Munro to State

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WILMINGTON — Miami Trace junior James Munro has qualified to this week’s State wrestling tournament in Columbus.

Munro, wrestling at 160 pounds, placed fourth at the District tournament in Wilmington which concluded on Saturday.

Munro went 3-2 in the two day tournament.

Munro began the tournament with a 13-10 victory of Will Steuerwald of Indian Hill.

Also on Friday, Munro defeated Seth Hodapp of Eaton, 7-4.

In the semifinals on Saturday, Munro was pinned by Ryan Thomas of Graham Local in 1:41.

In the consolation semifinals, Munro defeated Ross Lennon of Clinton-Massie, 8-7.

That win advanced Munro to the match for third and fourth place where he lost a close decision to Jack Forschner of Kettering Alter, 8-6.

By virtue of placing fourth, Munro will be making his first appearance at the State tournament.

The Division II championship preliminaries begin Thursday at 4:10 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center on the campus of The Ohio State University.

“We’re proud of James,” Miami Trace head coach Ben Fondale said. “James is one of those guys that puts in the extra work behind the scenes when nobody’s looking and that’s one reason why he’s a State-qualifier.”

Munro (19-14) will face junior Brandon Daniels (45-7) of Carrollton in his first State match Thursday.

“James has a pretty good attitude going into this weekend,” Fondale said. “His goal was to make it to the State tournament and he’s accomplished that goal. I think for him, anything more is icing on the cake. Last weekend was the best he’s wrestled all year. He thinks he can get a couple of wins up there.”

“I knew I had to come out and wrestle hard,” Munro said. “My first two matches, I knew I could win them. I won my first two and that put me in the semifinals.

“On Saturday, I had to wrestle the Graham Local kid,” Munro said. “I knew that would be a tough one. I lost that one, obviously.

“We knew I had to wrestle Ross Lennon from Clinton-Massie which, last year at the dual meet, he ended up beating me by a few points,” Munro said. “I wanted to get some revenge. I went out and wrestled hard and I ended up beating him.

“It’s going to be a great experience,” Munro said. “We know it’s going to be tough to win a match, but, it’ll make me better in the long run.

“First of all, I’d like to thank all of my coaches,” Munro said. “I’d like to thank my parents, Vincent and Crystal.”

As a team, Miami Trace placed 14th at the District with 38 points.

As usual, Graham Local, one of the top teams in America, ran away with the championship with 341 points. They had eight District champions, four District runners-up and one wrestler placed third.

Graham is sending a wrestler to State in every weight class except heavyweight.

Chaminade Julienne was a very distant second with 104.5 points.

Circleville made a strong challenge for second place, taking third with 100 points.

Wilmington was seventh with 56 points, Westfall was eighth with 53 points, Logan Elm was ninth with 52 points.

Washington and Hillsboro were tied for 15th place with 32 points.

Zane Trace tied for 31st with 18 points. McClain tied for 35th place with 16 points.

The Panthers had seven other wrestlers compete at the District tournament over the weekend.

Freshman Graham Carson went 0-2 at 113 pounds.

Carson lost his first-round match to Jayden Sturgell of Urbana, 5-3.

In the first consolation round, Carson fell by a 9-1 major decision to Chris Rau of Chaminade-Julienne.

Carson finishes his freshman season with a match record of 32-15.

“Graham doesn’t have a whole lot of wrestling experience,” Fondale said. “But, he listens to his coaches and he works pretty hard. He’s only a freshman, so, he has high expectations for next year.”

At 120 pounds, sophomore Storm Duffy began his tournament with a pin over Tyler Harkins of Norwood in 3:53.

In the quarterfinals, Duffy then lost a 14-9 decision to Justin Mills of Valley View.

In the second consolation round, Duffy lost a 3-1 decision to Dylan Hartranft of Logan Elm.

Duffy concludes his sophomore season with a record of 23-23.

“Storm broke the nerves with his first District tournament win,” Fondale said. “So, he’s making improvements from last year at Districts. Obviously, next year for Storm, his goal will be to make it to the State tournament.”

Freshman Mcale Callahan won his opening match at 126 pounds on Friday, a 7-3 decision over A.J. Lewandowski of Oakwood.

Callahan then suffered a pin by eventual District runner-up Nick Moore of Graham in 57 seconds.

In the second consolation round, Callahan defeated Evan Davis of Springfield Northwestern, 5-3.

In the third consolation round, Callahan beat Ben Miller of Fairfield Union, 3-2.

Callahan’s tournament finally ended with a 6-1 loss to Isaiah Wortham of Chaminade-Juilenne. Callahan went 3-2 in the tournament to place his final freshman season record at 32-6.

“Mcale placed sixth at the Districts,” Fondale said. “He was one place removed from being a State alternate. He wrestles a lot over the summer, lifts weights a lot. He and I have already spoken and his goal for next year is to not only get to State, but place (top eight) on the podium. He’s setting his goals pretty high.”

Senior Jaymon Flaugher had the unfortunate luck to draw Mitch Moore of Graham Local for his first District opponent.

Moore won by pin in 48 seconds. Moore pinned his way to the District title, winning four matches lasting an average of 55 seconds each.

Flaugher then suffered another pin, this to Bryson Mills of Clinton-Massie in 1:28.

Flaugher ends the season with a record of 21-21.

“Jaymon’s a senior and he’s a great guy to have in the room, a great leader,” Fondale said. “We will hate to see him go.”

At 152 pounds, junior Dylan Arnold went 0-2 at the District meet.

In his first match, Arnold was pinned by Carston King of Oakwood in 2:45.

In his second match, Arnold met Robbie Fredrick of Clinton-Massie, dropping a 13-5 major decision. He ends the 2017-18 season with a record of 19-16.

“Dylan was beating a Sectional champion in his first match,” Fondale said. “He just ended up getting caught and getting pinned. He just wasn’t able to kind of recover from that first loss. I’ve said this before, but, Dylan’s one of our most-improved wrestlers compared to last year. If he can improve at the same rate, he’s going to be a tough one next year.”

At 170 pounds, senior Jacob Tinkler met Gage Johnson of Franklin to open the District meet.

Johnson won a 17-5 major decision.

In his second match, Tinkler was pinned by Jacob Noble of New Richmond in 2:29.

Tinkler ends the season with a record of 23-15.

“Jacob’s another one of the guys who is a senior and we hate to see him go,” Fondale said. “He didn’t have a great District tournament. He had a pretty good season overall. It just didn’t quite happen for him at the District. He’s another of our leaders.”

Senior B.J. Anders at 182 pounds made a strong bid to get to State, beginning with an 8-3 win over Ryan Gear of McNicholas.

In the quarterfinals, Anders lost to Andrew Shaffer (eventual District runner-up) of Graham, 6-3.

Anders’ next match came in the second consolation round, where he faced Christian Meyers of Valley View.

Anders won by pin in 4:51.

In the third consolation round, Anders met and defeated Spencer Reynolds of Eaton, 4-2.

In the consolation semifinal, the match he needed to win to qualify to State, Anders lost a heartbreaking 2-1 decision to Nathan Snyder of Springfield Northwestern.

This placed Anders in the match for fifth and sixth place.

In this match, Anders prevailed over Garrett Gross of Bellefontaine by pin in 4:34 to place fifth, becoming a State alternate.

If one of the top four from the Wilmington District is unable to compete beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday, Anders would get a chance to wrestle at State.

“B.J. won his first match, then lost to a kid from Graham,” Fondale said. “Then he battled his way all the way through to the consolation semis. He lost by one point in double overtime.

“He’s put so much heart and effort and time into this, so much energy he’s put into this sport,” Fondale said. “He just fell a little short, unfortunately.”

Miami Trace’s James Munro reacts after defeating Clinton-Massie’s Ross Lennon in the District tournament Saturday, March 3, 2018, a victory that clinched a State tournament berth for the Panther junior.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_munro2-1-.jpgMiami Trace’s James Munro reacts after defeating Clinton-Massie’s Ross Lennon in the District tournament Saturday, March 3, 2018, a victory that clinched a State tournament berth for the Panther junior. Photo by Sonja Daniels

Miami Trace freshman Mcale Callahan, above, left, controls his first-round opponent, A.J. Lewandowski of Oakwood, in the Division II District tournament at Wilmington High School Friday, March 2, 2018.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_Mcale-Callahan-at-Districts-2018.jpgMiami Trace freshman Mcale Callahan, above, left, controls his first-round opponent, A.J. Lewandowski of Oakwood, in the Division II District tournament at Wilmington High School Friday, March 2, 2018. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

Miami Trace junior James Munro, above, left, puts first-round opponent Will Steuerwald of Indian Hill to the mat at 160 pounds at the District tournament Friday, March 2, 2018.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_James-Munro-at-Districts-2018.jpgMiami Trace junior James Munro, above, left, puts first-round opponent Will Steuerwald of Indian Hill to the mat at 160 pounds at the District tournament Friday, March 2, 2018. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

Panther freshman Graham Carson (right) wrestles Jayden Sturgell of Urbana at 113 pounds at the Division II District tournament at Wilmington High School Friday, March 2, 2018.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_Graham-Carson-at-District-2018.jpgPanther freshman Graham Carson (right) wrestles Jayden Sturgell of Urbana at 113 pounds at the Division II District tournament at Wilmington High School Friday, March 2, 2018. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

Miami Trace senior B.J. Anders, above, top, glances over at his coaches during his opening round match at 182 at the District tournament Friday, March 2, 2018. Anders placed fifth at the tournament to become an alternate for the State tournament that begins Thursday in Columbus.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_BJ-Anders-at-Districts-2018.jpgMiami Trace senior B.J. Anders, above, top, glances over at his coaches during his opening round match at 182 at the District tournament Friday, March 2, 2018. Anders placed fifth at the tournament to become an alternate for the State tournament that begins Thursday in Columbus. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

Miami Trace sophomore Storm Duffy has his arm raised aloft after winning his first match at the District tournament Friday, March 2, 2018 at Wilmington High School.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_Storm-Duffy-at-Districts-2018.jpgMiami Trace sophomore Storm Duffy has his arm raised aloft after winning his first match at the District tournament Friday, March 2, 2018 at Wilmington High School. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

Dylan Arnold (on top) Panther junior, wrestles Carston King of Oakwood in the opening round of the District tournament at 152 pounds Friday, March 2, 2018.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_Dylan-Arnold-at-Distrits-2018.jpgDylan Arnold (on top) Panther junior, wrestles Carston King of Oakwood in the opening round of the District tournament at 152 pounds Friday, March 2, 2018. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

Miami Trace senior Jacob Tinkler (at left) faces off against Gage Johnson of Franklin in an opening round match at 170 pounds at the Division II District meet Friday, March 2, 2018 at Wilmington High School.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_Jacob-Tinkler-at-Districts-2018.jpgMiami Trace senior Jacob Tinkler (at left) faces off against Gage Johnson of Franklin in an opening round match at 170 pounds at the Division II District meet Friday, March 2, 2018 at Wilmington High School. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

Miami Trace senior Jaymon Flaugher (left) wrestles Mitch Moore of Graham Local in the District tournament at 145 pounds Friday, March 2, 2018.
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/03/web1_Jaymon-Flaugher-at-Districts-2018.jpgMiami Trace senior Jaymon Flaugher (left) wrestles Mitch Moore of Graham Local in the District tournament at 145 pounds Friday, March 2, 2018. Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald
Panther junior wrestles Thursday

By Chris Hoppes

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