Lake is second at Catholic Invitational

The Lake Catholic wrestling team crowned three champions at the 57th annual Catholic Invitational Tournament on Jan. 14 and placed second as a team.

Hunter Ryan (120 pounds), Conor McCrone (126) and Cole Hivnor (170) each took home individual championships. In all, nine Cougars made it to the podium.

Cincinnati Elder won the tournament, held at St. Ignatius, with 275.5 points. Lake Catholic was second with 200.5 points, a safe distance ahead of Dayton Chaminade-Julienne (158) in third place.

Other local entries included Benedictine in 13th place with 61 points and VASJ in 15th place with 60 points.

“It was great,” Lake Catholic coach Eric Lakia said. “I would have liked to have seen some others stick around and get on the podium, too, but that’s all right. Everyone

is working hard and getting better. I’m happy. It was a good team effort. To come out second in a deep field is quite an accomplishment.”

Ryan pinned St. Ignatius’ Matthew Whipkey in 48 seconds for the 120-pound title.

“Hunter is a senior, and he tech-falled or pinned every kid he wrestled today,” Lakia said. “He was on his offense all day.”

One weight class later, Conor McCrone posted a

7-3 decision over Chaminade-Julienne’s Isaiah Wortham.

“I’ve got to give it up for Conor,” Lakia said. “He won his third CIT. He’ll go four his fourth next year. That would be awesome.”

Freshman Hivnor continues to impress. His 5-2 decision over Elder’s Austin Belcher gave him the 170-pound class.

“That was a tough match and he wrestled well,” Lakia said. “For a freshman in that weight class, that says

a lot.”

Finishing second were Anthony Trivisonno (113) and Luke McKeon (152). Trivisonno lost a 10-1 major decision to Padua’s Jimmy Balazy, while McKeon lost a tight, 5-2 decision to Elder’s X-xaiver Weathersby.

Nick Coreno finished third at 106, Dakota Ryan was fourth at 145, Matt Valentino was fourth at 160 and Tommy Frasier was sixth at 132.

“They all impressed me,”

Lakia said. “It was a great tournament for us.”

Lake Catholic will wrestle at the Wadsworth Grizzly Invitational next weekend.

Three Benedictine wrestlers got to the podium — Mathew Stauffer (fourth at 126), Derek Berdysz (fifth at 132) and Thomas McGee (fifth at 182).

VASJ’s top placers were King Seyou (third at 138), Kiras Kijauskas (fifth at 195) and Pat Sheridan (third at heavyweight).

SHARON HOLY PHOTOGRAPHY Conor McCrone of Lake Catholic puts an opponent to his back during the Catholic Invitational Tournament at St. Ignatius on Jan. 14. McCrone won the 126-pound weight class and the Cougars finished second as a team.