February 25,2000

Columbian suffers a major setback

By Ed Fox
Sports Writer

Columbian has suffered a major setback before the Division I District wrestling tournament ever began.

Senior Joe Ranker suffered an injury in the consolation finals at the Oregon Clay Sectional last weekend and will not be able to compete in the district which begins at 4 p.m. today at Hilliard Darby High School.

"Joe hurt his ribs near his sternum and we gave it all week to mend but he told us today (Thursday) that he didn't think he could go and so we contacted the coach at Madison Comprehensive because his kid was the alternate and will be taking Joe's place," said Columbian coach John Tomaszewski. "It's really too bad because Joe was having a very good year and this would've been his second straight trip to the district. He had a tough first match but had already beaten three or four kids in his bracket and I think he would've had a good chance to reach state because they're taking five this year."

Ranker, who finished fourth at the sectional last week, had a 33-10 record and would've faced Ben Rings of Marysville who was projected to finish third in the state by the Brakeman Report (bible of Ohio wrestling). Rings, the champion at the Dublin Sectional, is 31-2 for the year.

The Tornadoes have four others who have qualified for the district with senior Allan Weickert leading the way after winning the sectional title at 215 last week.

Joining Weickert will be senior Maxum Tomaszewski who was third at 145 while sophomore Kris Adams (125) and junior Matt Murphy (135) finished fourth.

Weickert, 36-2, will clash with Mike Fosnaugh of Marion Harding in the first round. Fosnaugh was fourth at the Dublin Sectional. A win would propel him into a match against either Craig Katafiasz of Sylvania Northview or Ryan Ward of Delaware Hayes. Katafiasz, ranked 12th in the Brakeman, was runner-up at Toledo Rogers while Ward was third at Pickerington. In the same bracket with Weickert is Tom Spreng of Mount Vernon who is ranked 10th.

"Allan had Fosnaugh in our dual with Harding and I think he has a very good draw," said coach Tomaszewski. "I think you can disregard records at this point and just take it step by step. The kids were focused at the NOL and sectional and hopefully it will carry on."

Maxum, 34-7, will meet Matt White of Dublin Coffman in the first round. White, 22-10, was second at the Dublin Sectional.

"I like Maxum's draw. He beat the White kid (12-2) at the Perrysburg tournament. He would most likely get Pickerington's Jason Maher after that and he lost to him earlier, 8-3."

Maher was champion at the Pickerington Sectional. Jim Poling, the Toledo Rogers Sectional champion, is also in the same bracket.

Murphy, 12-23, will take on Adam Morris, 32-5, of Toledo Rogers in the first round while Adams, 25-16, will face Brent Sites of Dublin Coffman. Morris was sectional champion at Rogers and Sites, projected eighth in the Brakeman, won at the Dublin Sectional.

"Because they have combined the northwest and central districts this year they are taking five from our district for the state tournament," said coach Tomaszewski. "Last year just the top three from our district at Toledo qualified for state.

"The double-elimination is good. It's really easy for a kid to be nervous for his first match and easy to make mistakes which could cost him a loss. Now you don't have to worry about being pulled back in by the kid who beat you. In the past if he lost his next match you would be out for good.

"I think our kids are mentally ready. We've wrestled as many matches as any of the other kids in the district and I think it has really helped us to step up our schedule. Our seniors (Weickert, Maxum and Ranker) each have over 30 wins and that's come against some excellent competition."

There are 10 area wrestlers competing in the Division II District at Galion which begins at 5 p.m. today.

Fostoria had a pair of champions among its five district qualifiers in seniors Brandon Distel (35-0) at 135 and Nick Frisch (34-1) at 140. For Frisch last week's championship at Oak Harbor was his fourth sectional championship. His first three titles came while attending Hopewell-Loudon. Distel won his first-ever sectional title after being third a year ago and second as a sophomore.

Three other Redmen advanced to the district including Nate Heiser (30-4) who was second at 130, Justin Kiser (17-6) who was second at 145 and Rich Gerritsen (17-17) who was fourth at 152.

Upper Sandusky also competed at the Oak Harbor Sectional and qualified five to the district. The Rams had three third-place finishers including Trey Vince at 125, Dennis Karcher at 171 and Luke Latham at 189. Finishing fourth were Ed Call at 135 and Joe Kennedy at 160.