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Catholic high schools send 15 wrestlers to state championships |
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Written by JOHN MOSSING, Special to the Chronicle
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Thursday, 03 April 2008 |
COLUMBUS—Four wrestlers from Catholic high schools earned All-Ohio status and two were finalists in the Ohio State Wrestling Championships Feb. 28 through Mar. 1 at The Ohio State University.
In the most storied championship final in this year’s state Division III wrestling tournament, 125-pound senior Troy Opfer (56-3) from Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic was matched against a returning state champion, senior Ben Sergent of Troy Christian.
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| Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic senior Troy Opfer (in green
singlet) wrestles during the Ohio State Division III tournament. Troy
was one of 15 grapplers in the state tournament representing Catholic
high schools in the Diocese of Toledo. (Photo courtesy of Ed Naufel) |
This match-up had lots of history. Both competitors are four-time state place winners and three-time finalists and it was the third time in four years these two competitors faced each other in the state championships. In their freshman year they competed for third place with Troy narrowly defeating Ben by a score of 2-1. In their sophomore year they each were state runners-up but at different weight divisions. Last season they met in the state final where Ben won by a score of 3-1.
After the first period of wrestling the score was tied 0-0 and at the end of the second period, Troy was leading 1-0. Late into the final period, with Troy still leading by a score of 1-0, Ben was able to score a reversal and fall as time was running out.
In total, Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic qualified six individuals, scoring enough points to place sixth in the Division III team race. Senior Christian Ortolani, a two-time state place winner also came home with runner-up honors at the 152-pound division. Other qualifiers for St. Mary were: sophomore David Harrington (103), freshman Jim Pavia (112), senior Mark Costello (130) and Junior Max Dahs (171).
Other Division III State qualifiers were sophomore Brian Merschman (112) of Delphos St. John High School, senior Scott Kayatin (152) of Lima Central Catholic High School, junior Chris Doughty (285) of Norwalk St. Paul High School, junior Josh Reindel (135) and senior Chris Shattuck (160) both of Oregon Cardinal Stritch High School and junior Kyle Kwiat (160) of Tiffin Calvert High School. Kyle lost his opening bout and then went on to win four out of his next five matches to capture a fifth-place finish and become a two time state place winner.
Sophomore Dan Cook (112) and junior Dave Pickerel (215) represented Toledo Central Catholic in Division II. In opening round competition, Dave (39-3) defeated junior Nick Thompson (33-13) from Tallmadge by a score of 4-2.
Senior Maks Babuder (160) of Toledo St. Francis de Sales won in Division I preliminary round competition. Maks defeated junior Ethan Taylor of Cuyahoga Falls by a score of 8-1. In quarterfinal action Maks lost to the state runner-up and three-time state qualifier, junior JT Rice of Hilliard Davidson by a score of 7-4.
In the consolation bracket Maks pinned junior Justin Wharton of Oregon Clay 25 seconds into the first period. Maks finished his high school wrestling career by becoming the school’s first state placer since 2003 and earning All-Ohio status by placing eighth.
“It was more than I expected. It was nerve racking but exciting at the same time. It’s everyone’s goal to get here, I was lucky enough to do that and place!” Maks said about his experience at the state tournament.
John Mossing is a coach for the Junior Rocks Wrestling Club at Toledo Central Catholic High School.
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