Feb. 6, 2007 Wrestler of the Week
Elijah Madison
Elijah Madison
Heavyweight scored two huge wins for Oak Park
By Rob Sherrill, W.I.N. High School Editor
Kansas City (Mo.) Oak Park High, which started the season ranked in the top five nationally, has had its ups and downs this season.
Give the Northmen credit. That’s bound to happen to any program that takes a step up in terms of schedule and competition. Oak Park’s neighbors to the north, Iowa City (Iowa) West High, could give you a few words of wisdom about how that works.
Oak Park’s individual stars have been up and down, too. Cody Tyler (103), three-time state champion Scott O’Donnell (130), Dylan Joiner (140), Shane Nay (145) and Kolton Kono (215) are just a few Oak Park stars who have had some success on the national stage, but hit a speed bump or two this year.
One constant for Oak Park, however, has been junior heavyweight Elijah Madison.
In back-to-back weeks, Madison picked up signature wins in big tournaments in Missouri and across the border in Kansas.
On Jan. 20, Madison squared off against the nation’s top 285-pounder, Missouri recruit Dom Bradley of Blue Springs High, in the finals of one of the state’s top tournaments, the Winnetonka Tournament in Kansas City. Madison scored the meet’s biggest upset, squeaking by Bradley 3-2 in overtime.
The next week, Oak Park traveled to the Baldwin (Kan.) Invitational. Oak Park won the title easily, but Madison had a tough opponent of his own – double Cadet National finalist Atticus Disney of Andover Central High. Madison prevailed that day as well, scoring a 5-3 victory over Disney in the final.
Oak Park won the team title at Winnetonka, 381-324.5, over O’Fallon Fort Zumwalt West High, but had some ups and downs in the finals. Tyler nipped Alan Waters of Kansas City Park Hill High 2-1 in the final at 103 and state champion Mac Bailey (119) prevailed 4-2 over Justin Forrest of Raymore-Peculiar High in a battle of Cadet National stars.
But the Northmen also took some tough losses, O’ Donnell losing 7-4 to Park Hill state champion Corey Carr at 130 and Nay dropping a 3-2 decision to Fort Zumwalt West’s Brandon Wiest, another Missouri recruit. Ray Hall also scored a significant win for the Northmen at 152, 6-4 over Cadet National finalist Michael Gagliardo of Fort Zumwalt West.
Drummond, Red Rovers prevail in rematch
When Easton High and Nazareth High get together on the mat — as close as the two teams are — the reversal of one match can make the difference.
And that’s what happened at 215 pounds, where Red Rovers sophomore Chris Wilson used a penalty point for locked hands for a 2-1 victory over Jim Mutch, helping Easton (16-2) beat Nazareth, 29-26, in the finals of the Class 3A District 11 Duals Saturday.
Ten days earlier, Mutch had beaten Wilson 4-1 as Nazareth prevailed, 30-28.
But although it wasn’t a reversal, Easton’s Juju Drummond’s 3-2 victory over nationally-ranked Bobby Ward in the night’s final match — secured on a winning takedown with six seconds remaining — was no less dramatic.
Drummond, who also beat Ward, 1-0, in the earlier dual, trailed 2-1 when he shot in on a takedown in the final minute, Ward nearly stalled the match out with a whizzer and a win, but Drummond limp-armed out for the winning score with six seconds on the clock.
Three matches later, after Nazareth had regained a 26-23 lead, Easton’s Colin Dailey (145) pinned Kent Beers to close out the title win.
Nazareth (17-2), trying to become the first 3A school to repeat as District 11 Duals champion in 10 years, saw a three-match winning streak against Easton snapped.
In the big picture, the match was only for seeding purposes – both teams advance to the dual-team state tournament this weekend at Hershey – but any match for all the marbles in the Valley is sure to create memories.
“Matches like this are why District 11 fans keep coming out,” said Easton coach Steve Powell, who now has won eight district duals titles and six in seven years.
As the runner-up, Nazareth’s trip to Hershey isn’t clinched, but a victory in tonight’s opening-round match against Fairless Hills Pennsbury High should be a mere formality.
As the No. 2 seed, Easton had the tougher road, having to face third-seeded Northampton High in the semifinals – a match the Red Rovers won 34-21.
With the match starting at 152 – where the strength of Nazareth’s lineup starts – the Blue Eagles took the lead quickly. Nazareth won the first four matches, all with bonus points. Adam Counterman (152) scored a technical fall, Thad Frick (171) took a forfeit win and two-time state champion Tim Darling (160) and state runnerup David Crowell (189) added major decisions and Nazareth led 19-0.
But Easton, which overcame all those bonus points with an 8-6 edge in match victories, ripped off a seven-match winning streak. That streak included only two bonus points – coming on major decisions by Kegan Handlovic (112) and state champion Jordan Oliver (125) – but they were effective nonetheless.
Wilson’s turnaround win followed Cory Rutt’s decision at 189. Desmond Moore (103) and Mark Hartenstine (119) added decisions. Oliver’s 19-7 victory over Colin Fischl helped the Red Rovers take their first lead, 20-19. Drummond’s big win made it 23-19 before Mike greck’s major decision at 135 and Andrew Ritchie’s win at 140 gave Nazareth its final lead of the match.
By Rob Sherrill, W.I.N. High School Editor
Kansas City (Mo.) Oak Park High, which started the season ranked in the top five nationally, has had its ups and downs this season.
Give the Northmen credit. That’s bound to happen to any program that takes a step up in terms of schedule and competition. Oak Park’s neighbors to the north, Iowa City (Iowa) West High, could give you a few words of wisdom about how that works.
Oak Park’s individual stars have been up and down, too. Cody Tyler (103), three-time state champion Scott O’Donnell (130), Dylan Joiner (140), Shane Nay (145) and Kolton Kono (215) are just a few Oak Park stars who have had some success on the national stage, but hit a speed bump or two this year.
One constant for Oak Park, however, has been junior heavyweight Elijah Madison.
In back-to-back weeks, Madison picked up signature wins in big tournaments in Missouri and across the border in Kansas.
On Jan. 20, Madison squared off against the nation’s top 285-pounder, Missouri recruit Dom Bradley of Blue Springs High, in the finals of one of the state’s top tournaments, the Winnetonka Tournament in Kansas City. Madison scored the meet’s biggest upset, squeaking by Bradley 3-2 in overtime.
The next week, Oak Park traveled to the Baldwin (Kan.) Invitational. Oak Park won the title easily, but Madison had a tough opponent of his own – double Cadet National finalist Atticus Disney of Andover Central High. Madison prevailed that day as well, scoring a 5-3 victory over Disney in the final.
Oak Park won the team title at Winnetonka, 381-324.5, over O’Fallon Fort Zumwalt West High, but had some ups and downs in the finals. Tyler nipped Alan Waters of Kansas City Park Hill High 2-1 in the final at 103 and state champion Mac Bailey (119) prevailed 4-2 over Justin Forrest of Raymore-Peculiar High in a battle of Cadet National stars.
But the Northmen also took some tough losses, O’ Donnell losing 7-4 to Park Hill state champion Corey Carr at 130 and Nay dropping a 3-2 decision to Fort Zumwalt West’s Brandon Wiest, another Missouri recruit. Ray Hall also scored a significant win for the Northmen at 152, 6-4 over Cadet National finalist Michael Gagliardo of Fort Zumwalt West.
Drummond, Red Rovers prevail in rematch
When Easton High and Nazareth High get together on the mat — as close as the two teams are — the reversal of one match can make the difference.
And that’s what happened at 215 pounds, where Red Rovers sophomore Chris Wilson used a penalty point for locked hands for a 2-1 victory over Jim Mutch, helping Easton (16-2) beat Nazareth, 29-26, in the finals of the Class 3A District 11 Duals Saturday.
Ten days earlier, Mutch had beaten Wilson 4-1 as Nazareth prevailed, 30-28.
But although it wasn’t a reversal, Easton’s Juju Drummond’s 3-2 victory over nationally-ranked Bobby Ward in the night’s final match — secured on a winning takedown with six seconds remaining — was no less dramatic.
Drummond, who also beat Ward, 1-0, in the earlier dual, trailed 2-1 when he shot in on a takedown in the final minute, Ward nearly stalled the match out with a whizzer and a win, but Drummond limp-armed out for the winning score with six seconds on the clock.
Three matches later, after Nazareth had regained a 26-23 lead, Easton’s Colin Dailey (145) pinned Kent Beers to close out the title win.
Nazareth (17-2), trying to become the first 3A school to repeat as District 11 Duals champion in 10 years, saw a three-match winning streak against Easton snapped.
In the big picture, the match was only for seeding purposes – both teams advance to the dual-team state tournament this weekend at Hershey – but any match for all the marbles in the Valley is sure to create memories.
“Matches like this are why District 11 fans keep coming out,” said Easton coach Steve Powell, who now has won eight district duals titles and six in seven years.
As the runner-up, Nazareth’s trip to Hershey isn’t clinched, but a victory in tonight’s opening-round match against Fairless Hills Pennsbury High should be a mere formality.
As the No. 2 seed, Easton had the tougher road, having to face third-seeded Northampton High in the semifinals – a match the Red Rovers won 34-21.
With the match starting at 152 – where the strength of Nazareth’s lineup starts – the Blue Eagles took the lead quickly. Nazareth won the first four matches, all with bonus points. Adam Counterman (152) scored a technical fall, Thad Frick (171) took a forfeit win and two-time state champion Tim Darling (160) and state runnerup David Crowell (189) added major decisions and Nazareth led 19-0.
But Easton, which overcame all those bonus points with an 8-6 edge in match victories, ripped off a seven-match winning streak. That streak included only two bonus points – coming on major decisions by Kegan Handlovic (112) and state champion Jordan Oliver (125) – but they were effective nonetheless.
Wilson’s turnaround win followed Cory Rutt’s decision at 189. Desmond Moore (103) and Mark Hartenstine (119) added decisions. Oliver’s 19-7 victory over Colin Fischl helped the Red Rovers take their first lead, 20-19. Drummond’s big win made it 23-19 before Mike greck’s major decision at 135 and Andrew Ritchie’s win at 140 gave Nazareth its final lead of the match.