Auroraadvocate.com - Mitch is first three-time mat titlist from Portage

by Michel Leonard

Sports Editor

Columbus -- Greenmen wrestling coach Dick Bliss said it would be a war. It turned out his man had the bigger guns.

Ty Mitch claimed his third straight state title at the Division II state wrestling meet March 6 at Ohio State's Value City Arena.

Mitch's 119-pound title match against St. Paris Graham's Nick Brascetta was a highly anticipated contest, but Mitch took command from the opening whistle.

He got a double-leg shot on Brascetta, got the takedown and never looked back.

"I knew after that first takedown that I would be in control the entire match," Mitch said. "He was going to have to open up and my offense could explode."

And so it went.

Mitch got two more takedowns and an escape to score a 7-4 win to take the title. He leapt into the arms of Aurora coach Dick Bliss after the match.

"We call him 'Prime Time' and he was prime time tonight," Bliss said. "He kept the pressure on the whole match and got the job done."

"Brascetta had some things that slowed me down last time I wrestled him," Mitch said. "I didn't want him to slow me down this time."

"HE'S THE best wrestler we've ever had," Bliss said. "No one has made a bigger impact on the program than Ty. When he goes, we'll be losing a great team leader and a member of our coaching staff, because he does so much with our kids."

In the semifinals March 5, Mitch dominated his match against Dayton Carroll's Josh Nelson, taking him down several times before scoring a pin at 3:50.

On the first day of the tourney, Mitch was in great form as he beat West Holmes' Max Rohskopf by a 20-5 technical fall.

"I still get butterflies every time I come down here," Mitch said. "You've got to live every moment you're here."

AHS ended ninth as a team in Division II with 41 1/2 points. "One of our goals was to crack the top 10. Another goal met," said Bliss.

Another Aurora native -- and good friend of Mitch -- brought home state gold as well. Walsh Jesuit junior Johnni DiJulius won the Division II state title at 125 pounds for the second straight year.

Walsh tied for seventh as a team with 44 1/2 points.

Mitch's drill partner and friend Ryan Cash also had a good day, as he defeated Cambridge's Andrew Bertubin 7-1 and Claymont's Luke Langdon 3-1 in overtime to take third place at 112 pounds for the Greenmen.

Aurora's Danny McNamara (160 pounds) lost in Round 2 of the consolation matches March 5, while Tommy Gallagher (135) was eliminated from competition after the first day of action.

AHS took two seniors -- Mark Korosec and Mike Ganoe -- to the state meet as alternates after they placed fifth in the district. However, neither had the opportunity to compete.

THE SIX AHS wrestlers' final records for the year were: Mitch, 42-4; Cash, 39-9; McNamara, 38-10; Gallagher, 31-14; Ganoe, 30-8; and Korosec 28-13.

Streetsboro 103-pounder Cory Stainbrook managed to take third place, as he defeated Lake Catholic's Sean Fee 6-0 and St. Vincent-St. Mary's Mike Rix 9-0.

Crestwood finished with three podium finishes; junior 152-pounder Cody Ryba led the was with a fifth-place finish.

Red Devil 140-pounder Mitchell Porter took seventh place, while 189-pounder Joey Monroe finished eighth.

Field 130-pounder T.J. Fox ended his tournament with a win, as the sophomore defeated Dayton Oakwood's Alex Kooser to take seventh place.

Ravenna 152-pounder Randy Carpenter closed out his career by taking seventh as well. He defeated Medina Highland's Tyler Bloniak 5-4.

Another local 103-pounder saw her state tournament come to an end, but not without drawing an appreciative response from the crowd.

Paige Nemec of Crestwood, the first girl to advance to the state tournament, wrestled a good match against Lake Catholic's Sean Fee, but lost 3-1 and was eliminated one win shy of earning All-Ohio honors.

Nemec had the crowd shouting "Two!" every time she shot on Fee and got a standing ovation from many fans after leaving the mat. Traditionally, standing ovations are usually only reserved for four-time state champions at the state meet.