Chase among area wrestlers in championship finals

Staff report

GARFIELD HEIGHTS

Girard junior wrestler Zane Chase remained undefeated in postseason action, winning his first two matches Friday night in the Division III district meet at Garfield Heights High School.

Chase is one of four area Division III wrestlers to wrestle themselves into the championship semifinals, guaranteeing a place in the top six finishers.

The first four placers advance to the state meet next week.

Chase won the sectional title at Rootstown last week at 120 pounds and improved his season mark to 21-12 on Friday. He defeated Heath Martin of Grand Valley, 9-2, then beat Jacob Spino of Independence, 5-3.

Joining Chase in the championship semifinal round are Jackson-Milton sophomore Mitch Tikkanen at 106 pounds, Crestview senior Matt Hardenbrook at 170 pounds and United’s lone district qualifier, sophomore heavyweight Charlie Smith.

Tikkanen improved his record to 26-11 with a pine and a 4-0 decision. Hardenbrook is now 24-4 after recording a 10-4 decisioin and a pin in just 58 seconds. Smith posted a 40-second pin and a 1-0 triumph to improve to 20-3 on the season.

Several other area wrestlers remain alive in the consolation brackets.

Wrestling resumes today at 10 a.m. with the finals slated to begin at 6 p.m.

Division II at Heath

Three Beaver Local wrestlers have advanced to the championship semifinals of the Division II district at Heath High School, helping the Beavers into a tie for fourth place in the team standings.

Senior Joshua Henderson, a state qualifier last season, improved to 42-1 in 2012-13 with two pins in his two matches on Friday.

He is joined in the semifinal round by sophomore Daniel Hasson (37-7), who recorded a pair of 6-2 decisions at 138 pounds, and senior Daniel Lattanzio (32-8) who recorded a pin and a 5-4 decision.

The top four finishers in each weight class advance to the state meet next week.