High Noon at Brecksville: A Recap of Which Young Guns Made a Name for Themselves
By Dan Ransick
With 43 returning state placers in the field, the donnybrook called the Brecksville Invitational truly separated state title contenders from mere pretenders. There were some shocking upsets as the state title picture began to become much clearer at many weights. One thing that was not shocking was that the Brecksville featured great wrestling the entire two days! The following is a recap of this great tournament.
103- Brilliance was on display throughout the entire tournament here- in the form of Bo Touris (Lakota West). Touris posted two huge wins back-to-back. First, he knocked off Cadet National runner-up Ben Sergent (Troy Christian) 6-4 in OT. The match was one for the ages- their overtime scramble is something that many will remember, as Touris countered Sergent’s barrell roll and came out on top with the legs in for the victory over the very tough Sergent. Steve Mitcheff (Elyria) had dominated everyone coming into the finals match with no match going the distance, including a drumming of Jimmy Millar (Hilliard Davidson). However, the finals was all Touris even if the final 9-8 score doesn’t reflect that. Touris had four takedowns to Mitcheff’s two and the last takedown by Mitcheff was what you might call a “gimme.” Another kid that looked very tough was Kyle Lang (Brecksville). Lang took 3rd and avenged his only loss in the tourney by beating Sergent in double overtime. Lang is the younger brother of 4x State Champion Ryan Lang.
112- Ryan Fields of Lakota West is hungry for his first state title after his runner-up performance last year at 103. Fields semi-final match with Dennis Roche (University School), a returning state placer 3rd place finisher, showed why he is a force to be reckoned with, as he scored a solid 7-3 win over the highly-regarded Roche.. This set up a finals match with another returning state finalist in the form of Adam Tinnel (Eastwood). Tinnel was actually a finalist at 119 last year in Division III but has transferred to Eastwood and made the cut to 112 (they have state champ Llanas at 119). Fields prevailed 8-6 in another bout that wasn’t as close as the score indicates. Fields and Touris are the best 1-2 punch in the lower weights in the state.
119- Upstart Jonathan Stone (University School) made a name for himself by beating returning state champ Ben Llanas (Eastwood) 10-5. Stone dominated from start to finish! Stone next beat Ray Arnold (Garfield Hts.) 8-4 in the quarterfinals. Now with all the eyes squarely upon him in the semi-finals, he took on returning Division I state placer Dante Rini (Massillon Jackson). This was a match full of wild scrambles. In overtime, Stone came away with the takedown in another wild scramble- as the crowd went into a cheering frenzy. While Stone was scoring all these upsets, state champ Tony Jameson (Austintown-Fitch) was simply dominating everyone from start to finish on his side of the bracket. Apparently Jameson didn’t get the message that Stone was dropping big names left and right- as he simply posted a quick 17-2 shellacking of Stone. On a side note, Ben Llanas failed to place in the tournament. Tony Jameson was a very deserving choice for outstanding wrestler.
125- In what may have been the shallowest of weights returning state placer Casey Thome (Troy Christian) took the title in impressive fashion. Thome worked over all his opponents on his way to beating Clay Lint (Cuyahoga Hts), a returning state placer, in the finals by a score of 6-2. Thome’s path was made much easier when Adam Koballa (Chanel) failed to make weight.
130- This weight might be described as “The Adam Kriwinsky Show” (University School). Kriwinsky dominated everyone in his path, including Matt Reedy (Ravenna) in the finals with a 15-5 major decision. Kriwinsky closest match was 7-1 win over Adam Hass (Massillon Jackson) in which he jus used 3 takedowns to win. Right now Kriwinsky is one of four guys that are all about even in the this weight in Division II (the others being Saxton, Boyd, and Skonieczny). In most years, any one of these guys would be state champion!
135- Ryan Cubberly (Eastwood) is on a mission- to win state after having been denied twice in the finals by Cameron Doggett. Cubberly looked like a state champion in the finals, winning with ease over surprise finalist Jess Stevens (Lakota West) 16-2. Perhaps Cubberly’s biggest obstacle was the 30 minute break in his semi-final match with Ryan Brownlee (Western Brown). Some prankster evidently shot off the fire extinguisher somewhere in the building- which triggered the fire alarm. Many thought that the perhaps an eliminated wrestler had come back to torch the place! When wrestling resumed Cubberly won a tough semi over Brownlee. Unseeded Stevens shockingly pinned the #2 and #6 seeds- but was outmatched in the finals by Cubberly.
140- Kevin Lipp is showing why he is one of the best wrestlers in the nation. A strong and very technical wrestler, he went through the bracket only having one close match with Greg Hilbert (Revere) in which he won 2-0. It was his semi-finals match that was most impressive. In that match Lipp dominated superb sophomore Jedd Moore (Mt. Vernon) by an 8-1 score. Moore had previously upset Pat McLemore of Padua in overtime. Lipp then controlled Nick Bodnar (Austintown-Fitch) 5-1 in the finals- riding him out for more than half the match. Lipp is showing why Purdue signed him early! McLemore avenged his earlier loss to Moore with a 7-3 win in their 3rd place bout.
145- Shane Friery (Padua) won state last year at 130 in Division II, and he looks like he is going to win it again this year at 145. Friery showed he can win the close matches against the toughest opponents including a 4-3 win in the finals over the very tough sophomore Eric Cubberly (Eastwood). Friery’s ability to ride was the difference as he rode out Cubberly the entire 3rd period to win 4-3. Tough on top and solid on his feet, Friery is going to make a nice addition in the Ohio University wrestling team next year.
152- John Pycraft joined the wide-open list of state title contenders Division I with a very impressive win at Brecksville this weekend. Pycraft first knocked off returning state 3rd placer Mike Haxton (Strongsville) in the semi-finals 8-5. In his finals he showed the sophomore Jared Kusar why he was going to win the tournament- taking Kusar down at will with an 8-1 dominating victory! Pycraft jumps into the mix of title contenders at 152 (though an unconfirmed rumor has it there are two big names at 160 that will be certifying at this weight).
160- Tony Bradberry (Lakota West) showed that he is much better than his combined 1-4 record at the state tournament (bear in mind he went 5-2 at junior nationals last summer). Bradberry left no doubt that he is the real deal this weekend- besting returning state runner-up and defending Brecksville champion Travis Popham (Mt. Vernon). In probably the most exciting match of the finals, Bradberry came out the victor winning 7-5. After giving up a first period takedown to Popham, Bradberry took Popham down to take a 4-3 lead, only to be quickly reversed by Popham making it 5-4. Popham not wanting to deal with Bradberry’s funk on bottom then cut him. However, it was Bradberry that got the last laugh- taking Popham down with a nice high crotch and riding out Popham for the victory. Simply put Tony had a grrrrrrrrreeat tournament!
171- Junior Mike Pushpak of Brecksville came into this tournament a #7 seed but came out the champion in his own gym! Pushpak won big match after big match- defeating returning state placer Matt Lafollette (Marysville) 9-5 and then pinning returning Brecksville finalist Mike Marrero (Reynoldsburg) after dominating the bout. In the finals, Pushpak gave the crowd something to cheer about, beating the tough Andrew Weiner (Beachwood) by an 8-5 score. Jeremy Foster of Eastwood wound up third here.
189- Jamey Srock (SVSM) dominated everyone in this tournament from start to finish! Srock scored three falls and two tech falls, including a six-second pin and a fall in 1:06 over Bobby Scurlock (Cambridge). Srock was a man among boys at this tournament and right now looks like he is one of the top 189’s in Ohio regardless of division (he also placed 3rd at the Beast of the East, winning eight straight consolation bouts). Srock is probably the favorite to win in Division II right now.
215- Ryan Nachtrab (Eastwood) looks like a virtual lock to win his first state title after this weekend. Nachtrab worked over Marco Caponi (SVSM) in the semi-finals, dominating in a 12-2 victory. In the finals he beat returning state placer Sean Jameson (Elder) 5-1, controlling the match from start to finish. Nachtrab is very strong as well as technically sound.
275- Cameron Wade (Chanel) may be a heavyweight but he doesn’t wrestle like one- how often do you see heavyweight’s riding legs and doing it effectively? Wade used this tournament has a showcase that he is still the best heavy in Division III and arguably the entire state! Wade avenged an Ironman loss by beating John Hiles (DeSales) 6-0. The key to victory was Wade turning him from the top with the legs for three. In the finals against Andy Hartshorn (Reynoldsburg) in he simply dominated with a 5-1 victory. This writer would love to see a match-up with Matt Guhn (Clyde) and Cameron Wade to settle who is the best heavyweight in Ohio!
Team Race- Lakota edged out Eastwood for the title, 207 to 200
All who competed came to Brecksville looking to make a name for themselves against the state’s best. Some, like Jonathan Stone, did exactly that. Others who slipped a bit, like Ben Llanas will live to fight another day.
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