High School Wrestling | Alliance dominates middle weights but Salem wins the match

Alliance's Maliki Mason, top, and Salem's Cyle Burt during their 120-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.
Alliance's Maliki Mason, top, and Salem's Cyle Burt during their 120-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.

Salem went out to a big lead early and Alliance roared back but it wasn’t quite enough as the Aviators sustained a 43-33 Eastern Buckeye Conference wrestling setback to the Quakers in Harry Fails Gymnasium Thursday night.

Alliance had to forfeit two matches on the night at 106 and 285 (12 total points) which hurt the Aviators’ chances.

“I knew in the lower weights we had to weather the storm a little bit,” said Alliance (8-11, 2-2 EBC) coach Joe Richardson. “Jase Kaiser, our 106, had to forfeit due to injury default so that was kind of late news and that kind of put us behind the eight ball because he’s a strong wrestler.”

Of the 12 matches that were contested, each team won six. Alliance won five matches by pin and one by decision while Salem captured four bouts by pin and two by decision.

“We haven’t [beaten Alliance] since I’ve been the coach,” said Salem (7-6, 2-3) coach Drew Hart of his team’s win. “It’s probably been a good 15 years so it feels real good.”

Winning by pin for Alliance were Tomas Simmons (150), Jackson Eddy (165), CJ Daniel (175), Adam Zumbar (190) and Aidan Mozden (215). Winning by decision for Alliance was Maliki Mason (120).

Alliance's Tomas Simmons, top, and Salem's Caleb Shafer during their 150-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.
Alliance's Tomas Simmons, top, and Salem's Caleb Shafer during their 150-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.

The Aviators had a number of impressive pins but two that stood out were an 18-second pin by Zumbar of Salem’s Ethin Whitman at 190 and by Aviator 150-pound standout Tomas Simmons, ranked 17th in Ohio according to borofan.com, who put Caleb Shafer’s shoulders to the mat in 1:30.

“Our middle weights are a little stronger and a little more experienced,” said Richardson. “But credit to Salem, they came out and put it on us and kept on us for a while and we answered back a little bit.”

Richardson said Alliance’s tough schedule will only make his growing team better.

“We’ve wrestled Brecksville and Canfield and some good teams like that, so I’m not afraid to throw them out there because all wrestling experience is good for my kids right now. We’re growing together and working hard.”

Winning by pins for the Quakers were Dylan Newhouse (113), Brittan Allen (132), Aiden Stecker (138) and Xavier Ansman (157). Winning by decisions for Salem were Joey Cana (126) and Dom Jezek (144). Earning wins by forfeit were Gage Brannon (106) and Ryan Kamperman (285).

Alliance's Shaun Richer, right, and Salem's Brittan Allen during their 132-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.
Alliance's Shaun Richer, right, and Salem's Brittan Allen during their 132-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.

“They were all key matches,” said Hart, who has built the Quakers’ wrestling program every season he has been the coach. “We’re really strong at the lighter weights but the upper weights is where we really wanted to attack them. Not all of them went the way we wanted. We needed the bonus points and we got them.”

Salem won six of the first seven matches, including three by pin, to roll out to a 31-3 lead before Alliance stormed back by winning four of next five bouts by pin and closed to within 37-33 of the Quakers following a pin by Mozden at 215.

However, that was the last contested match of the night as Salem’s 285-pounder Kamperman won by forfeit in the final bout to give Salem the 10-point win.

“It is what it is,” said Richardson. “We’re young and we’re just trying to gain experience week to week and as we go forward I’m going to try and get my young sophomores, juniors and a few seniors sprinkled in and get them ready to rock for the postseason tournament.”

“The kids are working hard and we’re improving,” said Hart. “This is the biggest team [in terms of numbers] we’ve had.”

Alliance's Holden Robinson, right, and Salem's Xavier Ansman, left, during their 157-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.
Alliance's Holden Robinson, right, and Salem's Xavier Ansman, left, during their 157-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.

Both Alliance and Salem will take part in the Eastern Ohio Wrestling League Tournament slated Friday and Saturday at Austintown Fitch High School.

Alliance’s Richardson is looking for his team to gain more tournament experience and continue its improvement at the EOWL.

“We haven’t done that many individual matches with Top Gun being canceled so it’s survive and advance and get that mindset, because in postseason it’s wrestle and 45 minutes you’re back up — win or lose — you have to bounce back. We want to wrestle hard and try to get better each match.”

Hart is hoping his team will be in the running for the D2 team championship at the EOWL.

"We’re built for tournaments this year,” said the Salem coach. “We’ve been running deep in the tournaments, we got third at the [Beaver Local] Hoppel Tournament, second at Jackson-Milton and won the United tournament. I really think we have a chance to win Division II at the EOWL this weekend.”

Salem's Dylan Newhouse, top, and Alliance's Logan Kager during their 113-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.
Salem's Dylan Newhouse, top, and Alliance's Logan Kager during their 113-pound match at Alliance High School Thursday, January 27, 2022.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Salem defeats Alliance in Eastern Buckeye Conference wrestling