Kaake Lancer with a title
Ends long drought for La Salle
By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor
FAIRFIELD – La Salle senior Joe Kaake might not even have been born the last time the Lancers had a district wrestling champion.
Kaake became the first La Salle wrestler in at least 17 years and perhaps since 1983 to win a district title when he overwhelmed Hamilton junior Josh Steele 11-4 in the championship match of the 119-pound weight class at the Fairfield Division I district tournament Saturday night.
“It’s awesome, “Kaake said. “It’s what I’ve worked for all four years.”
Kaake (34-1) was one of two wrestlers with one loss to win district championships. Sycamore senior Victer Crenshaw won the 140-pound title and improved to 37-1 with a 22-10 win over Harrison senior Chris Adams.
Defending champion Moeller rolled to its second consecutive district championship and qualified 11 wrestlers for the state tournament that is scheduled Thursday through Saturday at Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center.
The Crusaders are the first team to win back-to-back championships in the district since Moeller won in 2000 and 2001.
“It’s special, “Moeller coach Jeff Gaier said. “It says you’ve got a lot of kids coming back and wrestling well at the end of the year, and that’s what’s important.”
Harrison senior heavyweight Zachary Marshall also finished with one loss, but he wasn’t eligible to wrestle for the championship after being disqualified during his semifinal match Saturday afternoon.
Marshall was charged with a violation when he dropped his opponent, Huber Heights Wayne’s Lance Wagner, after the whistle had blown to end the first period. When Wagner couldn’t continue because of an injury, he was declared the winner, giving Marshall his first loss in 40 matches.
Marshall won his consolation match to finish third.
Kaake’s district championship is the first in La Salle coach Mike Flaherty’s 17 seasons at the school, the last four as coach. Kaake was under the impression that it was the school’s first since 1983.
“It might’ve been that long, “Flaherty said. “I can’t remember the last time.”
Kaake has won 24 consecutive matches since losing to Troy Christian’s Casey Thome in the Dayton Holiday Classic.
“Everybody’s shooting for him, “Flaherty said. “He’s at the top of their list. If he has an off-night, he could end up catching a loss. He needs to be really focused.”
Sycamore’s Crenshaw, who has won 20 in a row and is undefeated at 140 pounds, feels similar pressure.
“Sometimes, it helps to lose, “he said. “You can use it to see what you did wrong and where you stand at that point, but (the streak) helps me stay at the top of my game.”
In one of the night’s best matches, Princeton’s Josh Dowdy overcame an early head butt to his Adam’s apple to edge Moeller sophomore Mike Mahon 2-1. Mahon beat Dowdy in last week’s Wilmington sectional championship match.
“I learned he’s strong, and you can’t beat strength with strength, “Dowdy said. “You have to use technique.”
DIVISION II: Franklin was the top area finisher at the Goshen district after taking eighth place with 62.5 points. Ross was No. 12.
Franklin’s Adam Sweeney (125) and Justin Blevins (130) qualified for the state meet for the Wildcats. Dylan Ray (145) qualified for Ross.
Western Brown sophomore Ryan Brownlee won his 135-pound championship match, while Indian Hill’s Zach Reckman also took first place, at 275.
DIVISION III: Second-place Madeira (81 points) was the top area team in the Xenia district. Randy Cloran (119) took second and Kevin Crowley (140) was third. Kevin Cloran (125) and Joe Gettinger (152) took fourth for Madeira.
Bluffton won (156.5). Middletown Madison was eighth (69.5).
Madison’s Patrick Lanham (140) won his championship match, while Batavia’s Jacobs Ison (145) and Reading’s Derek Mages (152) also finished first.
Wrestling results
Division I Fairfield District
Team Results: 1. Moeller 258.5, 2. Lakota West 122, 3. Mason 102, 4. Elder 91, 4. St. Xavier 91, 6. Lakota East 88.5, 7. Harrison 82.5, 8. Princeton 72, 9. Centerville 66.5, 10. Sycamore 62, 11. Hamilton 55, 12. LaSalle 43, 12. Oak Hills 43, 14. Northmont 42, 15. Glen Este 35, 16. Talawanda 31, 17. Anderson 29, 17. Milford 29, 19. Wayne 27, 20. Loveland 24, 21. Springboro 23.5, 22. Troy 23, 23. Vandalia Butler 20, 24. Colerain 13, 24. Springfield North 13, 26. Kettering Fairmont 12, 26. West Carrollton 12, 28. Tecumseh 11, 28. Wilmington 11, 30. Fairfield 8, 30. Mt. Healthy 8, 30. Stebbins 8, 33. Winton Woods 7, 34. Western Hills 4, 35. Northwest 3, 36. Amelia 2, 36. Lebanon 2, 38. Turpin 0.
Championship Matches
(Top four advance to state meet)
103 -Weaver (Moeller) d. Fields (LW) 4-3; 112 -Adams (Harrison) d. Dukes (Princeton) 7-0; 119 -Kaake (LaSalle) d. Steele (Hamilton) 11-4; 125 -Pierson (LE) md. Newbanks (Moeller) 9-0; 130 -Baker (LE) d. Porter (Glen Este) 4-1; 135 -Bradberry (LW) d. Dima (Anderson) 3-1; 140 -Crenshaw (Sycamore) md. Admas (Harrision) 22-10; 145 -Gaier (Moeller) tf. Mizener (Mason) 17-0; 152 -Dowdy (Princeton) d. Mahon (Moeller) 2-1; 160 -Denman (SX) d. Nusekabel (Elder) 8-5; 171 -Cameron (Moeller) d. Miller (SX) 5-4; 189 -Porter (Mason) d. Anevski (Elder) 8-5; 215 -Quehl (Moeller) f. Prichard (Northmont) 5:20; 275-Wagner (Wayne) d. Becker (Moeller) 6-4.
Third-Place Matches
103 -McCoy (Elder) tf. Mead (Harrison) 18-3; 112 -Gobin (Moeller) d. Hirth (Elder) 1-0 OT; 119 -Pierson (LE) d. Glaser (Moeller) 4-0; 125 -Dooley (LW) Brunckhorst (Talawanda) 4-3; 130 -Meyer (Oak Hills) d. Flake (LW) 3-2; 135 -Weinkam (Moeller) d. Carraher (SX) 5-2; 140 -Hilton (Moeller) d. Bohl (LW) 5-3; 145 -Flanigan (LaSalle) d. Crone (LE) 3-0; 152 -Boerger (SX) d. Mauro (Centerville) 4-2; 160 -Gibbs (Oak Hills) d. Wilder (Princeton) 11-5; 171 -Almer (LW) f. Dattilo (Centerville) 1:58; 189 -Santos (Hamilton) d. Michel (Northmont) 13-6; 215 -Trusler (Talawanda) d. Jameson (Elder) 7-5; 275-Marshall (Mason) f. Lipsey (Sycamore) :23.
Division II Goshen District
Team Results: 1. Graham 232.0, 2. Sheridan 99.0, 3. Indian Lake 91.0, 4. Miami Trace 90.0, 5. Hillsboro 89.0, 6. Ben. Logan 74.0, 7. Bellbrook 65.0, 8. Franklin 62.5, 9. Milton-Union 58.0, 10. Gallia Academy 55.0, 11. Northwestern 55.0, 12. Ross 55.0, 13. Shawnee 52.0, 14. Western Brown 48.0, 15. Valley View 47.5, 16. Brookville 44.0, 17. New Lexington 35.0, 18. Eaton 34.0, 19. Greenon 33.0, 20. McClain 32.0, 21. Indian Hill 31.0, 22. Urbana 27.0, 23. Preble Shawnee 26.0, 24. Circleville 25.0, 25. Little Miami 22.0, 26. Edgewood 21.5, 27. Bellefontaine 19.5, 28. McNicholas 18.0, 29. Roger Bacon 18.0, 30. Logan Elm 14.0, 31. Chaminade-Julienne 13.5, 32. River Valley 13.0, 33. Norwood 12.0, 34. Tippecanoe 10.0, 35. Clermont NE 8.0, 36. Warren 8.0, 37. Goshen 7.0, 38. Jackson 5.0, 39. New Richmond 4.0, 40. Athens 3.0, 41. Alter 2.0, 42. Purcell Marian 2.0, 43. Fairfield Union 1.0.
Championship Matches
(Top four advance to state)
103 – Thomusseit (Graham) d. Quickle (Hillsboro) 7-2; 112 -Hart (Graham) d. Penny (Milton-Union) 2-0; 119 -Jordan (Graham) p. Fondale (New Lexington) 5:47; 125 -Doggett (Graham) p. Sweeney (Franklin) 1:39; 130 -Christensen (Greenon) p. Klofta (Indian Lake) 1:37; 135 -Brownlee (Western Brown) d. Morrison (Miami Trace) 6-3; 140 – Coleman (Preble Shawnee) d. Tompkins (Miami Trace) 6-5; 145 -Deeter (Valley View) d. Johns (Brookville) 12-5; 152 -Esch (Indian Lake) md. Rhoads (Hillsboro) 12-0; 160 -Erwin (Graham) p. Stahl (Ben. Logan) 2:32; 171 -Thompson (Graham) d. VanBuskirk (Ben. Logan) 4-2; 189 -White (Sheridan) d. Cook (Bellbrook) 3-2; 215 -Marshall (Graham) p. Messer (Sheridan) 3:06; 275 -Reckman (Indian Hill) d. Carpenter (Sheridan) 3-2 OT.
Third-Place Matches
103 -Jellison (Ross) d. Fraley (Miami Trace) 3-2; 112 -Silvers (Eaton) tech. fall McHugh (Bellbrook) 16-1; 119 -Land (Valley View) d. Artmann (Hillsboro) 3-1; 125 -Pencil (Northwestern) p. Gifford (Logan Elm) 1:56; 130 -Blevins (Franklin) d. Boyd (Graham) 7-5; 135 -Kyle (Graham) tech. fall Nichols (Edgewood) 19-4; 140 -Sells Milton-Union) d. Harter (Sheridan) 8-3; 145 -Ray (Ross) d. Pencil (Northwestern) 1-0; 152 – Robinson (Bellbrook) d. Martin (Little Miami) 9-3; 160 -Ashcraft (McClain) over Burns (Hillsboro) forfeit; 171 – Saunders (Gallia Academy) d. Thomure (Shawnee) 6-3; 189 -Blakely (Ben. Logan) p. Storts (Shawnee) 2:29; 215 -Winters Gallia Academy) p. Moore (Miami Trace) 4:21; 275 -Davis (Circleville) d. Rankin (Miami Trace) 9-3.
Division III Xenia district
Team Results: 1. Bluffton 156.5, 2. Madeira 81, 3. Greenview 80, 4. Mechanicsburg 80, 5. Miami East 77, 6. Carlisle 75, 7. Troy Christian 72, 8. Madison 69.5, 9. Coldwater 67, 10. Lima CC 57, 11. Belpre 55, 12 Versailles 55, 13. Clinton-Massie 53.5, 14. W. Liberty Salem 53, 15. Reading 51.5, 16. Batavia 51, 17. Dixie 50, 18. McComb 33, 19. Nelsonville-York 32.5, 20. Waterford 32, 21. Wellston 32, 22. Tri-County North 31.5, 23. Waynesville 31.5, 24. Covington 29, 25. Cory-Rawson 28, 26. Dayton Christian 26, 27. Miami Valley 25.5, 28. Northeastern 23, 29. Westfall 22.5, 30. Blanchester 18, 31. Crooksville 18, 32. St. Johns 15, 33. Fenwick 14, 34. Jefferson 14, 35. Allen East 9, 36. CHCA 9, 37. Spencerville 6.5, 38. Lockland 4, 39. Van Burn 4, 40. Bethel-Tate 3, 41. North College Hill 3, 42. Fairland 2, 43. Northridge 2, 44. Chesapeake 1.
Championship matches
(Top four advance to state)
103 -Kolodzik (MV) d. Sergent (Troy Christian) 7-5. 112 -Thome (Troy Christian) d. Gambill (Miami East) 8-4. 119 -Toney (Mechanicsburg) d. Cloran (Madeira) 3-1. 125 -Pike (Greeneview) d. Steiner (Waynesville) 9-3. 130 -Shindledecker (Lima C.C.) md. Young (Nelsonville-York) 18-5. 135 -Falk (Bluffton) d. Gambill (Miami East) 13-9. 140 -Lanham (Madison) d. Hill (McComb) 9-7. 152 -Mages (Reading) d. Ziegler (Mechanicsburg) 6-5. 160 -Shannon (Bluffton) md. Taylor (Northeastern) 25-11. 171 -Lewis (W. Liberty-Salem) d. Craft (Dixie) 3-1. 189 -Brown (Covington) d. Jones (Westfall) 6-4. 215 -Brown (Covington) d. Jones (Westfall) 6-4. 275 -Phillips (Wellston) d. Doty (Bluffton) 12-7.
Third-Place matches
103 -Savage (Carlisle) d. Strickland (Bluffton) 6-1. 112 -Gulley (Tri-County North) md. Pike (Greeneview) 11-2. 119 -Austin (Carlisle) d. Reyes (Belpre) 3-2. 125 -Campbell (Day. Christian) d. Cloran (Madeira) 3-1. 130 -Robbe (Batavia) d. Stapleton (Carlisle) 3-0. 135 -Levy (W. Liberty-Salem) md. Fose (Madison) 9-0. 140 -Klaus (Mechanicsburg) over Bernholt (Versailles) by default. 152 -Shockey (Bluffton) d. Gettinger (Madeira) 10-5. 160 -Schwab (Clinton-Massie) p. Swick (Jefferson) 4:38. 171 -Strickland (Greeneview) d. Uhlenhake (Coldwater) 4-3. 189 -Ross (Clinton-Massie) d. Uhlenhake (Coldwater) 7-1. 215 -Keiser (Versailles) d. Laughman (Miami East) 11-5. 275 -Watson (Madison) p. Jones (Belpre) 2:59.
Wrestling Gear
