The Mirror Newspapers Reflecting Life Along The Maumee River
BY ANDY ROWER | MIRROR SPORTS — A quintet of Maumee wrestlers advanced on to the district tournament with top-five finishes at last Saturday’s sectional tournament at Sandusky.
Senior 145-pounder Hun-ter VanDusen and junior 106-pounder Isaiah Wrighten led the Panthers on the day with a pair of runner-up finishes.
VanDusen began his run by pinning Vermillion’s Aiden Miller (3:34), and then recorded a 10-2 major decision over Perkins’ Zach Morehart before being pinned by Sandusky’s Elijah Hunter (1:07).
Similarly, Wrighten kicked things off by pinning Rossford’s Matthew Cassaubon (1:42), and next topped Norwalk’s Kaleb Ruhl 6-2 before being pinned by Perkins’ Billy Smith (1:41).
Maumee senior 152-pounder Tyler Wilson followed VanDusen and Wrighten with a third-place finish.
Wilson commenced with a 15-5 major decision over Woodward’s Deon Colbert but was pinned during his second match by Port Clinton eventual champion Mason Elson (3:37).
He bounced back by pinning Vermillion’s Dillon Henry (4:48) and then took third by pinning Rogers’ Corey Loeffler (2:02).
Freshman 113-pounder Tommy Gast earned the Panthers’ fourth district spot after placing fourth.
Tommy Gast pinned Vermillion’s Kreston Shaw (3:27) to start things off, but he was next pinned by Sandusky eventual champion Rico Cunningham (0:25).
He battled back by pinning Port Clinton’s Cadence Wallace (0:33), only to drop his third-place match to Norwalk’s Hadyn Graffice via pin (4:02).
Sophomore 126-pounder Austin Gast will serve as a district alternate after placing fifth for the Panthers.
Austin Gast outlasted Huron’s Jacob Eck during his first match but was next pinned by Vermillion’s Brandon D’Egidio (0:53) and Norwalk’s Alex Herf (1:55).
To his credit, he came back to post a 10-2 major decision over Eck in a rematch for fifth.
Junior heavyweight Logan Lorenzo and freshman 138-pounder Diego Barboza added sixth-place finishes for Maumee, while senior 160-pounder Alex Yakumithis and junior 220-pounder Joe Hart also competed.
The Panthers’ Division II district meet will take place at Norwalk on March 6-7.
VanDusen (22-10) will wrestle Buckeye sophomore Nino Brunst (17-18) in his first match; Wrighten (27-9) will go up against Bay senior Stephen Tepper (37-12); Wilson (22-10) will take on Wauseon senior Ethan Glover (21-13) and Tommy Gast (22-11) will wrestle Wauseon junior Damon Molina (32-14).
