By Roger Gordon

Correspondent

ROOTSTOWN

Sophia Byers was Rootstown’s lone individual champion in the 140-pound weight class in the sectional tournament Feb. 23 at Canal Fulton Northwest.

“Sophia really wrestled tough,” head coach Nick Sladky said. “She wrestled some really good matches.”

The Rovers finished sixth overall in the 29-team tourney.

Madison Giebel finished second at 125, and Morgan Giebel, Madison’s sister, finished third at 145. Placing fourth were Reise Thomas at 115 and Ella Derr at 135.

“Madison wrestled two great matches,” said Sladky. “She actually was winning her championship match and locked hands a couple times. That’s what cost her the match. Morgan just got caught in her first match, but she wrestled tough coming back through. Reise had to win a couple matches to take fourth, and she wrestled tough. Ella had a couple tough matches but came out on top. The girls are peaking at the right time, and I believe a few of them have a shot to go to state.”

     • Next up for Rootstown: District tournament at Mentor March 2 at 10 a.m.

MOGADORE

Mogadore’s Mackenzie Shellenbarger cruised to the 170-pound weight-class championship in the 29-team sectional tournament Feb. 23 at Canal Fulton Northwest.

“Mackenzie dominated, pinned everybody,” Funk, also the girls head coach, said.

Kai Gaetjens finished second at 130, and Layla Funk was third at 110.

“Kai wasn’t feeling very well but came back and beat a girl from Akron Springfield who had already beaten her twice,” Funk, also the girls head coach, said. “Kai won the first match against the girl, and then the girl beat Kai twice in a row. Then Kai comes back, not feeling 100 percent, and takes it to her in the semifinals. She lost to a very solid Perry girl in the finals. Layla was solid.”

     • Next up for Mogadore: District tournament at Mentor March 2 at 10 a.m.

WATERLOO

Waterloo’s Abby Roberts wrestled perhaps her best tournament of the season in the 170-pound weight class in the 29-team sectional tournament Feb. 23 at Canal Fulton Northwest.

Unfortunately, in the championship match she went up against Mogadore’s Mackenzie Shellenbarger, who finished second in the state last season. Needless to say, Roberts lost.

“Abby battled with Shellenbarger a little bit. She won her other two matches by pin,” Foster, also the girls head coach, said. “This was only our fourth girls tournament of the season, so I was super proud of how Abby handled the situation. She came out looking to pin people and did a good job of it. She’s probably wrestling at her best. It wouldn’t surprise me if she advances to state.”

Kirstin Linard finished third at 235 and Heylie Camacho was fourth at 190.

Said Foster, “I was super proud of Heylie in how she handled herself in her first postseason experience.

“I’m super proud of them all.”

     • Next up for Waterloo: District tournament at Mentor March 2 at 10 a.m.

RAVENNA

Ravenna senior NaCol Foreman entered the 29-team sectional tournament Feb. 23 at Canal Fulton Northwest unranked in the 135-pound weight class.

“That’s because NaCol didn’t wrestle in any girls tournaments this season,” Kline, also the girls head coach, said. “She’s been competing mainly on the boys junior varsity team. In her first match on Sunday she technical falled her opponent. She wrestled real well. Her second match she went in there and got a pin. It was 8-8, but she was able to get on the bottom and then she got the takedown with a pin. She was winning her finals match against a girl from Cloverleaf, but then she had to go in the bottom position and got caught in a bundle and got pinned. She’s really good at getting takedowns, she’s really good on her feet. We have to work on her mat awareness top to bottom this week to get her ready for districts. She looks really good, though, and has a shot to make it to state.”

     • Next up for Ravenna: District tournament at Mentor March 2 at 10 a.m.

KENT ROOSEVELT

Kent Roosevelt’s Penny Edwards finished second in the 100-pound weight class in the 29-team sectional tournament Feb. 23 at Canal Fulton Northwest. She lost to Canton South’s Ellie DiFiori in the championship match.

“Penny is continuing to develop her confidence on the mat as a freshman and making the adjustments in practice to get better every day,” head coach Ryan Fankhauser said. “She’s very excited to wrestle in districts to punch her ticket to the state tournament.”

     • Next up for Kent Roosevelt: District tournament at Mentor March 2 at 10 a.m.

FIELD

Field’s Izzy Dickens finished third in the 190-pound weight division in the sectional tournament Feb. 23 at Canal Fulton Northwest.

“Izzy went out there, was the aggressor in most of her matches, got to some of the positions she wanted to and was able to capitalize,” head coach Mason Brainard said. “I think she wrestled really well. You can see the hard work and just the overall experience throughout the season is paying off.”

Overall, the Falcons finished 20th out of 29 teams.

“We got into some tougher competition,” said Brainard, “but I think we wrestled fairly well.”

     • Next up for Field: District tournament at Mentor March 2 at 10 a.m.