The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Bay’s Cover, Pina-Lorenzana of Firelands clinch top-eight
MARENGO >> Mason Cover’s sophomore and junior seasons of wrestling ended with a bitter taste in his mouth.
Thanks to his performance in the Division I state tournament on March 13, his senior year will end a little more palatable.
Bay’s senior 220-pounder won his consolation match against River Valley’s Graham Cooper, 3-1, to clinch a top 8 finish in the state.
Cover will face Ashland’s Jakob Beverly in the consolation quarterfinals on March 14 and can still finish as high as third place.
“It means the world,” Cover said of a guaranteed placement at the state tournament, “especially after last year when I went 2-2 at districts. To be able to make improvements in the offseason and get to the podium means everything to me.”
Not only did Cover miss out on a state berth a year ago, but as a sophomore, he went 0-2 at the state tourney. So when he dropped his quarterfinal match to CVCA’s Kyle Snyder (who is 440), Cover went to the hallway and did some soul-searching.
At the end of the second period against Cooper, Cover got a 3-point move — one on a clasping hands penalty against his opponent, and then a big takedown.
The 3-0 lead was one he wasn’t about to lose.
“Getting a three-point lead at the end of a period makes a big gap going into the third with only two minutes left,” Cover said. “I could control the tie-ups and make shre he doesn’t get in on me.”
Cover isn’t the only area wrestler destined for the podium on Day 2 of the tournament, which begins at 10 a.m. at Marengo Highland High school. Firelands’ Rueben Pina-Lorenzana went 2-1 at 106 pounds and can also place as high as third.
Pina-Lorenzana won his first match by pin, but was then sent to the consi bracket when he was pinned by Aurora’s Codie Cuerbo.
After gathering himself in the hallway, much like Cover did later in the day,
Pina-Lorenzana pile-drived Minerva’s Connor Norris, 15-6 in the consi bracket.
He will face Wauseon’s Collin Twigg in the consi quarterfinals on March 14.
“I took a bad shot and got stuck,” Pina-Lorenzana said of his match with Cuerbo. “I put too much effort in all season (to quit). I gave up all my sports to be here. My goal since I was a little kid was to place in the state tournament. I was not letting that slip away.”
Three other area wrestlers fell short of the podium.
Vermilion’s Chris Bennett went 0-2 at 182 pounds.
Keystone’s Nick Hickman went 1-2, losing a tight 7-3 match in the consi bracket in a match that — had he won — would have guaranteed him a topeight finish.
Keystone’s Luke Moore went 0-2 at 285 after getting into the tournament as an alternate.
When: 8 p.m. March 14.
Where: CBS, Paramount+.
Host: Trevor Noah.
Performers: The list of musical acts, as well as the format in which they’ll be presented, has not been announced.
Grammy Premiere Ceremony: Jhené Aiko hosts this streaming show featuring Burna Boy, Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, Igor Levit, Lido Pimienta, Poppy and Rufus Wainwright; noon Sunday on Grammy.com.