Recordpub.com - Ravenna has slim lead after two rounds of wrestling

By Michael Leonard
Gateway News Sports Editor
Rootstown " Ravenna and Woodridge were hardly challenged on their way to the Portage Trail Conference Metro and County Division wrestling titles during the regular season.
So it figured the two division champions would be in a fight with each other for the PTC Tournament championship.
Through day one, that's exactly what is shaping up.
Ravenna has a slim lead at the top of the standings over the Bulldogs after two rounds of wrestling Friday at Rootstown.
Ravenna has 86 points, while Woodridge has 84.5. Norton is third with 71, while Crestwood (65) and Southeast (61) round out the top five.
Streetsboro (55) sits sixth overall and second in the County Division standings.
Wrestling will resume today at 10:30 a.m., with the finals beginning tonight at 7 p.m.
Ravenna coach Michael Whitmore said his team had a solid day-one effort, despite missing a few starters.
"We still don't have our top starting lineup in place, but neither does anybody else it seems," Whitmore said. "We did about as good as we could, given who we're missing. My seniors are doing a good job leading, and I'm proud of my young guys. They're wrestling as hard as they can."
Ravenna advanced eight wrestlers to today's semifinals, as Brandon Oberholtzer (112 pounds), Scott Meyer (125), Randy Carpenter (135), Isaac Dukes (140), Tony Karaffa (152), Brandon Boggs (171), Greydon Pavlik (215) and Brad Hager (285) all are in the winners bracket.
However, Woodridge matched the Ravens' effort and had eight wrestlers of its own reach the semifinals.
"It's a good first day for us," Massey said. "Even some of our young guys have gotten through. Those guys that aren't in the semifinals we expect to wrestle back."
Woodridge has Brad Norval (119), Donny Montoney (130), Lambert McElrath (140), Lou Lieby (145), Pat Rado (152), Jeremy Hathaway (160), Andy Jenkins (171) and Andy Fay (189) all wrestling in the semifinals.
Despite his team's success, Massey said he won't think about the overall title until the finals are over.
"We're just going to wrestle one match at a time and concentrate on that," Massey said. "It's too early to think about the team title."
Crestwood 103-pounder Paige Nemec remains on track to become the first female PTC champion after pinning Garfield's Brent Heyd in her first match. She faces Mogadore's Dan Smith in the semifinals and is one of six Red Devils still alive in the winners bracket.