Annapolis shines at
tradition-rich event

BY CHARLES ROTHWELL
Dec. 13, 2009, 12:30 p.m.

  Fifteen teams from Wayne and Oakland counties participated in this long-standing event. Most teams fielded first- or second-year varsity wrestlers so there were plenty of even match-ups for these kids to benefit from.

  There were, however, enough state qualifier-caliber participants to provide exciting finals matches.

  Annapolis and Riverview dominated the finals, with six and seven wrestlers, respectively. Annapolis was the tournament champion, with three individual  champions, three  finishing second and six other medalists.

  Riverview finished second with three, four and two wrestlers finishing first,m second and fifth, respectively. Stephen Warrington (140 pounds)  was the lower-weight MVP, due in large part to his impressive 6-0 victory over Annapolis state medalist Steve Burkett.

  Five teams were from the Observerland area. Of these, North Farmington had the best day. The Raiders took home the third place trophy with nine medalists on the day. North Farmington's 160-pounder, Brian Miller, had three pins and a decision on his way to first place and the upper-weight MVP award.

   Livonia Churchill finished seventh, led by champions Curtis  Castleberry (171) and John Shekell (285). Garden City, Livonia Clarenceville and Lutheran Westland squads were depleted by injury and finished 10th, 12th and 14th, respectively.

TEAM STANDINGS: 1. Annapolis, 234.5; 2. Riverview, 192.5; 3. North Farmington, 178.5; 4. Gibraltar Carlson, 132; 5. Grosse Ile, 122.5; 6. Walled Lake Western, 118; 7. Livonia Churchill, 104.5; 8. Fordson, 102.5; 9. Romulus, 81.5; 10. Garden City, 67.5; 11. Berkley, 54; 12. Clarenceville, 53; 13. Gabriel Richard, 50; 14. Lutheran Westland, 44; 15. Inkster, 26.

103 pounds: 1st: Imad Soukar (DF) dec. Brandon Washington (Carl.), 12-10; 3rd: Montez Grant (Rom.) pinned Mike Weiss (CL), 3:57; 5th: John Akers (Ann.) maj. dec. over Jordan Guy (I), 18-7.

112: 1st: Chris Carroll (RV) pinned Keegan Cummins (Ann.), 3:22; 3rd: Jacob Meadows (LC) pinned Derek Wegienka (GR), 1:38; 5th: Cody Shomak (Berk.) maj. dec. over Alex Karrar (GI), 13-5.

119: 1st: Brendan Cummins (Ann.) dec. Brandon Hernandez (RV), 6-2; 3rd: Jordan Russell (NF) pinned Dillan Wheeler (Carl.), 2:19; 5th: Ijji Raza (GR) pinned James Locklear (LC), 31 seconds.

125: 1st: Laith Francis (LW) dec. Jeff Czjka (RV), 12-5; 3rd: Matt Jaisle dec. Noel Guevara (Ann.), 9-2; 5th: Ahmad Hashwi (DF) pinned Austin Caughy (Carl.), 2:38.

130: 1st: Justis Cummins (Ann.) dec. Justin Palka (LW), 8-6 (OT); 3rd: Mike Wallace (Rom.) dec. Jeff Getchell (Carl.), 6-3; 5th: Garrett Fisk (NF) pinned Jeremy Dubiak (GC), 2:15.

135: 1st: Robbie Luciani (RV) dec. Adnan Berisha (Ann.), 6-1; 3rd: Sean Ellison (GI) pinned Jake Scheffler (Carl.), 3:12; 5th: Jared Buhugiar (LC) dec. Gabe Costanzo (WLW), 3-2.

140: 1st: Stephen Warrington (RV) dec. Steve Burkett (Ann.), 6-0; 3rd: Ricky Sheardown (GI) dec. John Bannoura (LC), 3-1; 5th: Kevi Allard (GC) pinned Coy Sillanpaa (CL), 3:10.

145: 1st: Asher Par-Besemer (Berk.) dec. Mike Carnarvon (RV), 5-3; 3rd: Matt Russell (NF) pinned Derek Gajewski (GI), 3:15; 5th: Danny Statham (Rom.) pinned Rodger See (WLW), 1:42.

152: 1. Brett Gross (Ann.) pinned Griffin Ritter (Carl.), 3:55; 3rd: Will Snider (GI) dec. Nate Cherney (NF), 9-5; 5th: Alexander Folske (GR) pinned Brendon Groves (CL), 7-6 (OT).

160: 1. Brian Miller (NF) pinned ali Harp (DF), 3:17; 3rd: Mike Statham (Rom.) maj. dec. Alex Edwards (Ann.), 11-1; 5th: Zack Kephart (Carl) dec. Daniel Washington (WLW), 7-1.

171: 1. Curtis Castleberry (LC) dec. Kevin Miller (NF), 12-6; 3rd: Mouhamad Soukar (DF) pinned Adam Darga (WLW), 35 seconds; 5th: Joey Jiminez (RV) maj. dec. Will Sanders (Carl.), 16-8.

189: 1. Sam Welch (WLW) pinned Nate Labonte (Carl.), 37 seconds; 3rd: Courtney Drew (NF) dec. Dylan Brown (Ann.), 6-4; 5th: Zak Cooper (GC) pinned Desmond Livingston (I), 3:53.

215: 1st: Jeff Tyburski (GI) pinned Karl Hamina (WLW), 1:50; 3rd: Cole Schossau (Ann.) dec. Majd Mokbel (NF), 74; 5th: Blake Smith (RV) pinned Aren Voytal (DF), 0:41.

285: 1st: John Shekell (LC) dec. Ron Dively (RV), 3-2 (OT); 3rd: Anthony Giordano (CL) pinned Joe Lennis-Saunders (Ann.), 4:23; 5th: Randy Hairald (WLW) pinned Zak Brock (GC), 0:52.