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Annual McDonald’s / MT Invitational set for Saturday

Friday, 29 January 2010

The 23rd Annual McDonald’s / Miami Trace Invitational wrestling tournament begins Saturday at 10 a.m at the Miami Trace High School gymnasium.

It showcases the best wrestling teams in southeast Ohio and beyond coming together for a one day event.

It is a highly-competitive tournament which features five of the top six placing teams at last year’s Southwest/Southeast Ohio Division II District Tournament. A total of 18 teams are entered this year. There are outstanding wrestlers in literally every weight class. Eight wrestlers return to defend their title. Some of them have jumped up a weight class or two but all return intent on capturing an individual championship and the hopes of helping their team to a title.

In 2009, the Athens Bulldogs came into the tournament for the first time and swept to victory easily outdistancing runner up Miami Trace 342 to 289 points.

The Washington Blue Lions were a strong fifth scoring 221 points. A new power house emerges this season for the first time. The Greenville Green Wave tied Miami Trace for second at the 2009 District Tournament. They have placed second at the giant GMVWA this season finishing just ahead of both Washington and Miami Trace.

The always-strong Sheridan Generals have captured this event four previous times and finished as the runner up four times as well. They recently won their own Sheridan Invitational. A titanic battle may occur between Sheridan’s outstanding heavyweight Drew Carpenter and Danny Demick. The pair faced each other last season splitting bouts between them.

Amanda-Clearcreek is developing a strong program. They placed fourth here in 2009 and have their sights set on even higher placement. Tournament mainstays over the years, Chillicothe, Circleville, Logan Elm, and Greenfield McClain all bring some key performers who challenge for weight class championships.

Watch for a resurging Westfall Mustangs to compete for the team title. They were second at the 16-team Grandview Heights Tournament last weekend and have several wrestlers capable of taking home an individual crown with the likes of Aaron Hardy (112), the undefeated Vincent Pickett (145), and Bryan Bowling (215).

Goshen has some remarkably talented young wrestlers. Joey Ward (125) and Chaz Gresham (160) were freshman competitors here last season. They still won their respective weight classes en route to later qualification to the State Tournament. They also feature Sectional Champion Aaron Walker.

Both local schools, Miami Trace and Washington, are having outstanding seasons.

The Blue Lions are currently ranked fourth in the Greater Miami Valley Wrestling Association poll. It is their highest ranking ever in the poll. They finished in third place in the small school division of the GMVWA Holiday Tournament. It alerted wrestling fans of their emergence into the ranks of the elite teams throughout the southern half of Ohio. Washington finished in third place recently at the Western Brown Hammer and Anvil Tournament behind league rival Clinton-Massie in first and runner up New Lexington.

The Blue Lions will push for the title this weekend but they must have stellar performances by their top guns such as Riley and Spencer Shaw and Paul Gryniuk and get much needed help from the likes of seeded wrestlers Kole Trigg, Dominic Dicamillo, Heath Klontz, Ben Parks and Patrick Wilson.

Miami Trace has gained momentum recently with a tournament title at the always-tough Beavercreek Invitational, an eighth place finish at the 41-team Top Gun Tournament in Alliance, Ohio and a dual meet win against a very good Athens team at their gymnasium last Friday evening.

Scoring points will be at a premium and star wrestlers need to step up big in order for Miami Trace to wrangle the team trophy away from the prohibitive favorite Greenville and a host of other excellent teams such as Sheridan, Washington, Amanda-Clearcreek, and Westfall.

Panther seniors Codey Neff and Jordan Fraley are returning champs. Sophomore Nathan Bowers won a title here as a freshman. Keaton Webb and Travis McIntosh, both juniors, were second place finishers in 2009 at the McDonald’s/Miami Trace Tournament. These wrestlers carry a heavy responsibility to continue a tradition of tournament dominance by the Panthers who have won this tournament 14 times. They will rely heavily on key wins from Shawn Smith (112), Dustin McFadden (119), Cody Snyder (160), and Wes Keaton at 215.

It will take an entire team effort to win the coveted gold classic wrestlers statue. There are 18 teams competing. Exciting high school wrestling occurs throughout Saturday at the “Pit”.

Session #1- 10:00 A.M. Round Robin Pools- Three rounds. The top finisher in each of the pools advances to the championship bracket for 1st through 4th place. The second place finisher advances to the consolation bracket for 5th through 8th place.

Break

Session #2- 4:00 P.M. Semi Finals, Consolation Finals, Championship Finals for 1st through 8th place.

All awards will be presented at the conclusion of the tournament.

Special thanks to QualiTee Design and Downtown Photo for their continued support of the McDonald’s/Miami Trace Invitational. Our Miami Trace Athletic Boosters will be providing concessions throughout the tournament. Kudos to the work force of dedicated Miami Trace table workers throughout the tournament. They are second to none in professionalism and knowledge of the sport in helping conduct the tournament.

2010 Participating teams:

Amanda Clearcreek Miami Trace

Athens Paint Valley

Chillicothe Roger Bacon

Circleville Sheridan

Col. East Vinton County

Goshen Warren Local

Greenville Washington

Logan Elm Wellston

McClain Westfall

2009 Team Scores:

1. Athens 342