Cardinals have two place at Chippewa Hills tournament

by Angie AsamStaff Writer

The Onaway Cardinals’ wrestling team traveled to a 24-team Remus-Chippewa Hills tournament that offered very tough competition. Senior Joe Traynham went down to 112 pounds for the first time this season and finished second.

Traynham won his first four matches by pin before suffering his first loss of the season in the finals to Nick McGahn of Howard City Tri-County. Junior Zeke Nave was fourth at 125 pounds as he was 1-2 on the day.

Elijah Shockley won two matches at 189 pounds, falling short of medaling at the meet. Other competitors on the day were Ray Self (130), Troy Klein (160), Lucas Tollini (189) and Keegan Freel (215).

“Our guys wrestled hard but I believe this is the toughest this tournament has been in years. Experience certainly played a part in this result. I thought Joe wrestled well but we definitely learned about a weakness we need to address. Everyone learned something about themselves,” said coach Mark Grant.

LAST THURSDAY the Cardinals hosted a tri-meet with Petoskey and Rogers City. Onaway started the day with a loss to Petoskey 45-28.

In the match against Rogers City the score ended up a 42-42 tie before criteria was

looked at to break the tie. The Cardinals took the win on eighth-criteria for the most first points scored in the dual.

Double winners on the day were Traynham (119), Nave (125) and Klein (160/171). Going 1-1 on the day were Keli Russel (145), Juan Janeczak (152), Self (130), Shockley (189), Tollini (215) and Freel (285).

“We lost three matches of the nine wrestled as the guys shifted weight classes and wrestled very tough, which they need to do to beat Rogers City or any other good program like them. Everybody did exactly what I asked them to do so it was a great team effort,” said coach Grant.

The Cardinals will travel to the Ionia invitational Saturday.