Hawken duo reign at Garfield Heights

The Division III Garfield Heights District on March 7 was a chance for area wrestlers to reap benefits of hundreds of hours of work.

Seven placed in the top four of their respective weight classes, qualifying for state.

Hawken led the way, crowning bookend champions.

Hawken sophomore 106-pounder Patrick Reineke (33-1) qualified for the second consecutive season, facing a familiar foe in Southington freshman Landen Duncan. Reineke defeated Duncan, 3-1, to win the Berkshire Sectional.

With moments remaining in the first period, Reineke hit a slideby to score the pivotal first points. After exchanging escapes, Reineke showed tremendous awareness and anticipation by timing up Duncan’s attack and hitting a perfect counterattack double-leg for the clinching takedown. Reineke earned

All-Ohio honors a year ago by placing seventh at state. “Not being 15 pounds underweight really helps,” Reineke said. “I feel really good — stronger, quicker, faster, more confident. That experience will help. I’m ready to win a state title.”

No stranger to state himself, defending district champion Will Lindsey (402) took home the crown at 285 pounds with a pin in 1:00 of Kirtland senior Jeff Kusar.

The Hawken senior was all smiles. When asked what the difference between his mindset going into state this year and last year is, he replied with conviction, “Confidence.

“Having the confidence this year is a big plus. I think that was a little bit of a factor last year, not having been there before. I’m ready.”

In Lindsey’s four district bouts, his opponents lasted a combined 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

In his championship match — another rematch from Berkshire, where Lindsey won a 5-1 decision — it was Kusar who came out the aggressor, attempting what looked like a whizzer kick to get Lindsey off-balance before the two heavyweights continued to pummel with upperbody ties. Kusar attempted a headlock, which Lindsey countered and dropped Kusar straight onto his back for the fall.

That headlock notwithstanding, Kusar (32-5) wrestled a brilliant tournament in his own right, securing three consecutive wins by pin, including securing a trip to Columbus for the first time with a pin in 3:58 over Jacob Kamperman of Columbiana in a semifinal.

At 160, Cardinal junior Jerry Rose (38-5) qualified for state with a thrilling 14-10 overtime semifinal decision over Cory Stiffler of Orrville. Rose had the lead when time expired, but referees had a conference and awarded Stiffler with a tying two points. Rose attacked Stiffler’s leg and had him taken down at the edge of the mat, but referees blew the whistle because action was heading out of bounds. In the match’s deciding flurry of action, Rose came out with a takedown and a set of two near-fall points. In the finals, Rose fell to Waynedale’s Peyton Lemon, 14-5.

Fellow Geauga county stalwart Lucas Stoddard (30-2), a sophomore from Berkshire, earned his first trip to state with a 7-2 decision over Eric Miller of Dalton in a semifinal. Stoddard scored an early takedown before Miller reversed him to tie the score, 2-2, but the rest of the action belonged to Stoddard, who used his leverage and cradle to earn the win. Stoddard was pinned by returning state runner-up Ethan Ducca of St. John in the finals. But Stoddard’s performance against Miller and a 3-1 victory over two-time state qualifier Tyler Knight of Mogadore on March 7 show he’s ready to contend for a state podium spot.

Berkshire senior James Klingman (41-9) joined Reineke in earning a spot at state at 106, as he notched a second-period pin in a qualifying match over Mason Simms of Wellsville. He then scored a 1-0 victory over Southeast’s Mason Amodio, the champion at the Kenston Invitational Tournament, in the match for third. Newbury senior Mitch Sanders (31-6) became the Black Knights’ final state qualifier, when he controlled Spencer Mesaros of Southeast in a 6-2 decision. In the match for third, Sanders scored a takedown in each period en route to a 7-1 win over Mason Shreve of Grand Valley. Sanders is making a return to Columbus after qualifying a year ago. One of the top-ranked 195-pounders in Ohio all season, Sanders looks to be in prime position to send Newbury, which is closing at the end of the school year, out on a high note on the mat.

“Having the confidence this year is a big plus. I think that was a little bit of a factor last year, not having been there before. I’m ready.” — Hawken’s Will Lindsey