Firestone High School sophomore Ronnie Rowan entered the 29th annual Bill Dies Memorial Wrestling Tournament as an “underdog” on his own turf.
“I wasn’t even predicted to place,” Rowan said Saturday with a smile after winning the championship at 120 pounds at Firestone after being seeded ninth.
Rowan beat Elyria sophomore Brendon Fenton 7-3 to earn the top spot on the podium and the Most Valuable Wrestler Award, as voted by the coaches in the 46-team event.
Dies family members said Rowan is the first Firestone wrestler to win a Dies title, and he did so inside the Falcons gymnasium, which will give way to a new gym inside a new school that is under construction and scheduled to open later this year.
“It feels real good just knowing that I am the first of probably many more to come,” Rowan said. “There wasn’t really a lot of pressure. Before I went out there my coaches said it is just a normal match and to relax, so that is what I did.”
Rowan won by major decision (15-3), pin (in 1:34) and decision (5-2) on Friday, and then won his quarterfinal match 7-2 and his semifinal match 11-5 Saturday to advance to the final. His quarterfinal win came over the No. 1 seed, Brecksville senior Harry Feuer.
“Ronnie wrestled the way he can,” Firestone coach Dan Sandy said. “He is a heck of a talent. … We have been bumping him up to 126 and 132 in some weeks just to get him the best matches and competition we can.”
Elyria scored 258.5 points to win its second Dies team title in a row. Brecksville (221.5), Brunswick (186), Olmsted Falls (185.5) and Canfield (156) also placed in the top five.
Archbishop Hoban junior Lukus Stricker won at 113 via a 2-0 decision over Brunswick freshman Logan Heil. Stricker placed second at Bill Dies last year at 106.
“I just tried to grind it out as best as I could,” Stricker said of the tournament.
“There was a match where I was down and I was able to come back and get a takedown. I am trying to get a lot better mentally because I know as a wrestler there are always things to improve on. It’s a mental game. Winning a tournament like this shows me that I am one of the best in the state and I can hang with the top guys. Hopefully, this gives me additional confidence to go to Columbus and win a state title.”
Knights coach Rich Lann said Hoban alum Bill Schindel, the Mount Union wrestling coach, visited with Stricker and his teammates a week ago.
“He told us that they have a saying at Mount Union, ‘One day better,’ ” Lann said. “Lukus is getting one day better and the wrestling team is also. He told him he hasn’t won anything yet. He is not a state champion or a runner-up, so you have to work hard every day and he did that this weekend. He got better each match.”
Brecksville finished with two champs as freshman Gabe Tagg won the title at 106 with a 15-0 technical fall over Avon sophomore Tate Zeman and freshman Marco Regalbuto pinned Manchester senior Joey Bowen in 1:53 at 126.
Brunswick senior Josh Heil placed first at 145 with a 6-2 win over Brecksville senior Justin DeMicco, and Jackson sophomore Victor Marcelli beat Olmsted Falls senior Tony Caraffi 7-3 in the 170 final.
Other area wrestlers who placed second were: Woodridge junior Eli Yoho (132), Jackson senior Seth Whitehead (138), Brunswick junior Aaron Naples (195) and Copley senior Arman Samouk (285).
The list of area wrestlers that took third is lengthy with Feuer (120), Manchester’s Zach Larue (106), Garrettsville’s Logan Kissell (126), Brecksville’s Jason Bronstrup (132), Rootstown’s Jason Sadler (145), Chippewa’s Garrett Hall (152), Brunswick’s Nick Kiussis (160), Rootstown’s Luke Sorboro (170), Coventry’s Chris Cook (195), Manchester’s Jerek Cropper (220) and Norton’s Mitch Bischoff (285).
Crestwood’s Jacob Ondash took fourth at 113 following a 7-1 loss to Liberty’s Brakan Mead. Ondash, the 16th seed, beat Mead, the No. 1 seed 6-4 in the second round Friday.
Michael Beaven can be reached at 330-996-3829 or mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the #ABJVarsity high school blog at www.ohio.com/preps. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBeavenABJ.