Norwalk finishes sectional runners-up
Feb. 27—SANDUSKY — The Norwalk High School wrestling team advanced nine individuals from Saturday's Division II sectional championship meet at Sandusky High School.
Among the nine who will compete at the host district championships at NHS include sectional finalists Austin Ware (113 pounds), Eian Reineck (144), Ryan Fox (175) and Ryan Ritzenthaler (215).
Placing fourth on Saturday included Kaleb Ruhl (120), Jesse Cole (132), Geraldo Diaz (138), David Garcia (150) and Mason Canalos (157).
In the team standings, Perkins was first going away with 237.5 points. The Truckers were second with 155, followed by Shelby (141), Vermilion (133.5), Sandusky (117.5) and Port Clinton (113).
The top four placers in each weight class advanced to the district, which then advances the top four next weekend to the state championships.
"It's a great day when you get nine qualifiers and one alternate," Norwalk head coach Todd Fox said. "Those guys get to wrestle at home again for a shot at state."
Ware (30-12) defeated Huron's Braylen Williams with a 13-2 major decision before falling by technical fall (16-0) to Perkins standout Billy Smith (39-4) in the finals.
Reineck (19-18) pinned Shelby's Trenten Cain in 1:19 and Perkins' Noah Villarreal in 5:49 before falling by pin in the finals to Vermilion's Owen Kyser in 3:48.
Fox (32-14) pinned Toledo Woodward's Alex Ferguson in 2:23 before edging Perkins' Aiden Grunden in a 2-0 decision to reach the finals, where he lost a narrow 3-1 decision to Rossford's Dominic Schuler (28-5).
Ritzenthaler (30-14) pinned Deandre Ellis (Toledo Central Catholic) in 3:35 before being pinned in the finals by Huron's Elijah Perkins (34-5) in 2:40.
"We wish we would of finished in the finals better, but big picture it was a great day," Fox said. "This a program day with the runner-up finish and individual results. I cannot express enough how proud we are of all of them."
Division II sectional placers
(Top four district qualifiers)
First place
106: Joshua Cornell (Port Clinton) pinned Arthur Cain (Shelby), 5:13
113: Billy Smith (Perkins) tech. fall Austin Ware (Norwalk), 16-0
120: Wyatt Nemitz (Perkins) maj. dec. Mike Thomas (Madison), 18-10
126: Kreston Shaw (Vermilion) pinned William Jackson (Port Clinton), :39
132: Zach Oprzadek (Perkins) dec. Garrett Montgomery (Shelby), 3-0
138: Mason Henley (Sandusky) dec. Collin Calderon (Perkins), 8-1
144: Owen Kyser (Vermilion) pinned Eian Reineck (Norwalk), 3:48
150: Keegan Schoen (Perkins) pinned A.J. Jackson (Vermilion), 1:42
157: Ayden Wilson (Rossford) dec. Garrett Baker (Shelby), 7-3
165: Decarvion Jones (Sandusky) pinned Justin Hire (Rossford), 5:42
175: Dominic Schuler (Rossford) dec. Ryan Fox (Norwalk), 3-1
190: Hunter Hutcheson (Madison) dec. Keegan Wooten (Huron), 8-1
215: Elijah Perkins (Huron) pinned Ryan Ritzenthaler (Norwalk), 2:40
285: Michael Cannings (Toledo CC) dec. Samari Smith (Port Clinton), 5-3
Third place
106: Sawyer Smith (Perkins) pinned Emilio Herrera (Toledo CC), :19
113: Braylen Williams (Huron) pinned Skyler Cornell (Port Clinton), 3:40
120: Tommy Gast (Maumee) dec. Kaleb Ruhl (Norwalk), 8-7
126: Nathan Ganzhorn (Shelby) dec. Nathaniel Hodge (Sandusky), 2-1
132: Rocco DAmico (Sandusky) pinned Jesse Cole (Norwalk), :48
138: Aiden Miller (Vermilion) pinned Geraldo Diaz (Norwalk), 1:37
144: Noah Villarreal (Perkins) pinned Trenten Cain (Shelby), :36
150: Ashton Perdue (Huron) pin David Garcia (Norwalk), 3:19
157: Malachi Howell (Vermilion) pinned Mason Canalos (Norwalk), 2:49
165: Kirill Turovskiy (Huron) dec. Garet Sipe (Shelby), 15-8
175: James Foster (Toledo CC) dec. Dominik Whitesel (Madison), 2-1
190: Dagan Meyers (Port Clinton) dec. Kye Crawford (Perkins), 3-1 SV
215: Deandre Ellis (Toledo CC) pinned Zach Zoellner (Perkins), 3:12
285: Adam West (Perkins) pinned Mark Forwith (Shelby), 1:23
