Sandusky St. Mary defends Division III championship

3/2/2003

COLUMBUS - Just getting there will have to be enough for Delta's Jamison Moss and Curt Thompson of Seneca East.

Both were simply outmatched in their championship matches yesterday at the state championships at Value City Arena.

In the 135-pound final, defending 119 champ A.B. Shearer of Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic controlled things from the get-go in a 7-0 decision.

“It showed me what I need to do and how much harder I need to work,” said Moss, a sophomore who finished 36-5.

“Coach just told me to go out aggressive and try to get the lead,” Shearer (51-1) said. “I didn't want him to get on a roll because I know he's a big point-getter, so I just wanted to wrestle my match.”

It was much the same for Thompson (48-4), a senior who ended his first trip to the state tourney with a 12-2 loss to Matt Smilek of Cuyahoga Valley Christian (36-3).

St. Mary's Spencer Dye fell to three-time placer Alex Picazo of Grandview Heights, while teammate Matt Stookey defended his 215 championship with a hard-fought 12-10 win over defending 189 champ Chad Sowers of Mohawk.

That win helped St. Mary claim its second straight team title and fourth overall with 124 points to Beachwood's 107.5.

Josh Grigson of Northwood finished with stitches and fourth place after scoring a 5-1 decision, then falling 2-0 to Shannon Bennington of Newcomerstown.

“I have the scars to show for it,” Grigson (35-5) said with a laugh. “That's two years in a row I've had stitches here.”