The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
ELYRIA’S MUNGUIA IS STATE RUNNER-UP
Evans, Burnett each take fifth for Pioneers
HILLIARD >> As Ozzy Osborne’s Crazy Train played over the speakers in Hilliard Darby’s gym, Enrique Munguia appeared from behind a curtain on the gym’s northeast side, running through two jets of sparks before arriving at the center of the main mat. While the venue was the revered Schottenstein’s center, the match was the same.
For the second time in his high school career, Munguia was in the state final. And for the second time in his high school career, Munguia was the runner-up, falling 11-3 to St. Edward’s Paddy Gallagher in the 160-pound championship match.
“There are things Enrique needs to work on, but you can’t coach fight and you can’t coach fearlessness and that’s what he says,” Elyria coach Erik Burnett said. “He’s going to continue to prime his technique and I think he’s going to be fine.”
While Munguia didn’t reach the goal he wanted, a loss to Gallagher (The No. 1 wrestler in the state and one of the nation’s top high school wrestlers) is nothing to be ashamed of.
“Gallagher’s really good,” Burnett said. “He was to make Enrique make mistakes and then take advantage of it.”
Despite being taken down once in the first period, Munguia held his own for the first two minutes, as his twitchy, unpredictable style seemed to keep Gallagher on edge.
“It is what it is, I got what I got. I tried as hard as I could and I’m happy with the results because I know I did all I could.” — Elyria’s Jake Evans
Gallagher managed to catch up in the second period, however, recording two take downs and an escape to take over.
“Gallagher’s an amazing wrestler but Enrique was looking forward to the challenge,” Burnett said.
Munguia opened the second day of wrestling with a dominant 8-2 win over Brunswick’s nationally ranked Derek Fields — one of the biggest wins of the tournament.
Munguia, a Kent State commit who is also nationally ranked, was in control from the start, picking up an early takedown and never looking back.
“I didn’t really have a game plan, I just really wanted to wrestle my match,” Munguia said of his win over Fields. “My first takedown really helped give me some confidence that I carried over.
Jake Evans (182) and Nate Burnett (145) rounded out the Pioneers’ state placement with fifth-place finishes.
After going 2-0 in the first day of the tournament, Burnett opened the second day with a tight 3-2 loss to LaSalle’s Darnai Herd. Burnett tied the match up with a third period escape but was taken down in the final minute. After getting an escape with 19 seconds left, Burnett tried to pull off a barrel roll take down in the closing seconds but ran out of time.
I almost got him with a barrel roll; I didn’t really trust it enough to use it before then,” Burnett said. “He got that unexpected takedown and then didn’t really get gassed until the last 15 seconds.”
Attacking was a problem in the consolation bracket for Burnett as well, as he Brecksville’s Kael Voinvoich defeated Burnett 3-2 in their consolation semifinal. Both of Burnett’s points in the match came from escapes.
“(My losses came down) to the little things,” Burnett said. “I’ve got to get on my attack sooner. They had me figured out more than I had them figured out. It wasn’t my weekend.”
Evans ended his high school career with a 5-0 win over Brecksville’s Anthony Rizzo to take fifth place. He opened the second day with a 4-1 loss to Teays Valley’s Camden McDanel before falling in overtime to St. Edward’s Hudson Hightower in the consolation semifinals.
“It is what it is, I got what I got,” said Evans, an Indiana commit. “I tried as hard as I could and I’m happy with the results because I know I did all I could.”
Munguia was joined on the 160-pound podium by Olmsted Falls’ Nate Urry, who recorded a fourth place finish. After opening with a 19-4 tech fall loss to Gallagher, Urry punched his ticket into the third-place match with a 3-1 overtime win over Little Miami’s Alex Hobbs. Urry lost to Brunswick’s
Derek Fields (another nationally ranked wrestler) in the third-place match. In a weight class that featured three nationally ranked wrestlers, Urry finished fourth.
“I just wanted to go out there and give it my all,” Urry said. “I wanted to be offensive and when I did that, I was scoring points and stopping other guys from scoring.”
As a kid, Urry would attend the state tournament and dream about one day being one of the wrestlers finishing their day on the podium. After already accomplishing that goal, the Olmsted Falls junior is eager to see how high he can go on the podium next year.
“I’m excited to see how
next year’s going to go,” Urry said. “I’m really happy with how I ended my season.”
At the state tournament two years ago, Avon’s Carl Saxton finished in eighth place at 106 pounds, a finish he hoped to best before his high school career finished. After having the state tournament taken away last year, the Avon senior made good on his goal this year, finishing sixth at 132 pounds.
“I ended on the wrong side of the podium again, but I was still really excited with how I wrestled” Saxton said.
Saxton — a University of Chicago commit — opened the second day of the tournament with a tough 4-3 win over Moeller’s Brayden
Zenni. After the win, Saxton stood up and flexed in the direction of Avon’s small but loud cheering section.
“I showed a little emotion after my first match,” Saxton said. “It’s a tough tournament filled with good kids, so every win is deserved.”
After suffering a 3-2 overtime loss to Wadsworth’s Chris Earnest in the consolation semifinals, Saxton dropped lost 3-0 to Birden.
I’m looking forward to the future for sure. It hasn’t really hit me that my high school career is over. I know it’s a cliché, but it’ll probably hit me on the drive home.”
Avon’s Mason Bingham also placed, coming in seventh at 285 pounds.
While the tournament wasn’t in the usual spacious confines of the Schottenstein Center, Hillard Dabry did its best to replicate the state championship feel, as the bleachers were brought down and the lights were dimmed for the final matches .
“Hillard Darby did a fantastic job,” Erik Burnett said. “They made it as good for the kids as they could. It was a smoothly run event.”
After spending this time last year sitting at home, Burnett, like seemingly everyone, didn’t care that this year’s tournament was a little different.
“Hey, ya know, we were able to have a state tournament,” he said with a chuckle.