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Howland’s Whisler, Stark win twice in Alliance Div. II tourney
ON THE MOVE
Howland’s Whisler, Stark win twice
in Alliance Division II tournament
alliance
Howland sophomore David Brian Whisler (152 pounds) won twice on Friday to reach the championship semifinals for the first time, while teammate Gabe Stark took care of business at 145 to reach the same point during the Divison II district wrestling tournament at Alliance High School.
West Branch’s Tyler Pidgeon also moved into the semifinals for the first time with an 18-12 win over Alonzo Turner of Painesville Harvey.
Stark, however, was a state qualifier in 2011-12.
“Feel good about it, but you’ve got to do it again to get into the finals,” a West Branch coach told Pidgeon after the match.
The senior said he didn’t even make it out of sectionals last season.
Pidgeon is one win away from advancing to state when action begins at 10 a.m. today with consolations.
Pidgeon beat Turner earlier this season at the Painesville tournament.
“I wrestled him earlier, but only won, 3-2,” said Pidgeon, who was at a loss to explain the difference in the latest point differential.
Whisler was ahead of Tyler Shephard of Fairless, 4-2, when he lost a point for stalling.
“There were questionable stalling calls,” Whisler said,
The calls put Shephard within a point, 4-3, entering the final two-minute period.
“He took bottom and I knew that if I rode him, I’d get called for stalling again. I let him go so we could wrestle on our feet, but he got an escape point,” Whisler said of the tying point with 30 seconds left.
“I knew whoever got the next takedown would win. That’s when it comes down to — whoever has more heart.”
Stark, a senior, beat Revere’s Alec Fetzer, 7-0.
“I was about keeping my weight under control, but I also knew I wanted to wrestle six more minutes,” said Stark. “I knew he [Fetzer] wouldn’t be too at offensive, so I just wanted to stay cool and not get frustrated. I knew he wasn’t going to come after me because he seemed to be a more defensive-type wrestler.”
West Branch’s Connor Sharp (285) also made the championship semifinals after beating Streetsboro’s Sam Creque in the opening round and Kostas Parrish of University School in the third round of the night.
“I’m all business,” Sharp said after disposing of Creque by pin in 45 seconds. He beat Parrish, 10-3, to reach the semis.
Sharp also beat Parrish at the Kenston Invitational over the holidays in December, when Sharp finished as a runnerup.
Sharp (32-2) placed third at state at 285 in 2011-12.
Before losing 11-3 by major decision to Perry’s Collin Dees at 113, Canfield’s Korey Frost beat Aurora’s Danny Novak by technical fall, 19-3.
Frost, who didn’t wrestle at all during the regular season because of a meniscus tear in his right leg, is 3-2 since his return.
“I’m working my way back and feeling pretty good,” Frost, a junior, said after the win over Novak.
Canfield’s Hayden Smith (195) also won first, then lost.
The senior beat Aurora’s A.J. Suchovsky by major decision, 13-4, but lost to Lake Catholic’s Jimmy Szep via major decision, 10-0.
Hubbard freshman Tyreek Daniels (285) lost when he was pinned at 0:53 of the second period in the consolation round by Lake Catholic’s Marcus DeSantis. The 15-year-old Daniels finished with a 34-13 record.