Poland’s Audi flattens first two opponents in D-II district
By Ryan Buck
ALLIANCE
“No Shave November” is now but a distant memory, but a relic from the fall is still making its way across the wrestling mats of northeastern Ohio.
Poland senior Mike Audi needed a clean shave before the Eastern Ohio Wrestling Tournament the first weekend of February.
“My brother said I should shave everything but the mustache and keep it going for good luck,” said Audi, who ended up winning the event’s 170-pound title. “I’ve won three tournaments in a row before this and I haven’t shaved so it’s been good luck so far.”
Audi is still sporting the glorious facial hair — more Sidney Crosby quality than Tom Selleck — but it’s working. He dominated his first two matches of a Divison II district tournament inside the Alliance High gymnasium Friday.
He pinned Marcus Kruit of Wooster Triway 2:40 into his first match of the day. Vee Sealey of Painesville Harvey suffered the same fate, this time in 3:55.
“He was a tough kid,” Audi said of Sealey. “I watched his first match and I knew he was real funky. He was doing a lot of rolls and stuff so I knew I had to wrestle with strong technique, [then] I could beat him.”
Also a standout for the Bulldogs football team, Audi had to make a quick turnaround to make weight and get into shape once Poland’s football season ended in Week 2 of the Division III state playoffs.
“I had probably about a month do it,” he said of a rapid 30-pound weight loss. “Every wrestler goes through a weight cut like that. It was just kind of tough coming from football, especially because we made it a couple weeks into the playoffs. It was the workouts and not eating as much, everything a normal wrestler has to go through.”
Audi leads a group of 25 local wrestlers still in contention for qualification for the state tournament.
One of them is West Branch senior Logan Sharp, who leads a loaded Warriors team that currently sits in third place in the team standings behind only Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary and Perry.
Eight West Branch wrestlers are still in contention to make the top four spots in the district and advance to the state tournament next weekend at Ohio State’s Value City Arena. Five are in the district semifinals with the opportunity to win.
“Team-wise we’re doing pretty well,” said Sharp, who pinned both of his Day One opponents within the first 2:00. “All five have been dominant thus far.”
This is the eighth consecutive year West Branch has captured the Northeastern Buckeye Conference.
“It’s bearing fruit for us,” Sharp said. “We’ve just been able to dominate our opponents all season.”
In Saturday’s district semifinal, Sharp will meet returning state champion Billy Miller, of Perry. In one of today’s most anticipated matches, Sharp is looking to avenge a 7-5 decision defeat in January’s State Dual Meet.
“That ought to be fun,” Sharp said with a hint of confidence in his baritone voice. “I’ve been preparing for this rematch for a month now.”
Sharp’s coach, Jason Brown, had praise for Sharp, a team captain, and teammates Justin Mitchell (113 pounds) and Colin Boswell (152), among others.
Canfield will send five wrestlers to the tournament’s second day, including Jacob Esarco. The 220-pound sophomore won his first match in an 8-1 decision and his second with a pin in 4:38.