Hanover Central Finally Prevails

[HCCOACH]

Cinderella finally prevails

Hanover edges McCutcheon to win Harvest Classic title for first time

December 5, 2010BY KEVIN O'KEEFE, POST-TRIBUNE CORRESPONDENT

http://www.post-trib.com/sports/highschools/2945696,wrs-harvest-1205.article

 

 Font Size  Email  Bookmark  Black Text White TextST. JOHN -- Hanover Central wrestling coach Nick Petrov has been close before, but his Wildcats team could never get over the hump.

 

That is, until this year.

 

The Wildcats took top team honors in Saturday's 30th annual Robert Emerick Harvest Classic held at Lake Central. Hanover outscored second place McCutcheon 208-196.5.

 

"We've finished, third and fourth a few times. We've had stronger teams than today, but today, we finally won this thing," Petrov said. "We have a young group of kids and everyone believes in what we're doing here, everyone did their job today. Every wrestler, every win counts. Not that many points determine the difference between a championship and second place."

 

Freshman Steven Micic and Junior Paul Petrov got Hanover off to a great start with championships at 103 and 112 pounds. Micic had a 15-0 technical fall over Penn's Taylor Hart and Petrov outlasted Griffith's Brian Orzehowicz 7-2.

 

Lake Central junior and 2009 state champion Kyle Ayersman pinned Highland's Danny Rodriguez at 119 pounds in a rematch of last year's Harvest Championship. It was Ayersman's third Harvest weight class title, leading to being named the outstanding wrestler of the day.

 

"I'm pretty tired," Ayersman said. "The finals against Rodriguez was my toughest match of the day. I need to keep working hard, we've go some tough meets coming up."

 

Lake Central's Bradley Wartman also won a championship at 140 pounds, pinning Hanover's Rene DeSantiago at 2:52.

 

Highland had two champions -- sophomore Mark Maldonado at 152 and Eric Johnson pinned Hanover senior Brandon Bisping to win at 189.

 

Hobart also boasted two champions on the day -- Tony Vasquez had a 9-3 decision over Hanover's Sean Orzel at 125 pounds and senior Joe Peco outlasted McCutcheon's Danny Gutierrez to win a 5-1 decision at 171 pounds.

 

Griffith senior Collin Slagle won 130 pounds and Gavit senior Chris Padjzik pinned Lake Central's Mike Escobedo at 135 pounds. Kankakee Valley senior Dakota Dellahan had a hard-fought 4-1 decision over Penn's Josh Byler at 145 pounds.

 

A special award was given to Mike Roe, the voice of the Harvest Classic. He has announced every match in every one of the 30 years the tourney has existed.