Moss earns shot to defend title

2/26/2005

COLUMBUS-The actions of Delta's defending state champion Jamison Moss's spoke much louder than words yesterday at Value City Arena .

Following his technical fall in the Division III championship semifinals, Moss decided not to watch his nemesis wrestle despite the fact that it was going to overtime. Moss did not get to see Liberty Center's Marc Hoff (44-3) get upset in overtime which prevented a re-match of the 145-pound district championship.

"It doesn't matter who it is as long as my hand is raised in the end," said Moss (44-2), whose only two losses came to Huff this season. "There's always been the same great competition down here and it always forces you to go out there and wrestle your best. I'm just going to go out there and reclaim my title."

Five other northwest Ohio wrestlers earned a chance to win their first state titles. Tinora's Matt Bloniarz (125), McComb's Justin Hill (140), Stryker's Jacob Hale (171) and Archbold's Cody Ruffer all won their semifinal matches yesterday.

Liberty Center's Wade VanSickle continued to tear through the 215 class registering his third straight pin to reach the finals. VanSickle (47-0) knocked out Chad Davis of Columbus Grandview Heights with a first-period fall in 1:12.

"I'm really excited. But I still have one more match," VanSickle said. "We'll celebrate after that one. It's been my goal to win a state title since I was a little kid."

Hoff's stunning 9-7 loss in OT to Nick Dierkes of North Jackson was one of biggest upsets of the tournament. But Moss, who also finished second in 2003, and his coach weren't concerned about the outcome.

"You can't worry about names at this point," said Delta coach Jeff Wolford, whose Panthers sit in 12th place. "It doesn't matter who he faces, he just has to do what it takes to win it."

Wolford's 103-pounder Jared Evans remains alive in the consolation bracket.

Joining Hoff in the loser's bracket include his Liberty Center teammate Jeremiah Hill as the Tigers are currently in fifth place.

Swanton's Cody Madden and Xavier Taylor also remain alive in the consolation round.

Other area grapplers who are guaranteed to place and must win two matches today to take third place include: Mark Bloniarz (Tinora, 135), Clay Chapman (Hopewell-Loudon), Nick Purdue (Genoa, 160), Josh Fox (Margaretta, 189) Eric Haubert (Mohawk, 189), Nick Girlie (Ayersville, 215) and Domenic Bentz (Mohawk, 275).

Evans, Mark Bloniarz, Madden, Hoff, Chapman, Hill, Fox and Girlie all suffered their first losses yesterday in the championship semifinals. Each had won two matches.