Five Cardinals qualify for regional meet in RC
by Angie Asam–Staff Writer
The regular season has come and gone and the post season began for the Onaway Cardinals wrestling team last week. Thursday the Cardinals fell in the team district semifinals 36-30 to Charlevoix. Saturday the Cardinals were in Ishpeming for individual districts and five grapplers finished in the top four to move on to individual regionals in Rogers City this Saturday beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Freshman Isaac Nave won the district title at 103 pounds. Nave defeated Rogers City’s Justin Saile by pin in 4:48 to advance to the finals where he pinned Norway’s Zac Decreamer in 15 seconds to earn the title. Nave is now 30-10 on the season.
Nave will take on Tony Moore of Pine River, a sophomore with a record of 33-9, in the opening round of regionals as he will look to finish in the top four and qualify for the individual state tournament.
Sophomore Joe Traynham finished second at 112 pounds. Traynham pinned Manistique’s Amber Smith in 1:14 and beat St. Ignace’s Bill Bentgen 6-3 to advance to the finals. In the finals Traynham lost to fifth-ranked Jimmy Spencer of Rudyard 15-4.
Traynham is now 30-4 on the season and will take on Eric Wales (36-10) of Traverse City St. Francis to open Saturday. Traynham narrowly missed out on the opportunity to wrestle at the state finals a year ago and will look to advance this season.
Senior Morgan Robins (140) finished second. Robins defeated Robin Chargo of St. Ignace by pin in 51 seconds and beat Iron Mountain’s Jacob Weslin 3-2 to advance to the finals where he fell to Cole Gonzalez of Manistique 7-3.
Robins (23-9) will take on Harley Foust of Mio, a senior with a record of 34-12, to open regional action.
Justin Gedda, a senior, finished fourth at 160 pounds to advance. Gedda pinned Kyle Mathias of Bark River Harris in 1:17 before falling to Rudyard’s Shane Aney 21-6. He then battled back with a 6-0 win over Josh Argall of Ishpeming Westwood to secure a spot in the top four. He lost the match for third place to Joe Krause of St. Ignace by pin in 4:06.
Gedda is now 24-19 on the season and will face off with number two ranked Lee Siersema of Hesperia, a senior with a record of 44-7, in the first round Saturday.
Casey Watson placed second at 189 pounds. Watson pinned Eli Oswald of Bark River Harris in 2:47 and Cole Schultz of Ishpeming Westwood in 5:46 to advance to the finals. Watson then fell to Roger
Watson (22-11) will face fifth ranked Jonathan Zarzoza of Hart (33-9) to open regional action.
Wrestlers finishing in the top four at individual regionals will move on to the individual state finals Feb. 28 through March 2 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
LAST THURSDAY the Cardinals put up a good fight against Charlevoix despite only having wrestlers at seven of the 14 weight classes and won five matches by pin in the dual. Nave, Traynham, Robins, Gedda and Watson all won by pin while Frank Ramos and Bryan Brenner were pinned.