The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mentor’s Stropko ready to take next step
NORTH CANTON >> Diego Stropko has been in this position before, one win away from a state tournament berth at the Division I district wrestling tournament at North Canton Hoover.
This time, he plans on finishing the job.
A year ago, Stropko was 2-0 in the first day of the rugged district event, but faded on Day 2 and settled for a state-alternate spot. Thanks to a 2-0 start THIS year, Stropko is in a familiar position. And this time he feels better equipped to take the next step to next weekend’s state tournament should he defeat Massillon Perry’s Emeric McBurney in the semifinal round on March 2.
“The work is done, the mental preparation done, all that stuff is done,” Stropko said after a 15-0 technical fall over Massillon’s Mike Villafranca in his opening match on March 1. “I’m just here to have fun, compete and just enjoy the moment. This is my last year here. I’m trying to stay present as I can and just have fun competing.”
A year ago, Stropko lost his semifinal match as well as his consolation — i.e. blood round — bout. That left him fighting for a state alternate spot. He won that spot, but he was still on the outside looking in at the following week’s state tournament.
“I think last year I wasn’t mentally ready for it,” he said. “I came in thinking I was. I was there technically, but this summer it was just about (working on) the mental part. I do mental training every day.”
After his 15-0 technical fall to start his last district tourney, he, pinned Avon’s Anthony Mrosko at the end of the second period. That puts Stropko (42-5) up against McBurney (26-11) in a rematch from the Division I state duals, where Stropko took an 8-5 decision.
Stropko won’t be alone in the semifinal round when Day 2 of the tournament begins at 9 a.m. on March 2. Jack DeBoe (132), Nick Blackburn (138), Antonio Shelley (144) and Liam
Lloyd (175) also went 2-0 to put themselves in the semifinal round, one win away from the state tournament.
This is the fourth year in a row that DeBoe (31-10) is in the semifinal round. He’s 0-3 thus far, but is confident heading into the March 2 semifinal against Stow’s undefeated Robert Davis (37-0). DeBoe lost his semifinal last year, but came back to finish fourth at Hoover and then fourth at the state tournament.
“I’ve just got to go in thinking it’s just another match,” he said. “I’ve been wrestling pretty well. I had a rough start to the year, but I’ve been mastering my craft. I know I’m ready for this match.”
No one had to question whether or not Riverside’s
Antonio Bottiggi was ready for the task at hand. He pinned Akron Ellet’s Lucas Adkins in 22 seconds to start the tournament and then took a 5-3 win over Rhodes’ Alex Harris. He’s 44-1 this season and more than half of his pins this season have come in less than a minute.
“Just get off the mat as fast as you can and don’t show them anything that (opponents) can learn your style,” Bottiggi said. “Just win — that’s it.”
The top three Division I heavyweights in Ohio are all at Hoover this weekend — top-ranked Aidan Focker of Massillon Perry (whom Bottiggi will face in the semis) and second-ranked Aaron Ries of Wadsworth.