Area wrestlers suffer setbacks
NORWALK — It was’t a great night for Auglaize County wrestlers on Friday at the Norwalk district tournament. Eight grapplers made the trip to Huron County, and only four will wrestle today.
All will compete from the consolation bracket. The good news is that all four can still earn a berth at the state tournament next week with two more wins. Three wins and it’s a third place finish, but two and the fourth place finish puts the wrestler in the state brackets.
It was the upper weight classes (152 to 285 pounds) that took to the mats on the second day of the tournament.
At 152 pounds Wapakoneta’s Jacob Schlesselman took on the champion of the Beachwood sectional, Ryan Steppen backer of Buckeye, and came away with a 8-5 victory, but dropped a 10-4 decision to Chase Dillow of Ashland in his second match. His first consolation match was against Eric Steckner of Beachwood and the determined senior took a hard fought 9-7 decision to advance to the consolation quarterfinals where he will meet Zaidan Kessler (18-3) of Wauseon, who won the 152 pound championship last week at sectionals.
St. Marys sent out Mason Saeler (152) and the senior won his first match by a pin (4:26) over Mitchell Copley of Aurora, but he in turn was pinned by Max Ray of Bellevue (4:44) to put him in the consolation bracket. He didn’t let the setback deter him as he pinned Joseph Debortoil of Rossford (4:05) to make the quarter-finals.
The third Auglaize County wrestler still alive in the tournament is St. Marys’ 195 pounder, Carter Sharpe. He had finished second last week at Defiance and started fast on Friday with a pin at 1:37 over Zachzoellner of Perkins, but he fell in round two to the Clyde Sectional champion, Kasean Hatlay of Columbian by a 7-2 count. He bounced back in his next contest to pin Mark Stankorb of Chaney at 2:07. He will take on Dillon Polland of Sandusky on Saturday morning.
Wapakoneta’s Cael Rostorfer rounded out the field of four successful Friday wrestlers taking his first 285 pound match with a quick 40-second pin of Gavin Mansor of Mansfield, but he too dropped his second round match when he was pinned by the Clyde sectional champ, Jake Bever of Ashland, who sported a 46-1 record. The Redskin junior again wasted no time taking care of his next opponent, recording a pin just 36 seconds into his match with Andy Vansesy of Akron SVSM. He will meet Jaden Bannister of Wauseon on Saturday.
Wapakoneta’s other two wrestlers on the day, Ean Kramer (195), and Trevor Houts (220), both won a match, but were beaten twice as well to fall out of the tournament.
The Roughriders also had two that were eliminated as Jace Schaefer (170) and Stachu Patterson (182) both won a match, but dropped two other decisions.
Three Western Buckeye League wrestlers still have state tournament hopes. Trevor Rittenhouse of Defiance (106); Derrick Slater (113) and Jaden King (152), both of Celina can all gain at least fourth place with two more wins, while Elida’s Connor Douglas (138) is still competing in the championship bracket with hopes of a district title.
The Redskins’ Colin Mellott (113) will wrestle this morning in the consolation quarter- finals and Tyler (106) and Trevor Hisey (113) of St. Marys will be competing in the championship semifinals.
Weight classes 106145 will wrestle championship semifinals and consolation round 3 matches (quarterfinals), beginning at 9:30 a.m. Consolation semifinals will take place at 11:30 a.m., followed by matches for third and fifth place, and championship matches at 12:35 p.m.
Upper weight classes (152- 285) will wrestle championship semifinals and consolation round 3 matches at 4:30 p.m. Consolation semifinals will begin at 6:30 p.m., with consolation and championship finals taking place at 7:35 p.m.