December 24, 2000

Seneca East takes team championship at East of Chicago Wrestling Tournament

UPPER SANDUSKY &emdash; Seneca East piled up eight individual titles on its way to the team championship at the East of Chicago Wrestling Tournament.

"We had 11 wrestlers and they all placed," SE coach Steve Heal. "We really wrestled well in the finals."

The Tigers scored 221 team points for the win. Host school, Upper Sandusky finished second with 158, followed by Plymouth (114 1/2), Riverdale (102 1/2), Hopewell-Loudon (64 1/2), Elgin (59 1/2), Columbus Grove (37 1/2) and West Liberty Salem (37).

Dan Hoepf (130 pounds), Matt Stacklin (140), Kurt Thompson (145), Jason Ross (152), Paul Weaver (160), Gary Cline (171), B.J. Nichols and Chris Weidinger (275) won in their respective weight classes for SE.

Weidinger and Cline each recorded their 15th victories for the season. Weidinger (15-0) was named Most Valuable Wrestler for the tournamen, going 3-0 with a win over West Liberty Salem's Ross Parthemore in the finals. Cline (15-2) beat Bill Wynkoop of Upper Sandusky with a 38 second pin, his second of the tournament.

Nichols and Ross each came into the meet with losing records (6-8 each) and walked away with titles.

"I think they've both improved as the season's wore on," Heal said. "Hard practice and learning from mistakes has really helped them out."

Ross defeated his cousin, Upper Sandusky's Eric Ross 9-6 in the finals of the 152-pound class. Nichols recorded two pins and a technical fall in the tournament, including a pin of Levi Pasma of Elgin for the championship.

Stacklin remained unbeaten (14-0), winning the 140 crown due to a forfeit and going 3-0 (two pins) for the meet.

Thompson won at 145 with a pin of Shane Kleman of Riverdale and Paul Weaver pinned Kleman's teammate, Gary Young for his title.

A little controversy helped Hoepf take the 130 title. After pinning his first two opponents, Hoepf was awarded the crown by disqualification. Upper's Trey Vinced sent the Tiger to the mat with an illegal slam. Hoepf couldn't continue due to an injury to his lower back and ribs.

Hopewell-Loudon's Jason Schalk pinned SE's Phil Senn to win at 103. Jacob Wilch of Upper Sandusky took the remaining crown in the 215 class.

Justin Wittenmyer (112) was a runner-up to Riverdale's Matt Vogel for the Tigers while Brad Jacobs (215) took third.