Walsh Jesuit baseball coach Chris Kaczmar announced today that three returning members of the Warriors team — junior third baseman/right-handed pitcher Johnny Fasola, junior 6-foot-6 right-handed pitcher Tyler Skulina and senior catcher James Toland — were selected to play this fall for the St. Louis Cardinals scout team, the Midwest Redbirds.

Skulina, Fasola and Toland will get the opportunity to play in a weekend series in Wrigley Field, the famed stadium of the Chicago Cubs. Skulina is scheduled to start on the mound Saturday morning.

The Redbirds program provides players the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of college scouts in a professional atmosphere. The team will get the chance to play games at major college baseball stadiums including Louisville, Kentucky, Miami (Ohio) and Notre Dame.

The Redbirds are a select team of players from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Western Pennsylvania. Cardinals area scout Brian Hopkins is the coach.

Walsh Jesuit’s 2009 baseball team is slated to return eight position-playing starters and three-fifth’s of its pitching staff from the 2008 Division II Ohio state champions. The Warriors finished with a record of 30-3 in 2008.

By Michael Beaven
Special to the Beacon Journal

The high school girls soccer season has begun with several area teams feeling that they are legitimate state contenders.

Archbishop Hoban and Walsh Jesuit return several key players from last season’s teams, which advanced to state semifinal matches. Jackson and Medina annually field strong teams. Brunswick Cloverleaf, Copley, Green, Hudson, Kent Roosevelt, Ravenna, Revere and Stow are all capable of making deep runs in the state tournament.

‘‘It just seems like that type of year,’’ said Frank Gagliardi, now in his 12th year coaching Jackson. ‘‘It doesn’t seem like there is any team where you say, ‘That team will win state.’ There definitely is a lot of teams that will be in the fight for a state title.’’

Veteran Walsh Jesuit coach Dino McIntyre said the Cleveland and Akron areas boast ‘‘a lot of teams that can go all the way,’’ mentioning Akron-area teams plus Strongsville, Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown, North Royalton and Brecksville.

Kent Roosevelt outlook
One team off to a flying start is Kent Roosevelt, which is 3-0 and has outscored Stow, Tallmadge and Coventry 16-4.

The Rough Riders, 7-8-2 last season, have eight returning starters. Senior tri-captains Katie Mitchell, Jessica Giulitto and Brianna Serafin are the foundation of the team along with senior forward Jennifer DeLuke.

‘‘We have four seniors who are contributing very well and showing good leadership,’’ coach Steve Mitchell said.

Katie Mitchell, the coach’s daughter, scored 10 goals in 2007. She and Giulitto, a defender, are entering their fourth years as starters. Serafin, a midfielder, sophomore midfielder Michaela Kline and junior goal keeper Abby Bradford are other key players.

‘‘Our depth is impressive,’’ Steve Mitchell said. ‘‘I can make any number of substitutions and not weaken the lineup, which is a great luxury.’’

Stow outlook
Stow returns 10 starters and 15 letterwinners from last season’s team, which went 8-5-4 and was second to Brunswick in the NOC River Division.

‘‘I tell my players to take it game by game and hopefully toward the end of the season we are in the running for the league championship, and from there anything can happen,’’ Stow coach Chris Tipton said. ‘‘I have high hopes for the team.’’

Sophomore forward Vickie Havas led the Bulldogs with nine goals last year. Senior sweeper Leah Poiner and junior stopper Ellie Swanger will pace the defense along with senior goalkeeper Sarah Conkle. Junior midfielder Kyrsten Kamlowsky also returns.

The Stow boys team won the Division I state title in 2006, an accomplishment that many of the girls witnessed.

‘‘We talk about that in a sense of that’s what we want to do,’’ Tipton said. ‘‘A lot of the
girls were there and saw it. I was there, I felt it and I saw it. I think it will take a lot of grunt work. Realistically, it will be tough, but this is the best team I have had here.’’

Championship caliber – Walsh Jesuit & Archbishop Hoban
McIntyre, entering his 16th season as Walsh’s coach, knows what it feels like to win championships. He led Walsh to state titles in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2006. The 2000 and 2006 teams were recognized as national champions.

The Warriors, a 2007 Division I state semifinalist with a 13-4-5 record, will be led by
senior defenders Jaime Townsend and Jordan Finch, senior midfielders Alexis Garcia
and Kendra Simmons, sophomore forward Kelsey Smigel and sophomore midfielder/forward Elizabeth Bollinger.

Smigel paced Walsh with 15 goals last season. “She’s a pure goal scorer,‘‘ McIntyre said. ‘‘She knows the game technically and has all the tools.”

Townsend (Lehigh), Garcia (Dayton) and Finch (Miami, Ohio) are Division I recruits. McIntyre said Garica is training to overcome her third torn ACL in the past four years.

Juniors Juliana Libertin and Jessacca Gironda are among seven returning starters for
Hoban. The Knights compiled a 15-4-1 record and made their second consecutive appearance in the Division II state semifinals last season.

‘‘We want to win one more game and get in that final,’’ said Benny Pietrangelo, entering his third season as Hoban’s coach. ‘‘On paper, we look pretty strong, but the games have to be played. People are impressed with our talent, but you have to play the games on the field and win.’’

Libertin, a forward, received Beacon Journal Player of the Year honor last fall. She scored four goals Saturday in a 6-0 win at Chippewa. As a sophomore, Libertin scored 35 goals and had 20 assists, and she totaled 15 goals and 11 assists as a freshman.

‘‘When Jules is on, opponents can’t stop her,’’ said Pietrangelo, who also coached the Hoban boys soccer team for 17 years. ‘‘She never gets tired because she runs track and is a swimmer, too. She is a very special athlete. Her endurance is amazing.’’

Gironda, a midfielder/goal keeper, scored 16 goals last season. Senior defender Alex
Niehaus, sophomore defender Gabby Corwin, sophomore forward Margaret Woods and
senior goal keeper Francesca Gironda also return for Hoban.

Jackson & Medina outlook
Jackson returns 11 letterwinners from last year’s team, which posted a 17-2-1 record ` 7-0 in winning the Federal League.

The Polar Bears will be led by senior midfielders Rachel Dennis, a Kent State recruit, and
Melissa Hagan, a Northern Iowa recruit. Junior midfielders Maggie Rusnak and Lauren
Jokovich also return with junior sweeper Emily Sanders.

‘‘With the tradition of the past and the stage the previous girls have set, hopefully the
winning habits will still be strong within the program,’’ Gagliardi said.

Jackson is hoping to get some revenge against Walsh this season; the Warriors ousted the
Polar Bears the past three years in the state tournament.

‘‘We have never beaten Walsh in my 12 years as coach,’’ Gagliardi said. ‘‘That is a mental and a physical goal that we have as a team.’’

Medina will be paced by junior forward Becca Candler, an Indiana University recruit,
Sarah Flanders and Jillian Graff. The Bees should still be a strong team despite the absence of current Ohio State player Paige Maxwell, who was a four-year starter at Medina.

Suburban League balanced
Tina Salem is excited about what her Copley team can do in her 11th season. Senior
midfielders Kristen Mattei (Toledo recruit) and Kirsten Schulte (Case Western Reserve) lead the team.

The Indians also will rely on senior sweeper Liz Moyer, senior defender Julie Berk,
junior midfielder/forward Nikki Matttei and junior midfielder Maddi Buckham.

‘‘I think girls soccer has finally caught up with the boys,’’ Salem said. ‘‘You have a
lot more girls playing the sport. Northeast Ohio is just incredible for girls soccer. We
have a reputation for having strong soccer.’’

Copley and Revere are expected to be the top Suburban League teams, but Cloverleaf and Green should be in the mix for the league crown.

Junior forward Emily White will guide Revere after leading the Minutemen in scoring the previous two seasons. She enters 2008 with 22 career goals.

Revere coach Jeff Stoerkel said sophomores Tara Littman and Katie Kimberly will be key midfielders with freshman Amy Feher and sophomore Kristen Popa is the goalkeeper.

Cloverleaf compiled a 11-4-2 overall record and a 5-1-1 league mark last season to place second to Copley in the Suburban League. Colts coach Val Baughman said eight starters and 11 total letterwinners return from last season.

Sophomore forward Katie Roberts and junior midfielders Rachel Gokey, Hanna Cavalier and Megan Jackson lead Cloverleaf’s offense.

Juniors Melissa Zeigler and Shannon Kilkenny and sophomore Katie Koloka form the nucleus off Cloverleaf’s defense in front of junior goal keeper Karly Beuck.

“We have a really strong junior class,” Baughman said.

Green is led by seniors Desiree Aber and Kelsey Ahbe.

Cloverleaf defeated Green 4-0 Wednesday to improve to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the Suburban League this season.

Other promising teams and players
North Canton Hoover went 14-4-2 last season and Sarah Maj and Kathleen Ray are among eight returning letter winners.

Perry has seven starters and 10 total lettermen back from 2007. Junior goal keeper Megan
McMaster, sophomore forward Michelle Genetin and junior forward Ally Smith all return.

The Vikings and Panthers will try to dethrone the Jackson Polar Bears from the top spot in the Federal League.

Firestone senior forward Christine Black and Western Reserve Academy senior midfielder Anne Song are two other players that are entering their fourth varsity seasons.

Black netted the lone goal in Firestone’s 1-0 victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary earlier this
season.

Song, who also has a four-goal game this season, netted 18 goals at WRA as a forward last season enters 2008 with 37 career goals.

My observations from Archbishop Hoban’s 27-26 overtime win against Garfield in the season-opener for both teams:

* MORGAN’S MVP: No question, my pick is 5-foot-9, 175-pound Garfield junior running back Tyson Gulley. He rushed for a game-high 225 yards on 25 carries. Gulley rushed for over 130 yards- just in the first quarter, with touchdown runs of 60 and 58 yards.

What I like about Gulley is the explosiveness he has once he hits the line of scrimmage. His quickness allows him to get to the hole, then, his speed and ability to change directions and cutback without losing much speed is the key to his impressive running style.

* OTHER MVP CONTENDERS: There were several, including Garfield freshman running back and defensive back Toneo Gulley, Tyson’s little brother. Playing in his first varsity game, Toneo (5-7, 170) was impressive. He showed flashes of speed and quickness equal to his brother.

But what impressed me the most was his skills defensively. He registered eight tackles but he deflected several passes intended for Hoban senior receiver/tight end Chris Sarkis, that could have been big plays.

On two occasions, Sarkis was open and waiting to catch both passes on stride. But at the last moment, Toneo’s speed enabled him to make up ground and get to the ball to knock it away. For a freshman, playing in a pretty overwhelming atmosphere for a youngster, he handled himself like a veteran.

For Hoban, there were two MVP contenders, in my opinion. The first was junior punter Paul Kramer. His play actually changed the entire complexity of the game and allowed the Knights to get back in the game.

For instance, Hoban had the ball to start the third quarter, after trailing 14-3 at halftime. The Knights opened the second half with an impressive drive, with nice runs from Laymon Carter III, who finished with 94 yards, and Dominic Williams, who had 74 yards.

However, Hoban’s drive stalled and the Knights had to punt. Kramer’s kicked was downed at Garfield’s 2-yard-line by Chris Bernardo, who played a tremendous game on special teams. A few plays later, Hoban registered a safety to cut the lead to 14-5.

The Knights got the ball on Garfield’s free kick and quickly scored cutting the lead to 14-12.

Then, in the fourth quarter, Kramer had another quality punt that was downed by Bernardo at Garfield’s 5-yard line. The Rams couldn’t move the ball and had to punt, and once again, Hoban scored and took the lead for the first time at 20-14 with 7:29 left in the game.

When Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel was the head coach at Youngstown State, he never failed to emphasis the importance of special teams. In fact, he always contended, and still does, that the punt is the most important play in football, because of the potential for some many things- good or bad- that can happen.

Hoban coach Ralph Orsini saw the punt work in his team’s favor.
“”We went into the game thinking that special teams would be a key for us because we have two pretty good kickers,” Orsini said. “”He was referring to Kramer, of course, and also junior kicker Zack Christensen, who booted a 30-yard field goal and also had several deep kickoffs, helping the kickoff coverage limit Garfield’s big returns.

Hoban’s other MVP contender was senior quarterback Josh Masters. He couldn’t establish a passing game in the first half, so he got things going with his running ability. Masters finished with two touchdown runs and converted on two rushing two-point conversions.

And finally, a special mention goes to Garfield junior offensive lineman Kenny Blevins. This young man is 6-0, 300 pounds and playing under hot and humid conditions, he played the entire game, both ways. His jersey was soaked after the game and although he was disappointed in the loss, he left it all on the field and that’s all you can ask from the young man.

Even longtime Hoban team physician Joseph Congeni took notice of Blevins’ performance. “”That young man played a heck of a game, especially given the conditions,” Congeni said.

* QUESTIONABLE CALL SHOULDN’T BE QUESTIONED: Garfield coach Bob Sax opted to try to pass for a two-point conversion and win in overtime instead of running the ball. Some Garfield fans, as they left the stadium, thought the Rams should have run the ball as well.

But looking back, Sax’s call made sense. First off, Tyson Gulley left the field a few plays before his little brother Toneo scored the game-tying touchdown in OT. Tyson left because of severe cramps.

Second, with the way Rams quarterback Darius Martin was playing- rolling out and making plays happen out of the pocket- Sax’s idea was to let Martin do the same, thinking that Hoban would be expecting one of the Gully’s to get the ball.

But Hoban defensive back Rahsheed Moore just did what good players do, he came up with a big play, stepping in front of Garfield wide receiver James Barnett at the goal line to intercept the two-point conversion ending the game.

* NICE TURNOUT: The Hoban-Garfield game always draws a health crowd because the game is on Thursday and everyone is ready to watch the first game of the season, especially players from area teams who don’t open the season until the following day.

The players who are spectators crack me up because they wear their jerseys. That’s not what cracks me up. It’s the fact that they roll up their sleeves really high so they can let their biceps breath. I understand, after all that offseason weightlifting, they have to get those puppies some air.

Three seniors on the Walsh Jesuit High School football team recently made college commitments, Warriors coach Gerry Rardin said.

Offensive tackles Pat McShane, Brian Smith and defensive back/running back/wide receiver Armand Dehaney will continue their academic and athletic careers at Division I colleges.

McShane, 6-foot-8 and 290-pounds, is headed to Indiana University.

Smith, 6-foot-6 and 288 pounds, has selected Northwestern University.

Dehaney, 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, is bound for Ball State University.

McShane started for the Warriors last season and Smith played mostly as a reserve.

“To have two kids on the same team going to Big Ten schools is really special,” Rardin said of McShane and Smith. “I don’t think it has ever happened here. That is really amazing. Both kids are gifted athletes and have the size that is needed. Both are extremely hard workers and both have very good feet and are tough kids.”

Rardin said McShane will probably stay at tackle at Indiana and that Smith might move to guard or center at Northwestern.

Dehaney also started for the Warriors last season and played a variety of roles.

“Armand is just a pure football player,” Rardin said. “He is undersized, but he is instinctive and so strong. He is so versatile and he runs very well. When the coaches at Ball State saw him on film they felt he is a tough football player that could make a positive impact.”

Rardin said Dehaney will probably mostly play defensive back at Ball State.

- Michael Beaven

A trio of 2008 Walsh Jesuit High School graduates are continuing their academic and football careers this fall as offensive linemen, Warriors coach Gerry Rardin said.

Andrew Illig will play at Miami (OH) University, Chris Ciraldo is set to play at Ashland University and Chi-Chi Ibe will suit up for Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

-Michael Beaven

Walsh Jesuit left-handed pitcher David Starn, 18, has made a commitment to continue his academic and baseball career at Kent State University.

Starn, 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, was a three-year lettermen for Walsh Jesuit and helped the Warriors win Division II state titles in 2006 and 2008. He earned wins in both the state semifinal and final games and allowed no runs — earned or unearned — during the entire 2008 state tournament.

Starn compiled a 10-1 record this season and had a 1.60 ERA in 57 innings pitched. He struck out 68 and held opponents to a .167 batting average when he pitched.

“David Starn has truly been a tremendous brother to his teammates and a son to the staff for four
years,” Walsh Jesuit head baseball coach Chris Kaczmar said in a press release. “I couldn’t be more proud of what David has accomplished during this time in terms of his commitment to the team, to the game of baseball, and to his family — both at home and at Walsh Jesuit.”

Starn’s win total in 2008 is the second most during a single-season in Walsh Jesuit baseball history. Patrick O’Brien went 11-1 and helped the Warriors win the 1999 Division II state championship prior to playing in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system. Chad Rodgers (Atlanta Braves minor leaguer) and Bobby Simone (University of Akron) are also high on that list after excellent 2006 seasons.

Starn, a Hudson native, is undecided on his major at Kent State. He earned first-team Cuyahoga River Valley Conference honors and the ESPN Pitcher of the Week award after the state tournament. He was also named Walsh Jesuit’s pitcher of the year for 2008 and shared the team’s MVP honors.

“He is an extremely talented player who combines an infectious smile with a strong and accurate arm, a smooth delivery, pinpoint accuracy, and a perfect balance of competitiveness, intensity and composure,” Kacamar said. “Above all, David is a fine young man who will have a place in our history books and our hearts forever.”

Starn is the sixth member of Walsh Jesuit’s class of 2008 to commit to play collegiate baseball and the 32nd Walsh Jesuit baseball player in the past 13 years to advance to the NCAA Division I level. Warriors 2008 seniors Ross Brunello and Brannon Belair are also headed to Kent State to play baseball.

When it comes to track, it’s always about who ran the fastest, jumped the highest or threw the shot or the discus the farthest. But sometimes there are stories, GREAT, INSPRATIONAL STORIES, that don’t have to do with who won.

For instance, I remember watching the local news in the fall, I think it was, and there was an amazing story about a young lady (she may have been from the Youngstown area), who was competing in the state high school cross country meet and was almost near the finish line. Then came a gruesome sight. She broke her leg on the course and fell to the ground.

But this young lady had the courage and fortitude to crawl and limp her way to the finish line, despite being in obvious pain.

It was a story of incredible self-will. This young lady needed medical help, but she didn’t want it. She was withering with pain but she wanted to finish that race, and if you watched the video, you couldn’t help but get a little emotional, knowing she was in a world of pain. But watching her will her way to that finish line, regardless of the pain she was experiencing, was breathtaking and moving.

The yound lady gave a great television interview a few days later and it was great to see she was doing well and was in good spirts. I think she even joked that all she was thinking about, when she went down, was that she wasn’t going to be able to dance at her sister’s wedding later that night.

I witnessed another incredible story, but it didn’t involve injury. A few years ago I was covering a regional track meet at Ravenna and the Copley girls were favored in this particular relay event. As the race began, Copley was right there, as expected. But during one of the exchanges, the baton was dropped and the team was out of the race.

The young lady who dropped the baton was devasted. I mean, I had never seen an athlete more distraught. What I found out later was that the young lady was only a sophomore and there were two seniors on that relay team. The sophomore felt she had blown it for the seniors because it was their last chance to make it to state.

She was on the infield of the track, as the race was still going, slumped over an emotional ball.

She just shuddered and shook as she cried.

Then, former Copley standout Carrie Dyer, who was a senior and on that relay team, ran to the young runner to comfort her.

Then the rest of the realy team followed.

To me, that was one of the most inspirational stories I had ever witnessed.

The sophomore was heartbroken. But she was heartbroken because she cared about her teammates and wanted to perform at her best so that it would help the seniors.

It didn’t happen. But when it didn’t happen, the seniors weren’t mad, bitter or upset. They showed support for their younger teammate because they loved her. And in the end, winning didn’t matter.

So, with that, I’m asking readers to post any inspirational stories you witnessed, in track or any other sport, that didn’t involve someone winning.

A story where someone overcame odds to get where they are. Or a story about teammates helping one another.

Those are the most compelling stories.

Chad Rodgers, a 2006 Walsh Jesuit graduate, has been recognized as one of the Atlanta Braves top 10 prospects entering the 2008 season by minorleaguebaseball.com. The website has Rodgers ranked as the Braves sixth-best prospect.

Rodgers, a left-handed pitcher, was selected in the third round with the 100th overall draft pick in the 2006 draft. Rodgers has compiled a 6-3 record with two saves, a 3.18 ERA in 22 games (15 starts) in two short season leagues, the Gulf Coast and Appalachian Leagues.

“Rodgers locates his fastball, which often sits in the low 90s, and his off-speed stuff is proving to be a very nice complement,” mlb.com writer Kevin T. Czerwinski said in his assessment. “He battled through a minor shoulder issue late in the (2007) season but is healthy now and projects to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues.”

The Walsh Jesuit baseball team is ranked No. 100 in the Perfect Game Cross Checker Top 100 pre-season high school baseball teams for 2008.

The annual Buckeye Scout Top 100 list has selected three Warriors to its 100 top senior baseball players in Ohio.

Senior shortstop Ross Brunello is ranked No. 44 and senior left-handed pitcher Brannon Belair is ranked No. 60. Brunello and Belair are both Kent State recruits.

Senior left-handed pitcher David Starn is ranked No. 97.

The trio was also recognized as 2008 Collegiate Baseball New Players to Watch and each contributed to Walsh’s 2006 team that won the Division II state title.

Walsh, 24-5 last season, is scheduled to open its season on Mar. 31 at home against Strongsville. The Warriors have won five consecutive district titles and eight over the past 11 years under coach Chris Kaczmar, who enters his 12th season with three state titles.

The 71st annual state wrestling tournament concluded with four area wrestlers winning a state title on Saturday night at the Value City Arena within the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of the Ohio State University.

Please check out the print Akron Beacon Journal or the ohio.com website on the Internet for coverage about the state tournament that appeared from Thursday through Sunday.

Here is a quick synopsis:

Champions

Brunswick senior Richie Spicel won the Division I 140-pound state title and finished the season with a 43-0 record under the leadership of coach Mike Koshar. Spicel also won a state championship as a freshman in 2005 at 130 pounds.

Walsh Jesuit senior Chase Skonieczny won the Division II 135-pound title and finished the season at 44-2 under the guidance of coach Bill Barger.

Perry junior Seth Horner won the Division I 130-pound state title and finished the season at 40-4 under the leadership of coach Brent McBurney. Horner defeated Wadsworth sophomore Brad Squire (42-3) in the finals.

Aurora sophomore Ty Mitch won the Division II 103-pound state title and finished the season at 39-5 under the guidance of coach Dick Bliss. Mitch’s triumph came at the expense of Walsh Jesuit freshman Johnni DiJulius (48-5), who is also a close friend.

Runner’s-up

The area also featured eight wrestlers that placed second.

In Division I: Squire, Barberton senior Adam Cogar (47-1 at 215) and Perry juniors Sam White (37-3 at 112) and Nick Heflin (45-4 at 152).

In Division II: DiJulius and Highland junior Tyler Houska (39-6 at 215).

In Division III: Norwayne senior J.D. Smyers (44-2 at 171) and Triway senior Cory Akin (34-9 at 215) in Division III.

It should be noted that Squire and White were champions in 2007, a headline for the Sunday wrestling notebook was a little misleading regarding White.

A simply amazing kid

Hillsboro senior Dustin Carter’s qualification for the state wrestling tournament at 103 pounds caught the attention of many in Columbus.

A rare blood disorder at age 5 led to limb damage. Carter, a quadruple amputee, has built a powerful upper body. His arms end near his elbows, his legs above where knees would be. When he doesn’t wrestle, he uses prosthetic legs.

He was recognized before the semifinal round Friday and received a roaring, standing ovation that lasted over a minute. CBS interviewed him Thursday and filmed his first-round match, a victory.

Carter lost twice Friday, however, and finished the season 40-4.

Splendid Records

Richie Spicel concluded his Brunswick career as the school’s all-time leader in wins with 160. He said he is considering going to college and wrestling at Asland University, Ohio University and Gardner-Webb.

Chase Skonieczny, a Kent State recruit, concluded his career with a 166-26 record. The 166 wins are a school record at Walsh Jesuit.

Adam Cogar is headed to the University of Virginia to wrestle and study pre-med after compiling a 175-21 record under the leadership of coach Dave Mariola. He carries a 4.2 cumulative grade point average. The 175 wins are a school record at Barberton.

Johnni DiJulius’ 48 wins are the most in a single season at Walsh Jesuit.

Smooch, smooch

Walsh Jesuit coach Bill Barger planted a kiss on the forehead of Warriors senior Chase Skonieczny in the media room after the 135-pound wrestler won the Division II state title.

“I have been around it a lot and they are all special, especially for a kid that grinds it out,” Barger said.

Skonieczny, Walsh’s 39th state champion, jumped into the arms of assistant coaches Jeff Black and Clint Musser on the mat following his 5-0 victory in the finals.

“I have been coming down here since I was a little kid,” said the 18-year-old Skonieczny, who entered this season as a three-time state placer in high school and with a decorated resume as a youth and middle school wrestler. “It’s 15 years in the making. March 1st, it’s been my day all season. It’s been marked on my phone and on my calendar at home.”

Surprisingly explosive

Horner and Squire put together a very good match, that Horner ultimately won 4-2 in overtime.

“He’s very strategic,” Wadsworth coach John Gramuglia said of Horner. “He’s explosive and he’ll lull you to sleep. He is very hard to wrestle. You don’t expect the explosiveness and then boom he’s by you. He’s a heck of an athlete.”

Scarlet and Gray

Austintown Fitch senior Tony Jameson (145 pounds) became the 16th wrestler in the state tournament’s history to win four state titles.

Following Jameson’s victory he paraded around the mat with an Ohio State banner and received a loud ovation. Jameson, 4-2 this season and 168-6 in his career, is an OSU recruit.