The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Chance isn’t lost on him
US’s Averill making most of late addition to district
When University 138-pounder Joe Averill placed fifth at the Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary sectional wrestling tournament last weekend, his chances of getting into the Division II district tournament at Alliance were slim and none. Slim won. And so did Averill — twice, as a matter of fact — on Day 1 of the Alliance District.
A district alternate, Averill gained entry into the tournament when Revere’s Gavin Butler bowed out with a concussion.
Taking advantage of his new lease on wrestling life, Averill — a Chester Township resident — won both of his matches on Day 1 of district action and is one win way from a state berth that looked dead a week ago at this time.
“My confidence is the highest it’s ever been,” Averill said after he pinned Alliance’s Joe Pennington in the quarterfinals. “I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m an alternate, so I’m going to let it fly.”
lease on wrestling life, Averill — a Chester Township resident — won both of his matches on Day 1 of district action and is one win way from a state berth that looked dead a week ago at this time.
“My confidence is the highest it’s ever been,” Averill said after he pinned Alliance’s Joe Pennington in the quarterfinals. “I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m an alternate, so I’m going to let it fly.”
Coach Sean Grosz credited Averill for continuing his workout regimen after finishing fifth at the sectional level, just with outside hopes of getting a bid if another wrestler couldn’t perform. When Revere called University two days before the district, Averill had his window of opportunity.
“You could say it was a little luck happening,” Averill said. “When I didn’t make it out of sectionals, I realized you have to let it fly and do what you normally do (in practice). That’s what I did.”
With his two wins on Day 1, Averill will face Kyle Petersen of Aurora in the semifinal round with a state tournament bid on the line.
Averill is one of eight area wrestlers alive in the championship bracket when action resumes at 9:30 a.m. on March 2.
Others who can clinch state berths with wins in the semifinal round are Perry’s Kyle Rowan (106), Chardon’s Jake Hamulak (113) and a group of Lake Catholic Cougars - Brendan McCrone (106), Nick Coreno (132), Dakota Ryan (152), Cole Hivnor (170) and Dorian Gridiron (182).
Noticeably absent from the semifinal round is projected state runner-up Conor McCrone, who lost his 126-pound quarterfinal match, 5-3, and will have to win three straight consolation matches on Day 2 to ensure a fourth trip to the state tournament.
“Right now it’s bitter, and yeah it sucks,” McCrone said of his loss, “but hey, it’s districts. Not every state champion wins districts. Not everyone wins sectionals. This is going to propel me tomorrow.”
The area’s projected state champions — Hivnor and Rowan — weren’t threatened in their matches.
Rowan pinned his first opponent and won by technical fall in his second. He’ll face Canfield’s Nick Barber in the semis.
“I got to my offense quick and often,” Rowan said. “It’s great I’m hoping to do that tomorrow, too. Keep moving on, man.”
Hivnor also went pintech. fall in his first two matches. He’ll face Aurora’s Ethan Anderson in the semifinal round.
Lake freshman Brendan McCrone continues his stellar freshman year with a 69-second pin and a 27-second pin. He’ll face Kenneth Crosby of Akron SVSM in the semis in a rematch of a regional dual bout that McCrone won, 6-4, on a late takedown.
McCrone is ranked fourth in D-II 106, while Crosby is No. 2.
Chardon junior Jake Hamulak, looking for a return trip to state, won by pin and 10-3 decision, showing an offensive array throughout the day.
He’l face Canton South’s Hunter Miller, an upset winner over SVSM’s Dierre Clayton, in the semis.
“I just wanted to score and focus on taking shots so I wouldn’t get caught,” Hamulak said. “I was trying to build leads.”
After missing weight as a freshman heading into the district tournament, Lake’s Coreno finds himself one win away from a state berth. He took a 2-0 decision in his opener, then won by pin, to set up a match with top-seeded Jordan Decatur of CVCA.
At 152, Lake senior Dakota Ryan, who was a state alternate last year, is back in the semifinal round for the second year in a row after a 5-3 decision of Coventry’s Liam Fagan. Ryan three times had high-singles, and converted the last for a takedown with precious seconds remaining.
He’ll face Aurora’s Dylan Fishback in the semis.
“Yeah, I wore him down big time,” Ryan said of the high-singles that left Fagan hopping on one leg for nearly two total minutes in the match. “I knew I could kick him out and take him down again (to win).”
Lake senior Gridiron let out a loud yell when he took a 5-1 decision win the quarterfinals to set up a semifinal showdown with Coventry’s Austin Hinzman.
Gridiron who missed the past two years recovering from injuries sustained in a 100-foot fall off a cliff while hiking, said the goal is not first place.
“The courage it just took to get to the semis,” Gridiron said. “You’re tired. You’re sweating. Your lungs are burning. It comes down to who wants it more. I wanted it more.”
Geneva’s Charlie Taylor pinned both of his opponents at 220 to set up a semifinal with Canfield’s Tyaler Stein. Taylor caught Woodridge’s Miles Ash-