Team Scores:

Meadowbrook 283

Shadyside 244

Bloom Carroll 192

River 184

Wellsville 170

Weir 168

Union Local 145

TCC 141

Bishop Waterson 113

Magnolia 106

Bridgeport 98

St. John 82

 Photo/BRIAN COOK
UNION LOCAL sophomore Mitchell Friede, top, takes control of Magnolia’s Joe Ingold with a cradle in their 140 pound championship match at the Doan Ford Invitational. Friede recorded a pin in the time of 2:55 as official David Gray slapped the mat.

Shadyside’s Johnny Merryman, a returning Ohio Division III state placer, looks to finish a single leg against Union Local’s Jacob Hearn in their 160 pound championship bout. Merryman went on to finish off Hearn by a score of 9-4 completing a perfect 5-0 day.

Photo/BRIAN COOK
Wellsville’s Matt Flanigan, top, tightens up a pinning combination on River’s Tyler Ollom at the Doan Ford Invitational in Morristown Saturday afternoon. Flanigan went on to win an individual title in the 152 pound weight class as finished the day spotless with a 5-0 record.


Doan Ford Invitational at Union Local High School
Meadowbrook 283, Shadyside 244, Bloom Carroll 192, River 184, Wellsville 170, Weir 168, Union Local 145, Tuscarwaras Catholic Central 141, Columbus Bishop Waterson 113, Magnolia 106, Bridgeport 98, St. John Central 82

CHAMPIONSHIP
103 – Sean Regoli (BC), Josh Bartrug (RV), Zach Greenleaf (Weir), Josh Nagy (WELL)
112 – Adam Ankrom (BC), Bryan Crozier (SHADY), Jordan Payton (MEAD), Josh Scott (WEIR)
119 – Derek Sisk (MEAD), Keegan Shoemaker (BW), Ben Burnham (TCC)
125 – Justin Cattran (BC), Anthony Gerdan (MEAD), Tony Marques (UL), Mark Barton (WELL)
130 – Brandon Smith (BC), Jimmy Gessler (BPT), George Cloore (TCC), Jimmy Davis (SJC)
135 – Jonathan Smith (MEAD), Joe Kosky (SJC), Eric Estep (MAG), James West (RV)
140 – Mitchell Friede (UL), Joe Ingold (MAG), Journey Wayts (RIV), Cody Compton (MEAD)
145 – Drew Keller (TCC), Adrian Camp (WEIR), Kevin Burke (BW), Tate Richardson (MEAD)
152 – Matt Flanigan (WELL), Carl Piper (SJC), Tyler Ollom (RIV), Eric Ravak (MEAD)
160 – Johnny Merryman (SHADY), Jacob Hearn (UL), Mike Thomas (WELL), Donnie Heath (SHADY)
171 – Kiefer Watson (MEAD), Brian Adams (TCC), Kraig Kubancik (SHADY), Kody Kubancik (SHADY)
189 – Ryan Cradtree (WELL), Jerry Kahl (SHADY), Payden Stewart (RIV), Jason Long (MAG)
215 – Derek Rovira (WEIR), Brian Kahl (SHADY), David Vaughn (SHADY), Justin Pierce (MEAD)
285 – Aaron Silverio (SHADY), Sean West (BPT), Vance Miller (WEIR), Troy Haslam (RIV)

By BRIAN COOK
Times Leader Sports Writer

MORRISTOWN – It’s always tough getting back into condition when wrestling season arrives and it proved to be true Saturday at the Doan Ford Invitational in Morristown. As many wrestlers fought to make weight for the first time, many coaches were aiming to see what their grapplers were truly capable of doing on the mat.
As the Tigers trailed entering the final round, Shadyside looked to have a glimpse of hope with five guys in the finals, but only managed to come away with two individual champions as returning state placer Johnny Merryman (160) and Aaron Silverio (285) managed to win close matches, 9-4 and 6-5, respectively.
“We had some bright moments and had some young kids win some matches today,” a satisfied Scott Kinemond said about his Tigers’ grappling squad. “We had a lot of second place guys and a few other placers. I felt we were in decent shape. Our takedowns were okay, but we need to work on the mat. A few kids were making rookie mistakes that worked in junior high and need to work out the kinks.”
Taking sliver among the sea of Orange and Black for the Tigers were Bryan Crozier (112), Jerry Kahl (189) and Brian Kahl (215).
Meadowbrook, coached by Troy Keith, managed to win 3-of-4 title matches on his way to taking home is first ever Doan Ford Invitational team championship.
“Wining is something new for us,” Keith admitted. “We have been here for 14 years and haven’t been able to put it together as a team. These don’t come too often for us and I am real proud of our guys today, they wrestled tough.”
As the Colts’ were beginning to look towards its team trophy, Kinemond and company picked up one of the biggest upsets of the tournament as heavyweight Aaron Silverio knocked off returning state alternate Sean West of Bridgeport, 6-5.
“It was a huge win for Aaron,” Kinemond said. “I know he’s capable of winning matches. Now he just has to continue to build off this win and get better in the practice room day in day out.”
The other local champion came from host Union Local as Mitchell Friede (140) took home his first individual high school title. The sophomore grappler battled through a tough pool of competition to face Magnolia’s Joe Ingold.
Taking control early on his feet, Friede managed a second period pin in the time of 2:55.
“Today was a good day for Mitchell,” Jets’ mat mentor Wade Smolira said. “He wrestled hard, but we still have some things to work on back in the room. I hope he can build on this experience and we’ll see where it takes him this season.”