The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Seven area wrestlers in D-III semifinal round
On March 6 at the DIII Garfield Heights District, seven of the area’s best wrestlers advanced to the semifinal round, clinching a top-six placement and positioning themselves one win away from qualifying for the state tournament next weekend in Columbus.
Taking center stage at the lightest and heaviest weight classes will be two area wrestlers apiece, familiar foes from neighboring communities headed for a possible title match collision.
At 106 pounds, Hawken sophomore Patrick Reineke (31-1) opened the festivities with a pin over Sammy Sidor of Independence. Reineke, who earned AllOhio honors last March by placing seventh at the state tournament, controlled upstart freshman Mason Simms of Wellsville in a 6-0 decision victory. In Reineke’s secondconsecutive district semifinal apperance, he will face Independence sectional champion Cole Schulke of Columbia.
On the opposite half of the bracket, Berkshire senior James Klingman (398) advanced with a 9-3 decision before battling Southeast’s Mason Amodio into overtime, tied 1-1. In overtime, Klingman electrified the crowd by hitting a headlock, throwing his opponent to his back for the win. No stranger to big matches, Klingman placed fifth here a year ago to earn the state alternate spot. In tomorrow’s semifinals, he will square-off with Southington freshman Landon Duncan, a middle school state runner-up a year ago. Duncan beat Klingman 3-1 last week in the Berkshire sectional semifinals.
Berkshire’s James Klingman wrestles at the Division III Garfield Heights District on March 6.
Cardinal junior Jerry Rose (37-4) continued his stellar postseason run with a pin in the first round at 1060 pounds. He then battled Kenston Invitational Tournament champion Ian McClintock of Fairview in the quarterfinals. Rose earned another big-time victory as he controlled the 6-1 decision. Rose, a semifinalist last year, was just a single point away from qualification. He looks to avenge that tomorrow when he faces-off with Northwestern sectional champion Cory Stiffler of Orrville.
After a first-round pin, a showdown of spectacular sophomores scintillated the crowd as Berkshire’s Lucas Stoddard (291) earned a 3-1 decision in overtime over Tyler Knight of Mogadore. Knight was a state qualifier at 182 pounds a year ago while Stoddard placed fifth at 170 pounds, earning him the alternate spot along with teammate Klingman. Stoddard will face Northwestern sectional champion Eric Miller of Dalton in tomorrow’s semifinals.
Newbury senior Mitch Sanders (30-5) continued his quest toward the state podium as he earned two more victories by pinfall — including one over Austin McKibben of Rootstown
in just 35 seconds. In a match of battle-tested titans, Sanders will face Northwestern sectional champion Kaden Kidd of Norwayne, who qualified for the state tournament last year last year at 170 pounds.
At the night’s final weight class, 285 pounds, seniors Will Lindsey (382) from Hawken and Jeff Kusar (31-4) from Kirtland continued their decimation of the heavyweight field with four first-period pins in four matches.
Lindsey, the defending district champion, earned two falls in the first minute, pinning his opponents in 52 and 40 seconds. He will face Liberty’s Simi Moananu — who Kusar pinned at the Berkshire sectional — in the semifinals.
Kusar earned a pin in 58 seconds in the opening round before pinning Independence Sectional champion Travis Owen of Black River with two seconds left in the first period. In the semifinals, Kusar will face Rootstown sectional champion Jacob Kamperman.
In the team standings, Berkshire is pacing area teams, in fifth place with 32 points. Kirtland also wrestled to a top ten spot with 27 points.