Fitch wrestlers 10th at Hephner tournament

January 27, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

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Poland's A.J. Shields looks to control the back of Boardman's Peter Ryan.

For the Fitch High wrestling team, the annual Joshua Hephner Memorial tournament is just as much about honoring a former wrestler as it is winning.

“It’s about Josh and that will never stop,” said Fitch coach Brett Powell. “These kids know what this thing is all about. We’re wrestling for Josh and his family.”

The Falcons have typically had a lot of success at The Hephner in their home gym in front of a crowd full of people maybe only attend one tournament a season. The event has been described as an unofficial homecoming for former wrestlers, coaches, teachers and those who knew Josh.

“This tournament holds a special place for me,” said Boardman coach Dom Mancini, whose team competed for the second straight season. “I can still see Josh Hephner wrestling in the 1993 district tournament before he was killed in a car accident the following summer. The tournament stands for more than wrestling, it’s about the Austintown community coming together to recognize the passing of not only Hephner, but also John Moritz, who was the tournament founder who passed away.”

Fitch, which has battled injuries this season, showed its mettle again last weekend, finishing 10th in the team standings with 143 points. Austintown fielded two squads - Red and Blue - with the latter squad earning the top-10 finish.

Lake (272.5) won the team title, followed by Lancaster (232) and Massillon Jackson (229).

“We’ve had a lot of bad luck this season,” said Powell. “We’re having to do some rebuilding right now. This event is an opportunity to get better and get a lot of matches in two days. This is where your decent wrestlers get good and your good wrestlers can become great.”

The format for The Hephner is different from most tournaments in that it features pools of wrestlers competing in a round robin style. The top two wrestlers in each pool advance to an eight-man bracket tournament, with champions being named in each weight class.

“For these JV kids, they’ll face varsity wrestlers and will have to step up,” said Powell. “When you wrestle JV, then all of a sudden go into varsity matches, it’s like starting all over on another level.”

Austintown Blue squad 285-pounder Lennie McGeachy won an individual championshup to lead the Falcons. Other Fitch placers were Tyler Bell (fourth, 285), Rick Ague (sixth, 106), Zach Mackall (fifth, 132), Kyle Rocco (fifth, 138) and Donny Ferree (fourth, 195).

“This is a tune-up for those guys, as they get ready for the league [EOWL] tournament and sectionals,” said Powell.