Seniors Garrett Barth (left) and Lamonte Chapman close were two of five Little Giants to win TRAC championships Saturday. Photo courtesy Chad Hetrick
FREMONT – Even before the tournament began, the Ross wrestling team knew repeating as TRAC champions was going to be a long shot. Having to default in three weight classes dug the Little Giants a massive hole to climb out of.
Nevertheless, Ross’ grapplers showed steely resolve, winning five weight class championships and rallying to place second with 154.5 points, trailing only champion Oregon Clay who finished with 219.
“We started in the hole, not filling three weight classes, that hurt us pretty bad, especially when you’re facing solid teams like Oregon Clay and Findlay,” Ross coach Chad Hetrick said. “It was a tough battle to come back and finish ahead of Findlay but we managed to pull ahead in the finals. The guys pulled out second place so we’re proud of them for those efforts.”
Charles Chapman
Deshea Pettiford
Charles Chapman won the 126-pound championship by defeating Clay’s Mike Daley 12-4. Deshea Pettiford won at 132 pounds with a 16-1 technical fall over Findlay’s Jaden Johnson.
“Charles Chapman and Deshea Pettiford had a real good tournament, they wrestled solid all day,” Hetrick said. “Charles, coming off an injury from last week, stayed sound and did what he had to do to get the job done and still not re-injure himself. He should be healed up pretty good for sectional next weekend.
“Deshea Pettiford worked hard and had a solid tournament,” he added.
Lamonte Chapman pinned all of his opponents in the tournament, including Clay’s AJ Szigeti in the championship match,
“Monte Chapman, went out and did what was expected of him, pinned all the way through and had a solid tournament,” Hetrick said.
Garrett Barth win a tight match for his championship, outlasting St. John’s Alexzander Savona by a 10-7 decision at the 170-pound weight class.
“Garrett Barth (was) kind of sluggish in the finals but he ended up pulling out the win,” Hetrick said. “He’s got some things to work in this week with getting his conditioning up a little bit more, especially with those longer matches at sectionals and districts.”
Caleb Wood
Rounding out the Little Giant champions was Caleb Wood, who defeated Zach Bryant, of Findlay, by an 11-1 major decision for the 195-pound championship.
“He’s chasing the record for season pins,” Hetrick said of Wood. “He would have liked to have gotten a pin in the final but came up short and he was kind of upset not getting the pin the finals.”
The record for pins in a season is 30, with Wood now standing at 24 entering next weekend’s sectional tournament. Hetrick said the record is within reach.
“Tying the record is possible. He wants it but he’s going to have to go out there and get it. He has to stay solid and go after it,” Hetrick said. “He’s capable of doing that.
“Breaking it, he’s going to need to get a couple pins at state, if he makes it that far, or hopefully he makes it that far, I should say.”
The sectional tournament begins next Friday at 5 p.m. at Oregon Clay and continues Saturday morning.
Hetrick is entering expecting a high number of Little Giants to place in the top four to qualify for the district meet the following weekend.
“We’re still going to have to be solid and stay sound as far as wrestling goes,” Hetrick said. “I look to get at least eight out of there. And then districts is going to be the tough one, having 43 or 46 teams or whatever it is. Six, I’m positive will get out of the sectionals and the rest, we’ll have to see, I’m not going to count anybody out at this point, anybody can upset anybody at any time.”
TRAC Tournament
Clay 219; Fremont Ross 154.5; Findlay 147.5; Whitmer 88
106 – David Boda, third place
126 – Charles Chapman, first place
132 – Deshea Pettiford, first place
138 – Lamonte Chapman, first place
145 – Thomas Gluth, fourth place
160 – Jackson Weissinger, third place
170 – Garrett Barth, first place
195 – Caleb Wood, first place
Heavyweight – Mike Thomas, third place