PHOTO BY DAVE WILSON
Wadsworth two-time state champion Nick Tavanello and the Grizzlies take on Div. I powers in the State Duals at Wadsworth. Brad Bournival has an up-to-the-minute live blog of the event.
*** Note: See video highlights from last week's Walsh Ironman tournament. Click the "Video" icon above. ***
WADSWORTH, Ohio – Wadsworth has won the North Canton Holiday Wrestling Invitational at Hoover High School two years in a row and three of the last four years; the Grizzlies didn’t participate in the 2009 tournament.
This year they’ll have to take a bite out of returning runner-up Canon McMillan (Pa.) as the Big Macs will likely cut the mustard.
McMillan will look to shake the second-place moniker and have some big fries.
Enough puns – ugh, really – the Big Macs are very good.
McMillan added two-time state finalist Cody Wiercioch (170 pounds) to the team along with Cadet All-Amercian Dalton Macri (113), state champ Colton Shorts (126), three-time Super 32 placer Solomon Chisko (138), state placers Dario Dobbin (145) and Cody Klempay (285) and state alternate Alex Campbell (215).
Add Milan Edison, Olentangy, Huntington (W.Va) and Ripley (W.Va) and the 52nd edition of the tournament might be one of the best.
“North Canton has always been a strong field,” Wadsworth coach John Gramuglia said. “Any time you have that many teams, there’s bound to be a couple good kids in each weight class. It’s a great venue, cleanly run.”
Kagan Squire (132) and Nick Tavanello (285) return as champions for Wadsworth. Chris Baughman (4th, 145), Aaron Warstler (4th, 138) and Mathias Zollinger (5th, 120) return as placers.
Highland and Field will be in the field as well, but have no returning placers.
The tournament starts at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 and continues at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. Tickets are $8 per session for adults and $3 per session for students. An All Session pass (including finals) is available for $17.
Black River
While Black River wrestling coach Corey Kline would love to say his Pirates are going to roll through his home tournament, he knows the field might be the strongest in the 37-year history of the event.
“This year is probably the best year yet,” Kline said. “There are good, solid teams, but there are dog gone good kids, too. It’s probably the toughest since I’ve taken over. I think it’ll come down to whoever has the most solid team top to bottom. You won’t win a title with just two or three champs.”
The team race should be decided between Jeromesville Hillsdale (state qualifier Seth Heldenbrand and district placer Trevor Badertscher), West Salem Northwestern (junior high state placer Kyle Schaefer and state qualifier Brett Fortune) and Wellington (state qualifier Sam Rodgers and Patriot Athletic Conference champion Nick Sutherland).
“This tournament will show our kids where they are compared to the rest of the division,” Kline said. “There will be dominant kids here. You won’t just gauge your team, you’ll gauge yourself.”
Hudson Holiday Tournament
Brunswick, Crestwood, Cuyahoga Falls, Archbishop Hoban, Norton, Stow, Streetsboro and Hudson will be in the field this year. For a list of returning placers and champions click here: http://www.sportsink.com/259/2657/crestwood-wrestling-not-thrilled-with-hudson-tourney-win/Default.aspx
Wadsworth
While state qualifier Brandon Jones (126, bursa sac) continues to rehab from his injury, two-time state champion Nick Tavanello is expected back this weekend. State alternate C.J. Edwards (152) will try to give it a go as well.
Walsh Jesuit
No one throws a schedule together quite like the Warriors. After surviving the Ironman – because that’s really what schools do in the second weekend of December – Walsh has loaded itself up again.
The Warriors walk across the street to face reigning Division III state runner-up Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy on Thursday and then travel to Lakewood St. Edward to battle the reigning Division I champions.
The Royals boast two-time state champ Nathan Tomasello (113) and state placers in Matt Dobben (3rd, 145), Matt Meadows (3rd, 220) and Josh Decatur (6th, 132).
The Eagles return state champs Dean Heil (126, twice), Mark Martin (170) and Domenic Abounader (182) ; state runners-up Edgar Bright (138) and Ty Walz (220) and Greg Kuhar (285) ; and state placers James Suvak (3rd, 195), Nick Barber (4th, 138), Markus Scheidel (5th, 145) and Jacob Davis (5th, 160) .