixthat 225 pounds. Mancini’s effort qualfies him for a spot as a district alternate.

“Anthony had a very difficult weight class, but was able to get the alternate spot which is something considering the opponents,” said Stellato. “Jason nearly missed advancement, losing a tight match. He had a very good tournament.”

“The West Branch sectional is a very difficult sectional – competition is top notch and one of the stronger sectionals feeding the Alliance district. With Warren Howland dropping down from Division I to the Division II sectional this year, it made it even more difficult.”

Howland won the team title, besting second-place West Branch.

Stellato admits that his guys will face an uphill battle this weekend at districts, where many of the state’s top Division II teams and wrestlers will compete for state tournament berths.

“This district has long been a hot bed of top teams such as Walsh Jesuit and now has the addition of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, a perennial Division III team who moved up this year,” he explained. “There are many state and nationally-ranked wrestlers at this district.

“To succeed this week, we will need to rely on what got us here – execution. It will come down to who wants it more and refuses to be denied.”