The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Host Lorain crowns two champs
Lorain first-year coach Dan Findley wants to bring back the old-school style wrestling teams from the Southview days.
There are a pair of Titans that are helping establish that with his son Dan Findley (145), and sophomore Brandy Crawford (160), both of whom picked up titles at the Lorain Titan Classic on Dec. 1.
Findley took home lowerweight MVP and Crawford won upperweight MVP. Perkins (286) won the tournament title, and Westlake (235.5) finished as the highest local team, taking third. The Titans (174) placed fifth. Crawford defeated Parma’s Gavin Ziol in a 17-10 decision after nearly getting pinned in the first period.
Crawford put on a takedown clinic — converting multiple power ones, and showed tremendous strength.
“He almost had me, but I just felt in my body that I couldn’t lose,” Crawford said. “I don’t like losing. My takedowns come from practice and repetition. If it ain’t my teammates, then I don’t feel bad for anyone I take down at all. It feels good to start my sophomore season undefeated. Hopefully I can see some better competition next week.”
Findley topped Perkins’ Cole Weatherly in a 10-4 decision, a match in which he never trailed.
“I stuck to the basics of what I knew,” Findley said. “It means a lot to win a title my senior year and maybe the last couple times I wrestle in this gym. I can’t hold anything back this year, and I just have to let it all out there.”
Coach Findley was satisfied with his pair of MVPs to help set the tone for the season.
“Crawford and Bubba are really hitting hard in the room,” Findley said. “They are my two captains, and it’s showing on the mats. It’s a good atmosphere when you can open up at home and ease the kids into the competition.”
Two Demons won titles in Thaer Zayed (132) and Conner Gregory (195). Zayed beat Fairview’s Jack Jewitt in a 10-4 decision, and Gregory pinned Oberlin’s Riley Horning (1:30). Horning was the No. 1 seed, while Gregory was unseeded.
“I just threw a little technique my coaches showed me and I have to shout them out,” Gregory said. “This is my first year back wrestling since middle school, and I’m now a sophomore. Everything I’ve done this year is because of them. Picking up a title means a lot.”
Fairview junior Matt Kaufmann (126) won a 13-6 decision over Cloverleaf’s Cade Cass to win the
title. The Warriors placed sixth overall (155.5).
Kaufmann is a reigning state qualifier, and he’s approaching this season with a better mindset.
“I want to place at state,” Kaufmann said. “I have a work ethic this year, and I didn’t have one last year. This title honestly doesn’t mean much because nothing really matters until state.”
The best finals match of the night belonged to North Olmsted’s Dalton Diaz (170), who won a thrilling 13-11 sudden victory match over Perkins’ Lucas Salmon.
The Eagles placed seventh (147.5).
Diaz wants to put himself on people’s radar, and a win over the No. 1 seed is a good start.
“Honestly, I wanted it more than him,” Diaz said. “This is my year. I was unseeded. The difference in that match was we were both gassed, and it came down with who wanted it more. My mindset is I want to prove how good I really am. I came out and showed it tonight. Freshman year I was a district qualifier, sophomore year I had a concussion and last year, too. No one really knew who I was but I knew what I can do.”