Exclamation points
St. Edward caps state title with team scoring record
Pat Galbincea
Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Two years ago at the 66th state wrestling tournament, then-Walsh Jesuit coach Bill Barger approached St. Paris Graham coach Jeff Jordan and offered a witty observation.
“Our state record of 203 (points) will always belong to Billy B, “said Barger, whose Warriors set the state record of 203 points when Walsh Jesuit won the Division I state team title in 1995. Jordan’s squad fell short of that mark with 191,½, the second highest total.
Today, Barger is probably the most depressed coach in the state because St. Edward surpassed that record with 209,½ points Saturday at Value City Arena in winning its ninth straight big-school state crown and 21st overall. Massillon Perry (77,½) was second, Wadsworth (73,½) third and Mayfield (53) fifth.
The Eagles established their record in a supposed “rebuilding year “thanks to a record 13 state place-winners, including three state champs Saturday night in junior Lance Palmer (125), sophomore Sean Nemec (135) and senior Nick Marcellino (189).
Barger’s record was comparable to Babe Ruth’s 60 homers in a season. It was a record no wrestling expert thought would be broken.
“What an awesome accomplishment to break that record, “said Nemec, who put the Eagles at 205,½ points when he beat Wadsworth sophomore Derek Foore, 12-2. “We scored so poorly at the Beast of the East . . . that was our low point of the season. But after we beat St. Paris Graham in that dual meet (48-12), we continued to wrestle great.”
Besides their champs, the Eagles had four runners-up in sophomore and 2004 state champ Shawn Harris (112), sophomore Ben Kuhar (HVY), junior Keith Sulzer (119) and senior Bryan Koz (160). Also, the Eagles had a third-place winner in sophomore Errol Young (130), four sixth-place finishers in freshman Brian Roddy (171), sophomore Neil Birt (103), and juniors Mike Janik (140) and Mike McLaughlin (145), and an eighth-place finisher in senior Matt Harbeitner (189).
Northeast Ohio had a banner Division I state tournament as Solon sophomore Kevin Hardy (112), Elyria senior Dan Mitcheff (119), Brunswick freshman Richie Spicel (130), Wadsworth senior Timmy Miller (171) and Mayfield senior Mike Ward (189) won titles and Ward won his second state title easily – 13-6 over Phil Hettlinger of Hilliard Darby with double-leg takedowns.
Palmer became a three-time state champ when he pinned Massillon Jackson senior Ben Johnson by stepping over him and applying a power half nelson at 3:01. Palmer kept his word by pinning all 11 opponents he faced along the tournament trail.
“I had to stick to my word, “Palmer said. “It doesn’t matter whether my opponents like it when I apply that power half . . . it’s unstoppable. As a team, we needed my pin to help break the record for team points.”
Marcellino was St. Ed’s most improbable champ. He was fourth at the district, but was superb on his feet in beating favored Nick Roman of GlenOak in the finals, 8-3. He became the Eagles’ 75th state champ.
Hardy stunned Harris by countering Harris’ initial shot for a takedown, then protected his 3-2 lead in the final period by aggressively riding him out with outstanding leg wrestling.
Mitcheff, who had met Sulzer in the sectional and district finals, needed two barrel roll takedowns to win a close 4-3 final.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
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