Elmwood’s Dexter Lee and North Baltimore’s Dalton Ishmael won Division III district
wrestling titles Saturday at Owens Community College.
A total of seven county wrestlers advance to the state from the Division III site,
including four from Elmwood. The top four finishers in each weight class qualify
for the state meet.
The Royals finished third in the team standings with 94, one behind Delta. Archbold
was the team champion with 115 points.
Lee (113) finished seventh at state two years ago, but didn’t qualify last season.
Lee only allowed a total of one match point in the entire tournament. He shut out his
last three opponents and won his title match over Zac Tuppsof Galion, 7-0.
“Last year, I didn’t cut the weight like the year before,” said Lee. “This year it
was definitely worth it.”
Ishmael, who is ranked number one at 195 pounds, remained undefeated at 44-0 by
pinning Travis Jaramillo of Archbold in 3:09 in the finals.
Ishmael took Jaramillo down early, but was reversed to tie the score. While Ishmael
on the bottom he was hit by a hard cross face and Jaramillo was penalized.
Ishmael answered with an escape and two takedowns before the pin, which was his
40th of the season.
“After he rocked me with the cross face I said he’ll never do that again to me,”
Ishmael said of the penalty by his opponent. “I’m hoping to wrestle as hard as I
can win the title at state.”
Ishmael was fifth at state last year.
Lakota’s Ben Timmons was second, losing to Cody Laney of Hicksville, 5-3 in the final
at 126. Timmons was fifth at the state meet at 119 last season.
Timmons and Laney were tied after two periods, but Laney scored an escape and a
takedown which were enough to win the match.
Finishing third were Elmwood’s Dusty Ferguson (120) and Jake Baker (220) and Lake’s
Zach Sharpe (182).
Ferguson only lost, 9-5, to undefeated Cade Mansfield of Ayersville, who won the
title, in the semifinals.
“I think he was picked to place second at state,” said Ferguson. “I was a little
nervous going into it.”
Ferguson dominated the rest of his opponents with three falls and a technical fall.
After losing the initial takedown, he pinned Tivo Ysasi of St. Joseph in 1:49 to
take third place.
Baker lost in the semifinals 1-0 to Kody Bellamy, who won the title. Baker faced
Tyler Ash of Paulding for third place. Baker scored five points quickly from a
knee pick and a nearfall and coasted to an 8-3 win.
“I would have felt better if I beat Bellamy, but I’ll just have to beat him at
state,” said Baker.
Baker placed sixth at state last season.
Sharpe avenged his only loss of the tournament with a 12-4 win over Kohl Johnson of
Upper Sandusky to take third place.
“I got kinda’ lazy in the first match, but I beat him for third,” Sharpe said.
Elmwood’s Mitchell Emmitt (145) is also advancing after finishing fourth He lost 1-0
to Carey’s Cory Larick in the third-place match.
“I’m happy,” said Royal’s head coach Dave Lee. “Top three in our district, got four
going to state, and two district placers coming back. I’m proud of our guys.”
Finishing sixth from the county were: Elmwood’s Jake Wise (160) and Otsego’s Ryan
Fackler (170).
DIVISION I
Perrysburg sends three to state
At Ashland University, Perrysburg finished seventh with 69 1/2 points and advanced
three wrestlers to the state meet.
Luke Boff (182) was second losing to Domenic Abounader of St. Edwards, 9-0 in the
final.
Micah Carter (195) was second losing to James Suvak of St. Edwards, 6-2 in the title
match.
Ryan Roth (138) finished fourth to advance. He lost 6-1 Matt Hammer of Medina.
Also for Perrysburg, J.P. Newton (145) was sixth.
DIVISION II
Eastwood’s Patterson advances
At Marion Harding, Eastwood finished 17th with 29½ points. Kyle Patterson qualified
for state by placing fourth at 182. He was pinned by Jordan Cole of Edison in
2:05.
Eastwood’s Jacob Welch (160) placed fifth, defeating Aaron Schutte of Wauseon, 8-7.
Bowling Green was 25th with 20 points. Deven Spencer (152) was fifth with a forfeit
win over Zac Green of Elida.
