FPS staff report
March 8, 2010
 History was made at the 73rd State wrestling championships last weekend as Paige Nemec became the first female to participate in and win a match at the state tournament.
“I guess it was probably a little bit more than I expected,” said the 103-pounder from Crestwood High School. “When I first got started wrestling, I never thought I’d make it down here. Then I make it down here, and I never thought I’d win a match, and I won a match. I was trying to get on the podium, but it didn’t work out.”
After she was eliminated from the tournament Friday morning by Mike Fee from Mentor Lake Catholic she received a standing ovation from the crowd of 10,000 fans in attendance. Had she won she would have guaranteed herself a place on the podium.
Nemec’s victory was over John Martin of Wapakoneta 3-0. She finished her career with a record of 115-34. The two wrestlers she lost to placed second and fifth, respectively.
She was also recognized before the start of Friday night’s wrestling and received another standing ovation from the crowd.
Top NBC placers
Canton South’s Joey Morris dropped his first match of the tournament, but came back to place fourth in the 112-pound weight class.
Louisville’s Joe Poyser placed third at 215-pounds. Last year he placed fourth at 189.
Division I
Wadsworth won a close team battle with Lake St. Edward, 172-167.5.
Wadsworth’s win is the first win in Division I by a public school in 33 years.
St. Edward had won the last 13 Division I championships.
Perry was third with 66 points, Marysville fourth with 64.5 points and Cleveland St. Ignatius fifth with 63.5 points.
Attendance
The attendance for all five sessions totaled 64,617.
A total of 672 wrestlers in three divisions wrestled over 1,100 matches. |
