ASHLAND — After a solid effort in the sectional tournament last week, the Ashland area’s Division III wrestling contingent largely fell on tough times Friday and Saturday.
Just three of the area’s 14 district qualifiers were able to survive to state tournament weekend, with another trio battling for fifth-place state-alternate spots.
Firelands Conference stars Brock Durbin (Mapleton) and Caleb Cunningham (Crestview) both remained on pace for what is projected to be a run to the state championship match for each. The seniors tore through their respective brackets without a match closer than five points.
In action in Independence, Durbin’s district crown was a repeat of a season ago. He entered the tournament as one of just 15 Division III wrestlers trying to lock up a fourth state qualification.
Now 43-1 at 144 pounds, the No. 2-ranked senior cruised to 16-1 and 17-2 technical falls before a 75-second pin of Berkshire’s fifth-ranked Alex Munn in the championship semis.
Durbin closed Saturday with a 10-2 rout of Perry’s Chance Schlauch.
Cunningham, meanwhile, powered through his heavyweight bracket at Rossford with back-to-back first-period pins, another fall in 2:51 and a 7-2 victory for the title over Swanton’s No. 7-ranked Evan Smigelski.
Cunningham, projected to win the Division III heavyweight title, was third at the district a season ago at 215. He’s now 39-3 this season.
The only other local survivor in Division III was Crestview freshman Qwintin Howard, who nabbed fourth place at 126 after working all the way back from a first-round pin.
Ranked 18th at his weight, Howard (30-19) went 4-2 with a 48-second pin and narrow victories of 2-0, 5-4 and 6-4.
Joining Durbin in action for Mapleton was junior Chase Sword (21-14). He battled for a 6-5 win to clinch fifth place at 120 and also had victories of 3-2 and 9-0.
Loudonville also was on the mats at Independence, where the Redbirds had a pair of seniors take fifth-place state-alternate spots as well.
Issac Wittel was fifth at 144 with a 4-2 record for the tournament that included a pin and wins of 10-4, 16-6 and 7-4. His record for the season moved to 44-12 in the process.
At 165, Redbirds senior Baylor Weiser also placed fifth. He collected three pins and a 6-2 victory to improve to 45-10 overall. He also logged a pin in the third-place semifinal, but it was overturned due to a disqualification, sending him into the fifth-place match.
Hillsdale rounded out the area’s competing teams. The lone district performer for the Falcons at Indpendence was junior Lincoln Jones, who ended his season 22-12 at 157 following a pair of defeats.
