First Posted: 1/31/2015
LIMA — It’s been labeled by some as the best Division III regular-season wrestling tournament in the state.
This year’s 12th annual Lima Central Catholic Thunderbird Invitational, once again, lived up to its high billing.
Forty teams converged at Edward C. Herr Gymnasium Saturday for Day Two of the annual invite.
Mechanicsburg took home the team title, running away in the final rounds from second-place Covington, 232-183. Miami East finished third (131.5), Archbold came in fourth (123) and Van Buren (118.5) rounded out the top five teams.
Coldwater had the top area performance, placing seventh (112); while LCC was solid, coming in eighth overall (97.5).
Leading the way for LCC was Hunter Lucas, who took home the title in the 113-pound weight class. Lucas (11-1) pinned Blanchester’s Kyle Denier in the championship match.
Lucas placed fourth in the 106-pound weight class at last year’s Division II state tournament, while competing at Shawnee.
“He’s obviously a pretty tough kid,” Lucas said about Denier (27-4). “But, I went out there and moved forward and did what Coach (Nick Sanchez) told me to do. I stayed to the basics and didn’t do anything crazy. That’s how you win matches. …You just stick to the basics.”
Lucas’ teammate Jack Huffman lost his championship bout at 182 against Covington’s Ben Miller, 5-2. Miller (33-3) is projected to make it to the finals this season at the state tournament. However, Huffman, who placed seventh at last year’s state tournament at 195, wasn’t intimidated.
“I’m glad I got the chance to wrestle Ben Miller, because he’s going to be a guy that I’m hopefully going to see down the road at districts and at the state tournament,” Huffman said. “Now, I feel like I got a feel for him and I’m looking forward to wrestling him again, because I think I can beat him.
“But, I’m a little disappointed in how I wrestled that match. I felt like I wasn’t there, especially in the first period. In the first period, I felt like I was almost in a funk. So, I’m hoping I can get another shot at him and do a little better next time.”
Huffman (30-6), who has won 141 matches in his four-year career, is just five wins shy of the school record.
Delphos St. John’s Wes Buettner continues to shine at 195 pounds. Buettner (30-3) pinned Swanton’s Matt Rainey late in the third period of the championship match.
“It was a good match,” Buettner said about Saturday’s title match. “I took a quick lead on him and then I started to pull away. I had a decent lead in the third period and then I got the pin.”
Buettner, a senior, has made the transformation from competing at 126 his freshman season, all the way to his present weight class of 195.
“It’s going pretty well,” Buettner said about this season. “I had a couple bumps in there, but every one (loss) has come from a different division. So, I won’t see them at districts or at state. But, I had a really good tournament. So, I’m really happy.”
Allen East sophomore Schuyler Caprella (24-5) was one step away from notching a title on Saturday. Caprella lost to Archbold’s Damien Short in the championship match, 12-0. Short (36-3) is one of the top wrestlers in the state at that weight class.
“(Wrestling) two days at the tournament and to come out and beat the No. 1 seed (Hillsdale’s Jett Helenbrand) in the semifinals, and then going to the finals match. … I’m just wore out,” Caprella said. “So, he just outmuscled me.”
Lions Invitational
CELINA — Sandusky Perkins won the team title with 301 points followed by Wapakoneta (244.5), Napoleon 224 and Celina (126) in the 10 team event.
Wapak’s Tyler Copeland (132), Dallas Ambos (145) and Landon Hall (182) all won titles as did Kaleb Cantrell (285) of Van Wert.
Colleges
Wheaton Invitational
WHEATON Ill. — Allen East graduates Colt Lovejoy (165 pounds) and Cody Lovejoy (heavyweight) each went 5-0 and won their respective weight class championships to lead the Ohio Northern wrestling team at the Wheaton (Ill.) Pete Willson Invitational on Friday and Saturday at King’s Arena.
The Polar Bears (13-4 overall) finished fifth of 32 teams with 82 points.
