Sunday, March 05, 2000
Moeller wrestler wins state
Lukens' title helps Crusaders take second place
BY MARK SCHMETZER
Enquirer contributor
COLUMBUS — Moeller's Nick Lukens scored an overtime takedown of Dayton Carroll's Jeff Clemens to win the Division I 171-pound championship at the 63rd annual Ohio high school state tournament at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center on Saturday.
“That was unexpected,” Lukens said to coach Jeff Gaier after the match.
“Some Cleveland newspaper said nobody from Moeller had a chance to win, and they didn't even mention me,” Lukens said. “Of the three we had in the finals, I was probably the one least expected to win.”
Lukens' championship, the fourth by a Moeller wrestler and the first since Tom Zinkan won in 1993, helped Moeller clinch second place, the best-ever finish by an area school in the state tournament.
Lakewood St. Edward rolled to its fourth consecutive Division I state championship and 16th overall by outscoring Moeller 186.5 to 92.
Lukens, who lost 9-0 to Clemens in the district semifinals last week and was 1-2 against him this year going into the championship match, trailed 3-1 in the third period.
“I was just trying to keep him close,” Lukens said. “There was plenty of time I knew I was in better condition. When we got to overtime, he was gassed.”
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