Beaver Local’s Smith captures OAC crown

March 23, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Beaver Local’s Beau Smith was emotional after winning the 146 pound championship at this weekend’s 17th annual Ohio Athletic Committee Junior High Wrestling Tournament.

The Covelli Centre crowd also witnessed eight other local entries earn All-Ohio honors.

Smith (5-0) defeated Conor Beard of North Olmstead, 7-3 to join Adam Hoppel (2000) as Beaver Local’s only junior high state wrestling champions.

“I just wanted to be a strong wrestler today, keep it close and if that happened then I knew I could pull it out,” Smith said. “This is my second tournament and I wanted it to be special. I didn’t place last year and it was tough to watch the parade of champions. It just wasn’t a good feeling.”

Smith’s coach, Matt Bostian, said there were high hopes for all three of his wrestlers who advanced to Sunday’s placement round.

“It was an excellent tournament with a lot of tough kids getting knocked off. When you’re one of the best in your area and going up against the very best in the state, that’s when you can rate yourself.” Bostian said.

Girard’s Jack Delgarbino (4-1), who went 4-1 in the tournament, fell 2-1 in double overtime to Tyler Wilcox of Huber Heights to finish second at 209 pounds.

Along with a handful of other area junior high wrestlers, Delgarbino will now take part this weekend in a national wrestling tournament in Danville, Ill.

“I was one match away from placing last year and this year, it was a great learning experience. It showed me that there will always be tough competitors out there,” he said.

Canfield’s Nathan Whitehead (6-1) and Tyler Stein each finished third while Cole McComas (6-2) of Beaver Local, Andrew Ischo (5-2) of Brookfield and Garrett Givens (7-2), also of Beaver Local, walked off with fourth-place honors.

Whitehead defeated Cody Neese of Thornville, 1-0 at 164 pounds to avenge his only loss of the tourney while Stein pinned River Pappas of Toronto (176 pounds) with 27 seconds remaining in his match for a 6-1 tourney mark.

“I lost to him [Neese] earlier in the day, 3-2, but my goal was to finish strong,” Whitehead said. “I was disappointed I didn’t make the finals, but in that loss I learned that you have to stay in good position. Against higher-level wrestlers, they always take advantage of you when you’re out of position.”

Stein’s goal was to wrestle for the championship.

“I wanted to take out all of my anger for not making the finals. The goal was to pin him and I was able to do that,” Stein said. “It was a good weekend. I really felt like I wrestled my heart out.”

McComas dropped a 2-1 decision to Ethan Turner of Tipp City in an 84 pound pairing. Ischo fell to Matt Lewis of Cincinnati LaSalle, 7-2 at 114 pounds. Givens fell to Bradley Smith of Beaver Creek, 1-0 at 209.

For McComas, it was an improvement over last year’s fifth-place finish.

“I started off a bit sluggish, but felt like I finished strong and that was the main goal,” he said.

It was Ischo’s fourth year of OAC competition (he also competed in the grade school tournament) and first time that he made it to the podium.

“It really feels good to place after the hard work you put in to get ready for an event like this,” he said. “He had good reach and kept me outside. I just need to figure out a tall, lanky opponent.”

Givens went 6-1 during Sunday’s competition.

“It was a very tiring day, but a fun time the entire weekend,” he noted. “You just have to stay mentally focused for every match.”

Two other Canfield wrestlers, Nick Crawford (146 pounds) and Michael O’Horo (154 pounds) placed fifth overall in their weight class.

Crawford (7-2) pinned Christopher Langguth of Rootstown at 32 seconds of the second round, avenging a pin suffered at the hands of Langguth. O’Horo (4-2) defeated Wesley Pauley of Chesterhill, 6-5.

“He pinned me yesterday so I just wanted to return the favor today,” Crawford said.

“I learned a lot, especially how to be quicker in close match situations,” O’Horo said. “I just felt like I could have done better.”

Canfield coach Rich Donadee added that the weekend is a showcase for the best of the very best from around the state.

“We had a nice showing as a team, sending four to the placement round today. It’s a stressful environment and a lot of wrestling over a two-day period,” Donadee said. “It becomes a battle of attrition so staying calm and focused is the key.”

The OAC’s Grade School State Tournament return this weekend to the Covelli Centre.