Poullas earns trip to state wrestling tournament

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Canfield 's John Poullas (right) battles Poland's Mike Audi in district semifinals last weekend. Poullas won the match 6-0 and later qualified for the state tournament. Audi also qualified for state out of the consolation bracket.

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Poland's Mike Audi (third), Southeast's Brandon James (first) and Canfield's John Poullas (second) all qualified for state wrestling tourney at 170 pounds.

Six Canfield wrestlers competed in last weekend’s Division II district tournament in Alliance seeking a trip to this week’s state tournament. Despite solid performances by all of them, only John Poullas (44-5) will be making the trip.

The senior 170-pounder earned a runner-up finish, falling for the second straight week to returning state placer Brandon James (Southeast) in the finals.

Poullas opened the district tournament by pinning Jefferson’s Rocky Tripodi in 37 seconds. He pinned Ravenna’s Kevin Payne 20 seconds into the second period to advance to the championship semifinals to meet Poland’s Michael Audi for the fourth time this season.

As in earlier matches, Poullas’s strength proved to be the deciding factor as he overpowered Audi for the fourth time this season, winning 6-0. Poullas entered the finals assured of a trip to Columbus and fell lost to James.

Poullas was to face Matt Dennis (33-10) of Claymont in the first round of the state tournament on Thursday.

In other district action for Canfield, Stan Socha came up two points short at 182 pounds, falling to Howland’s Josh Grodosky in overtime after having beaten him twice during the season. Socha won his first match by technical fall, 16-0, before edging Kyle Kremiller of Perry 1-0 to advance to the championship semifinals. He fell to eventual champion Stephen Suglio of Revere in the semis to set up his match with Grodosky with a state berth up for grabs. Socha won the fifth spot and will be an alternate for this year’s state tournament after defeating Kremiller for the second time, 2-1.

Returning state qualifier Korey Frost went 1-2 on the weekend in a tough 113-pound weight class. Frost, a junior, was attempting a comeback after missing the whole regular season with an injury and had seen his first action of the season the prior week at sectionals.

Frost’s younger brother, CJ, competed at 132 pounds and dropped his first two matches. Senior Hayden Smith went 2-2 on the weekend, losing a 14-13 decision to Woodridge’s Cody Nelson in the final seconds, one match short of a state qualifying opportunity.

Junior heavyweight Curtis Burns also was 2-2, losing a 1-0 decision to Howland’s Mike Bell in his final match. Burns recorded two pins on the weekend for Canfield, which finished 13th as a team. CVCA won the team crown and had eight wrestlers advance to state. Perry was second and Akron SVSM took third.