Medina-area wrestlers shine in sectionals

Medina, Highland, Buckeye and Cloverleaf opened the state wrestling postseason Feb. 28 with strong sectional performances, combining for 19 sectional champions and sending 30 athletes on to district competition.

Medina, competing at the Austintown Fitch Division I Sectional, crowned four champions: sophomore Dominic Fillippo (113 pounds), senior Taegan Gilmore (120), junior Cooper Kaplack (126) and senior heavyweight Cliff Nicholson.

Other district qualifiers were senior Tyler Bradshaw (second, 132), who lost by injury default late in the championship match; freshman Landon Stolz (fourth, 206); and junior Lazar Kovacevic (fourth, 165), who rebounded from an early loss. Junior Cooper Lavendar (138), junior Jack Storm (157) and freshman Rocky DiFranco (190) each placed fifth to earn alternate spots. Medina finished sectional runner-up with 180.5 points. Fitch won with 241. The Bees will compete at the Wadsworth District, where the top four in each weight class advance to state.

Highland won the team title at the Avon Lake Division I Sectional with 315 points, ahead of runner-up Avon Lake. The Hornets advanced 13 wrestlers to the Perrysburg District, including 12 sectional champions: junior Brandon Bickerton (113), junior Austin Bickerton (120), sophomore Caleb Berger (126), sophomore Kyle Scavuzzo (132), junior Hoyt Pylypiak (138), freshman Leonidas Giatis (144), junior Brennan Kicker (150), senior Niko Giatis (165), sophomore Joseph Oriti (175), sophomore Lukas Grillis (190), senior Kallen Whitling (215) and senior Cody Bendau (285). Junior Artha Rogers placed third at 157 to also advance.

Buckeye finished runner-up at the Kenston Division II Sectional with 230.5 points, just behind Perry’s 240. The Bucks will send 10 wrestlers to districts, plus one alternate. Sectional champions were senior Blake Bartos (132) and junior Brody Zoul (165). Also advancing were freshman Vincent Joy (second, 106), sophomore Zack Simmons (fourth, 113), sophomore Collin Bartos (second, 120), junior Brenden McKee (second, 126), senior Logan Letner (third, 144), sophomore Carter Hershkowitz (fourth, 150), sophomore Kaden Locker (fourth, 157) and sophomore Preston Ware (third, 175). Senior Daniel Leonard placed fifth at 132 to earn alternate status.

Cloverleaf placed 10th at Kenston with 64 points. Senior Caleb Burke advanced with a third-place finish at 157. Junior Xavier Lyons (150) and senior Austin Sprankle each placed fifth to earn alternate spots.

Girls basketball

Highland captured the Division III Northeast District 5 title with a 55-27 win over Rocky River on Feb. 28, advancing to regionals for the second straight year. Madi Morgan led with 14 points, Rowan Kildoo added 11 and Emeria Gausman 10. The Hornets opened tournament play with a 72-41 win over Westlake.

Medina’s season ended Feb. 25 with a 53-36 loss to Berea-Midpark. Addy Shook led the Bees with 14 points as Medina finished 12-11. Cloverleaf fell 54-48 to Streetsboro in a district semifinal, closing its season at 18-6.

Boys basketball

Cloverleaf edged Coventry 49-48 on Feb. 27, with Justin Sohosky scoring the winning put-back in the final seconds. Kellen Price led with 20 points.

Buckeye defeated Cleveland Garrett Morgan 87-80 to advance to a district semifinal, led by Austin Hyre’s 34 points and Turner Dolata’s 20.

Medina and Highland were set to begin district semifinal play March 3.