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Hardenbrook dominates at J-M
By Steve Wilaj
NORTH JACKSON
His hands full with a trophy, plaque, belt and wrestling gear, Crestview’s Matt Hardenbrook couldn’t even perform the simple act of a handshake.
Not that he was complaining.
In a dominating performance at the Jackson-Milton Wrestling Invitational sponsored by Johnny’s Excavating on Saturday, Hardenbrook was named co-MVP, won the “Most Pins in the Least Amount of Time” belt and earned first place in his 170-pound weight class.
So, in turn, the wrestler who was a handful for the rest of the competition suddenly had his hands filled.
“It means a lot,” said Hardenbrook, who shared the MVP award with Middlefield Cardinals’s Casey Johns and Caleb Fry. “My coaches really helped me a lot, because I took some time off. I was satisfied with the way I wrestled today and with the way my team wrestled today.”
In his 170-pound championship victory, Hardenbrook defeated Wellsville’s Adam Harless. As evidence by his belt, Hardenbrook used his pinning ability to cruise to victory.
“It’s the best way to win,” he said. “Saves yourself the energy so you’re fresh for the next match. So, yeah, I don’t know. I just like working the pin.”
While Hardenbrook collected the individual accolades, Cardinal took home the team award, scoring 160 total points. That amount was just enough to edge Girard’s 159 Ω points.
“That was probably the best we wrestled so far this year,” Indians coach Jim Cardiero said. “We still have to get better, but as long as we’re making positive strides every week I guess I’m happy.”
Zane Chase earned the first championship victory for Girard, defeating Garfield’s Matt Kuzniakowski in the 120-pound bracket.
“Before my semifinals match, I saw he was pretty good,” Chase said of Kuzniakowski. “I just knew what to do when I got in the match.”
Garrett Bass followed with a firs-place finish of his own for the Indians, as he defeated Cardinal’s Dakota Ward in the 138-pound competition. The final Girard championship came on a victory in the 152-pound tourney by Nick Cardiero.
“I thought I was better conditioned than the three kids I wrestled,” Cardiero said. “I was able to outlast them and they were tired. That’s when I was able to take advantage.”
Host Jackson-Milton also took advantage of its opportunities, as the Blue Jays totaled 157 points for a third-place finish.
“Three weeks ago, if you told me we’d be in the run, I’d say you’re crazy,” said Dave Tomaino, Jackson-Milton coach. “We have matured at least a half a season in three weeks.”
The Blue Jays lone championship came in the 106-pound weight class. Sophomore Mitch Tikkanen ousted Garfield’s Noah Heim for the victory.
“It feels amazing,” Tikkanen said of winning in his home gym. “It’s like a lot of hard work has been paid off, just going to practice every day, working and selling out. It’s just finally getting what I wanted.”
Other local first place finishers included Salem’s Jesse Slocum (160), Mike Schuster of South Range (182), Dimitri Gregory of Crestview (195) and United’s Charlie Smith (285).