Sunday, February 25, 2001
Moeller wins district wrestling
Crusaders expect to challenge St. Ed's for state title
By Chris Yeager
Enquirer contributor
Moeller's Brent Goode recovered from this predicament to win the 103-pound title.
(Mike Simons photos)
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Ever since becoming Cincinnati's only state wrestling champion last year, Moeller's Nick Lukens has heard from the doubters.
Lukens also heard Lakota East's Hetag Pliev would have little trouble beating him in Saturday's Division I district wrestling tournament at Fairfield High School. Pliev entered their match undefeated. Lukens had seven losses.
“He's been killing everybody,” Lukens said. “But I'm in great shape and I know how to wrestle him.”
Lukens' conditioning is such he felt if the match went to overtime, he'd win. That's exactly what happened. Countering Pliev's freestyle-oriented approach, Lukens won with an overtime takedown7-5.
“I'm back,” said Lukens, smiling.
Hamilton's Mike Kist wraps up Wayne's Isaac Seaborn on the way to a pin at 119.
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Overall, the Division I district meet was not a good place to bring an undefeated record. Fairfield's Mike Wahoff had no losses until Winton Woods' Ian Ruth beat him 11-6 in a semifinal match.Wahoff had given Ruth his only loss this season in the Coaches' Classic tournament.
“If you think about revenge, you can lose control,” Ruth said of the rematch. “But I had to beat him to get to state.”
Ruth went on to beat Moeller's David Blanks 4-3 to claim his second district title.
Matt McIntire of Lakota West also was undefeated before his district final match against Dayton Carroll's Ryan West. McIntire was frustrated by West's defensive tactics. He also had a couple of takedowns nullified by out-of-bounds calls.
“It won't happen next week,” McIntire said. “In the past I've been able to avenge when I lose.”
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READING WINS D-III
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Reading took first place in Division III with four champions.
D.J. Engel, Clinton Harmeyer, Tim Kelly, and Chris Seta all took individual crowns for the Blue Devils.
Madeira finished a close third.
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Thirty-four Cincinnati Division I wrestlers qualified for next week's state tournament.
And Moeller, which will take 10 wrestlers to Columbus, certified its city-championship status. The Crusaders scored 207.5 points, a district meet record.
They easily outscored second-place Dayton Carroll, which finished with 146 points. Lakota East wrestled well, taking third with 106 points. Harrison placed fourth and Fairfield sixth.
Wrestling in all divisions begins Thursday afternoon in Ohio State University's Schottenstein Center.
“One of our goals at the beginning of the year was to take the team title,” said head coach Jeff Gaier. “We knew that we had to take 10 to Columbus.”
Gaier said Moeller has got the talent as well as the numbers to challenge Lakewood St. Edward for the Division I team title. No Cincinnati team has achieved that goal, and Moeller finished second to St. Edward last year.
“St. Ed's may have a couple more qualifiers than we do, but those may not score points for them,” Lukens said. “We've got a real good shot at beating them.”
Cincinnati district wrestling results
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Moeller wins district wrestling