In this file photo Dylan Thompson of North Union attempts to break free from his opponent during the Don Wasserbeck Invitational. Thompson advanced to the Division III district semifinals at Buckeye Local High School.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
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With the first round of the district wrestling tournaments in the books the Wildcats of North Union are still in the hunt for a district title in their 113 pounder Tarren Riffle and 220 pounder Dylan Thompson. The Cats currently sit in 12th place with 25 points.
Riffle was able to pin his way past Nate Loot of Steubenville Catholic Central and Corey Keim of Tuscarawas Valley in the opening two rounds to advance to the semifinals of the Division III district meet at Buckeye Local Friday evening.
Thompson was able to follow suit with two pins of his own in the first two rounds. Thompson collected a pin fall in the opening 25 seconds against Shawn Turley of Trimble and followed up with a pin in 3:30 against Dalton Rice of Shenandoah to advance to the semifinals.
The remaining six wrestlers NU was able to advance to the district meet struggled in the opening two rounds putting them in a fight for third place of the double-elimination tournament.
Fairbanks, how is represented by seven wrestlers at the Buckeye Local district meet, struggled in the opening round of the contest and is currently in 37th place with two points.
The remaining results for the Panthers and Wildcats are as follows:
-106 Casey Clark, North Union, lost by pin fall to Trevor Herbert of Buckeye Local;
-120 Hayden Pacha, North Union, lost by pin fall to Brody Marks of Sandy Valley;
-126 Austin Jamison, North Union, lost by pin fall to Gavin Ramos of Northmor;
-132 Dominick Coy, Fairbanks, lost by a 19-0 technical fall to Hayden Johnson of Richland Edison;
-138 Caleb Isler, North Union, lost by pin fall to Logan Hursey of Newcomerstown, Aiden Groves, Fairbanks, lost by a 6-4 decision to Haden Offenberger of Waterford;
-152 Malachi Robbins, North Union, lost by pin fall to Michael Phelps of Pleasant, Ethan Chippas, lost by pin fall to Noah Indoden of Nelsonville-York;
-160 Andrew Halterman, Fairbanks, lost by a 5-2 decision to Tommy Mitchell of Caldwell;
-170 Tanner Conway, Fairbanks, lost by pin fall to Kameron Hughes of Martins Ferry;
-182 Chris Cox-Wilson, North Union, lost by a 5-2 decision to Richard McFarland of Martins Ferry, Ashton Griffith, Fairbanks, lost by pin fall to Michael Herrmann of Steubenville Catholic Central;
-285 Billy Reed-Bodey, Fairbanks, lost by a 4-3 decision to Dylan Wilson of Danville.
Two wrestlers, Coleman Hauck and Blake Boldman, represented Triad at the Division III meet at Troy. Both wrestlers struggled in their opening round with Hauck losing by pin fall to Peyton Lane of National Trail and Boldman falling to Jake Mumper of Roger Bacon by pin. The loss put them in 45th place with two team points. Each wrestler was able to bounce back in the wrestle back bracket with a win, Hauck taking a 5-2 decision over Hunter Paxson of Allen East and Boldman winning a 13-11 decision over Graham Farmer of Parkway to keep their state tournament hopes alive.
In the Division II district meet at Heath the Pioneers of Jonathan Alder struggled to move their three wrestlers past the opening rounds of the contest and collected zero points putting them tied for 36th place.
Reece Chapman at 106 pounds lost a 4-2 decision to David Woolever of Carrollton. The Pioneers 170 pounder, Luke Stalnaker, lost by a 24-9 technical fall to Brandon Daniels of Carrollton and Michael Boggs at 220 for JA lost an 8-0 major decision to Seth Brown of Carrollton.
The three wrestlers will have a chance to keep their state tournament hopes when they square off for a chance at third place in the wrestler backs today.
All district wrestling meets will conclude Today.