The Saint Ignatius wrestling team came out swinging at the 2017 OHSAA Dual Team Tournament.
The Mat Cats hosted the Regional Quarterfinals at Sullivan Gym on Wednesday in front of dedicated Wildcats’ faithful. The men of Mark Sullivan rewarded fans with dominating wins over Garfield Heights, 70-7, and Shaker Heights, 72-8.
The Wildcats faced the Bulldogs in the first round, while the Raiders faced Lakeside.
Johnny Novak continued his red-hot run at 106 pounds, pinning his Garfield Heights opponent in the second period. Novak’s victory marked his fifth in a row after a 4-0 run last weekend. Matthew Whipkey then claimed a win via forfeit at 113 before Patrick Francis dropped a 14-6 contest, lasting the full three periods.
Following a forfeit win claimed at 126 pounds by Matt French, the Wildcats held an 18-4 lead. Anthony Delsanter added six points to the lead with a 16-1 victory over his foe at 132 pounds.
The 138-pound match proved to be a highlight. Tommy Gallagher battled Bulldog Josh Riley very evenly in the first two periods, as the contenders fought at the boundaries of the mat but only scored two points a piece. Riley created a 6-3 lead with 1:17 left in the third with an impressive takedown. Gallagher fought hard, but 6-3 stood as the final, leaving the score at 23-7.
Quade Rasmussen opened an early 2-0 lead in the first at 145 pounds, but Reese Middleton escaped, setting the scoreboard at 2-1 after one. Rasmussen acted quickly to begin the second, placing Middleton in a headlock and pinning him at 1:20 of the second.
Then at 152 pounds, Najee Lockett showed why he’s one of the best freshmen in the area. Lockett pinned his foe with 45 seconds left in the first period, extending the Wildcats’ advantage to 35-7. Logan Toth added five points to the score, showing off his indefatigable style to the tune of a 16-1 tech fall victory.
Cal Miller (170), Kaden Russell (182), and Michael Drobnick (195) then tabbed back-to-back-to-back first period pins, stretching the hosts’ lead to 58-7 heading into 220 pounds.
Aidan Gill then captured a pin in the second period at 220 pounds before Joe Gibbons won by forfeit at 285 pounds. The final two wins set the final score at 70-7 over the Bulldogs.
Shaker Heights defeated Lakeside, 33-18, setting up a matchup between the Wildcats and Raiders.
The Wildcats started well, with Novak earning a first period pin at 106 pounds and Matthew Whipkey claiming a forfeit win at 113. Patrick Francis tore off a 7-0 lead before pinning his adversary in the second period.
French kept the good times going with a pin in the first minute at 126 pounds, upping the Wildcats’ lead to 24-0.
Zach Morgan ran into a difficult contender at 132 pounds in Tyson Long. Morgan took the battle to the second period, but was defeated via tech fall. Gallagher rebounded for the Wildcats with a pin with :47 left in the second. Lockett added another pin just 49 seconds into his bout, granting the Wildcats a 42-5 lead.
The 160-pound battle between Farouq Muhammed and Logan Toth proved to be a back-and-forth affair. Muhammed slowly built a 5-0 lead heading into the final minute of the third period before Toth notched an escape late and attacked Muhammed. However, Muhammed fended off his efforts and tabbed an 8-1 win.
Cal Miller then pinned his foe at 182 pounds in the second period, showing off his physicality and perseverance in the second. Then Kaden Russell and Michael Drobnick notched forfeit wins for the Wildcats at 182 and 195 pounds.
Aidan Gill showed his trademark ferocity and 220 pounds, sealing a victory via an early pin. Talented heavyweight Toby Engel then finished off the Raiders with a forfeit win, leaving the final score at 72-8 in favor of the Wildcats.
Thanks to the pair of triumphs, the Mat Cats advance to the Regional Semifinal next Wednesday, February 1 at St. Edward. The Eagles defeated Rhodes, 84-0, and Cleveland Heights, 81-0, to stake their place in the Regional Semis.