Girard fourth at Howland Invitational
By TIM CLEVELAND
HOWLAND
The 53rd annual Howland Invitational was an up-and-down competition for the Girard wrestling team Saturday.
The Indians tied for the most weight-class winners of any school with three, but finished fourth in the team competition with 118 points.
“I was hoping as a team to maybe win the tournament,” Girard coach Jim Cardiero said. “I’ve got to be happy with my three champs. I think for the most part, we wrestled pretty well. A couple matches maybe I thought we could’ve won that we didn’t.”
The top three spots were taken by non-area schools: Painesville Harvey with 144.5 points, Geneva with 128, and Eastlake North with 124.5. Howland finished in fifth place with 108.5 points and three champions, Brookfield was ninth with 51 points, Salem finished 10th with 44.5, and Liberty placed 12th with 7 points.
Girard’s three champions were Zane Chase at 132 pounds, Ed Sigurani at 138, and Nick Cardiero at 170.
Cardiero continued his outstanding season, running his record to 20-1. He earned a pin in 2:53 in his first match, a 17-1 technical fall in his second, and an 11-5 decision over Brookfield’s Zach Jamieson in the final.
Cardiero took Jamieson down with 33.5 seconds left in the first period, and Jamieson stayed down with a left wrist injury. After recovering, Cardiero continued with pressure and was never threatened.
“It’s going really good,” he said. “It’s my senior year, so I’ve got to make it worth it. Keep working hard at practice and getting good matches at these tournaments can only make me better.
“It’s probably my best year. Strong, fast, smart, experienced. I know what I’m doing.”
Cardiero has now won the Howland and Jackson-Milton invitationals and surpassed 100 career wins this season.
“He had a great season playing quarterback,” Jim Cardiero said. “His confidence is up. You play on Friday nights in front of big crowds, you’re bound to get a lot of confidence. He had a great season and I think that’s helped his wrestling.”
Howland’s David-Brian Whisler rolled right through the competition at 152 pounds. He earned a pin in 3:00, a 22-6 technical fall, and finished Salem’s Kade Byland via a 17-2 technical fall.
“I’m happy with it,” said Whisler, who won the HIT for the second consecutive year. “I kind of wish I would’ve got a pin that last one, but a tech’s all right, I guess.
“I’m working toward the end of the year. I’m trying to peak at the right time and get ready for sectionals, districts, state, and make a run at the state title.”
Whisler finished eighth in December’s Walsh Jesuit Iron Man Tournament against some of the top wrestlers around. He said that level of competition has been a big reason for his 27-4 record (which includes all tournaments). Three of his losses this season came in that tournament.
“You wrestle the top in the nation, it’s the best you can get,” he said. “It’s awesome; I love it.”
Sigurani seemed to have his 138-pound match all wrapped up against Eastlake North’s Eric Elchesen.
Leading 3-0 with the third period almost done, Elchesen earned three quick points to force overtime.
“I was getting pretty tired,” Sigurani said. “He had a good defense. He was able to counter my objectives and he did a good job doing it.”
Despite surrendering the lead, Sigurani shot in early in the extra period to earn a takedown and gain the victory.
“My coach has been on me this year about being in shape and finishing strong,” he said. “I pretty much looked at him and he shook his head and I knew what to do.”
Jimmy Lerakis got Howland off to a good start at 126 pounds with an 11-5 decision over Conner Roberts of Eastland North.
Lerakis, a junior, broke a 3-3 tie with a takedown, then, leading 7-5, he clinched the match with another takedown with time running down in the third period.
“I just tried to come in and do the best that I could,” said Lerakis, now 13-9 this season. “I knew he’d be good competition and I just tried to use my conditioning and offensive wrestling to win the match.”