19 area wrestlers advance in state tournament
3/2/2012
Mike Screptock of Oregon Clay defeats Sam Wakser of North Canton Hoover during a Division I 126 pound preliminary match during the State Wrestling Tournament in Columbus Thursday.
COLUMBUS — Nineteen area wrestlers will compete in the championship semifinal round of the state tournament Friday evening at Value City Arena. Competition begins at 6:30 p.m.
Advancing in Division I are Clay's Mike Screptock (126) and Garrett Gray (285), and St. John's Jesuit's Ted Schoen (195). Division II semifinalists are Central Catholic's Alex Mossing (132), Wauseon's Dalton Nicely (138) and Zane Krall (220), and Oak Harbor's Luke Cramer (138) and Alex Bergman (152). Advancing in D-III are Delta's Kyle Keller (106), Luke Kern (138), Tyler Fahrer (145) and Jared Mattin (152), Woodmore's Evan Ulinski (106), Elmwood's Dexter Lee (113), Liberty Center's Zach Niner (132) and Justin Gillen (285), Archbold's Jordan Cowell (152), North Baltimore's Dalton Ishmael (220) and Swanton's Mimmo Lytle (285).
All wrestlers who advanced to the semifinals are assured of finishing in the top eight. The championship finals will be contested Saturday evening.
Delta, which is 8-0 and has registered bonus points in seven bouts, is in second place with 39 points. Apple Creek Waynedale leads the D-III field with 53 points.
Clay, who will earn six state placements from its seven qualifiers, is third in D-I with 37 points.
Area wrestlers who have lost once but are guaranteed to finish third through eighth are, in D-I, Clay's Jared Davis (106), Richie Screptock (113), Jacob Conine (132) and Angelo Amenta (138), and Perrysburg's Ryan Roth (138) and Luke Boff (182); In D-II, Wauseon's Wade Hodges (113), Central Catholic's Nate Hagan (120) and Levi Pickerel (285), Bryan's Shelden Struble (138) and Eastwood's Kyle Patterson (182); and in D-III, Archbold's Drew Coffey (106) and Austin Ripke (160), Elmwood's Dustin Ferguson (120) and Jake Baker (220), Lakota's Ben Timmons (126), Fostoria's Tony Reynolds (170) and Genoa's Jake Sheehy (182).
Of the 53 participants from the area, 37 (69 percent) will finish in the top eight of their respective weight classes.