Wrestling Earns Share of OAC Title
The no. 12 Heidelberg wrestling team has earned a share of the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season Title tonight (January 27) following a 27-12 win at no. 23 John Carroll University.
The win improves Heidelberg to 8-3 in duals on the regular season, but more impressive is its unblemished 5-0 mark versus league foes. The Blue Streaks fall to 9-5 and 2-2 in the OAC. The win secures a spot for the Berg at the top of the standings for the third time in the last four seasons. There is one dual remaining on the year for the Berg and a win over Wilmington College on Tuesday, Feb. 10 will give Heidelberg sole possession of the championship. The Berg currently sits a win ahead of Ohio Northern University and Mount Union College.
In the first three matches of the night, the score was either tied or in John Carroll's favor in the final period, and in all three occasions, it was the Berg who came away with the victory.
OAC Wrestler of the Week Jerrad Hoxie (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Forest Hills Northern) started things off with a 10-7 decision at 125 pounds. Hoxie found himself down 6-4 after two periods, but battled back for the win. The victory moved Hoxie into the 20-win column for the second-straight season. Overall he owns a record of 20-15 and is 4-0 in OAC duals.
Tony Lawler (West Jefferson, Ohio / West Jefferson) fell behind 6-5 after one period at 133 pounds, but responded with a takedown in the second and exploded with energy in the third. In the final period he registered two takedowns, two escapes and a point from riding time to win 14-8. The win improved Lawler’s OAC record to 4-0.
Nearly doubling Heidelberg’s team points was Boomer Fechko (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) with a 17-2 technical fall in 6:33 at 141 pounds. With the match knotted at 2-2 in the second period Fechko took over. He picked up 10 back points and added two takedowns and riding time for the tech. fall, 17-2. Fechko increased his season record to 15-8 and kept his league mark perfect at 4-0.
Zach Mizer (Canton, Ohio / Perry) made a statement at 157 pounds, pinning Andrew Schafer in 30 seconds to get the Berg back on the winning track. Mizer increased his team-leading win total on the year to 24 and is 5-0 in league duals.
Taking an 8-1 lead after two periods en route to an eventual 12-3 major decision was Matt Curley (Brecksville, Ohio / Lakewood) at 165 pounds. Curley finished with five takedowns on the night to improve his OAC record to a perfect 5-0 and his overall mark to 23-5.
Adding a 5-2 decision at 174 pounds was Mac Henry (Bowling Green, Ohio / Bowling Green). After a scoreless first period, both sides picked up an escape to take a 1-1 score into the third. Henry (11-13, 2-0) had two takedowns in the final three seconds to secure the win.
Closing out the scoring on the night was heavyweight Tony Carothers (Bloomington, Ohio / Harrison Central). He had a takedown in the first and two more in the third to lead to an 8-2 decision. Following the match Carothers stands at 17-9 overall and 3-0 in the OAC.
Final: Heidelberg 27, John Carroll 12
125 – Jerrad Hoxie (Heid) dec. Naoum, 10-7
133 – Tony Lawler (Heid) dec. Kriwinsky, 14-8
141 – Boomer Fechko (Heid) tech fall Semple, 17-2 (6:33)
149 - Mizener (JCU) dec. Josh Levy, 7-4
157 – Zach Mizer (Heid) pinned Schaffer, 0:30
165 – Matt Curley (Heid) maj. dec. Jurczak, 12-3
174 – Mac Henry (Heid) dec. Hammer, 5-2
184 - Adams (JCU) pinned Ed Bizorik, 1:52
197 - Harmon (JCU) dec. Brad Rice, 5-3
285 – Tony Carothers (Heid) dec. Lambert, 8-2