Delta dominates D-III wrestling

2/22/2014

BOWLING GREEN - Delta made short work of the competition at the Divison III district wrestling tournament Saturday at Bowling Green’s Stroh Center, posting 280.5 points to easily top runner-up Norwalk St. Paul (94.5).

The victorious Panthers had five individual champions, and will be sending 12 of its wrestlers to the state tournament, which begins Thursday at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

Genoa edged Archbold for third in the team standings, 89.5 points to 89.

Winning individual titles for Delta were freshman Drew Mattin at 106 pounds (46-2 season record), unbeaten sophomore Jake Spiess (113 pounds, 45-0), freshman Jesse Beverly (152, 45-6), senior Tyler Fahrer (160, 49-1), and junior Ryan Patchin (182, 26-3).

The Panthers also had four runners-up -- Kyle Keller (120), Noah Mattin (126), Dustin Marteney (132), and Chance Veller (285). Qualifying for state as fourth-place finishers for Delta were Todd Miller (170), Mark Francis (195), and Devon Richards (220).

Archbold’s lone champion was senior 138-pounder Kenny Price (46-11).

Northwood junior Devon Dunbar (36-8) captured the title at 126 pounds, Elmwood senior Jacob Wise (37-1) took the 170-pound crown, and Fremont St. Joseph senior Corey Durbin (36-1) claimed the 285-pound championship.

Genoa’s top placers were Damian D’Emilio (106) and Jay Nino (220), who each took third in their weight classes. The Comets will send five wrestlers to state.

Archbold has qualified four wrestlers to state.

The meet’s other individual champions were Major Moore (132) and Moises Lopez (195) of Willard, Devon Taylor (145) of Margaretta, Evan Cheek (120) of Edison, and Camron Conaway (220) of South Central.

Delta, the Northwest Ohio Athletic League champion, finished second in the team standings at the 2013 Division III individual state tournament, and has won the first two D-III state team dual championships.

The state tournament runs Thursday through Saturday in Columbus.