SPORTS ROUNDUP: Fairlawn-Bath Highlights

Sports this weekend in Fairlawn-Bath could be summed up with one word - busy!

State swimming championships, district wrestling, regional pairings for boys basketball (and a mini snowstorm to keep everyone honest!) will give you an idea of just how important our sports are to our community.

Below is a highlighted look of what recently took place, and what we can expect in the upcoming days (minus the snow). Thank you for making Patch a part of your day!

BOYS BASKETBALL

Both and will open Division I tournament play this week as both teams are seeded in the Cleveland regional bracket/Brecksville District. All games through March 12 will be at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School.

The Indians (10-10) will open against the Lakewood Rangers today (Feb. 28)at 7 p.m. The second-seeded Minutemen (18-1)receive a first-round bye and will play the winner of Midpark-Valley Forge on Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m.

In a non-tournament game, Revere is scheduled to play at Akron Buchtel on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

WRESTLING

Copley wrestlers and outstanding seasons will last one more weekend as both senior grapplers will advance to the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament on March 3-5 at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of The Ohio State University.

As a team, Copley wrestlers finished seventh overall (81 points) at the Division I District held at Lorain’s Southview High School. Lakewood St. Edward finished first (265.5), ahead of last year’s state champion Wadsworth (223). Brecksville (130), Clay (110), Medina (99), and Elyria (86)round out the top six teams that finished ahead of the Indians.

Sam Wheeler (189 pounds) and Garrison (145) were two of five Copley wrestlers that made it to the Lorain District. Others included juniors Zach Walker (125 pounds) and Isaiah Wheeler (171), and senior Karl Hiss (285).

Wheeler (44-4 record entering District) won his first two matches by pin – against St. Francis deSales’ Zachary Uram (4:56) and North Ridgeville’s Mike Mees (5:38). In the semifinals, Wheeler topped Clay’s Brandon Veler by maj. decision, 9-1, to advance to the first-place match. Wheeler shutout St. Edward’s James Suvak, 8-0, by maj. decision.

Garrison (40-7 record) won his first three matches, two by pins. The 145-pounder pinned Perrysburg’s Jake Fleming at 3:09 to start off his tournament, then defeated Lorain’s Bishop Overton by maj. decision, 13-3, to advance to the semifinals. Garrison pinned Jacob Opial of Whitmer at 3:06 to advance to the first-play match, only to lose by decision to Wadsworth’s Clay Wenger, 10-5.

Copley’s Walker (35-11), Isaiah Wheeler (33-15), and Hiss (30-15) all finished in sixth place.

In Division II District wrestling at Akron Firestone, the Revere team finished 36th of 41 teams, ending with four points. Cuyahoga Falls’ Walsh Jesuit finished first in District with 192.

Minutemen grapplers Dominic Scianna (103 pounds) and Kyle Flynn (110), both sophomores, did not advance past the second consolation preliminaries.

SWIMMING

The Revere boys team finished tied for 46th (of 57 teams) and the girls finished ninth (of 56 teams) in the OHSAA Division II State Swimming and Diving Championships held at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton this past weekend.

The boys team finished with five points, well behind first-place winner Hunting Valley (377). The Lady Minutemen, who finished with 76 points, placed in the top-eight in the 200 medley and 400 free relays.

The 200 MR team of junior Alex Poitinger, senior Katie Kimberly, sophomore Emma Gresser, and junior Maggie Harris finished with a time of 1:51.30, good enough for seventh place. In the 400 FR, the same swimmers touched the wall at 3:34.76, earning a fourth-place finish.

In both the 200 and 400 relays, Gates Mills Hawken set state records with times of 1:45.72 and 3:28.56, respectively.

Revere’s top individual performance came from Kimberly, who finished sixth in the 100 free with a time of 52.49. McDonald senior Katie Joseph finished first, touching the wall at 51.45.