St. Edward junior wrestler Ty Walz wins a Cadet national championship, and Tim Fox of Mogadore Field and Mike Labry of Twinsburg place second Friday at the Cadet and Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D.
View full sizeTy Walz St. Edward junior wrestler won a Cadet national championship, and Tim Fox of Mogadore Field and Mike Labry of Twinsburg placed second Friday at the Cadet and Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D.
Walz won the 215-pound final, 2-0, 1-4, 1-0, against Michigan's Adam Coon, who won the Cadet Greco-Roman title on Monday.
"This is the first huge tournament I've ever won," Walz, who went 0-2 at the state high school tournament in March, said in a phone interview. "It's an unbelievable feeling."
Walz, 16, of Cleveland, took the lead in the first and third periods by powering his way through a high-crotch maneuver, grabbing both legs and lifting and driving Coon to the mat. The decisive third-period takedown followed a delicate battle for position near the edge and Coon nearly scored a push-out.
"That was a great move. That was close," St. Edward coach Greg Urbas said in a phone interview. "Ty did a great job battling for position on his feet and controlling ties. He hit two amazing high crotches."
Walz was 25-14 as a sophomore at St. Edward this year and the only tournament he won was the sectional. He won eight matches at Fargo, three by pin.
"I've gotten so much better," Walz said.
Labry lost to Illinois' Ben Whitford, 7-1, 3-1, at 125 pounds. Labry won nine matches to reach the finals, losing just two periods along the way. Whitford also is a Greco-Roman champ. Fox lost the 140-pound final to Illinois' Brian Murphy, 3-1, 3-0. Fox led Team Ohio with four pins.
Also achieving All-America status were Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy's Nathan Tomasello, third at 98 pounds, and St. Edward's Domenic Abounader, fifth at 160.
The Junior freestyle finals are Saturday.