COLUMBUS – Miami East had three wrestlers qualify for state and two of the three advanced to the championship quarterfinal with wins on Friday.
Cooper Shore (47-0) dominated his opening match with a 19-3 technical fall victory over Joe Dennis of Black River (35-12) – a wrestler who rebounded with a victory in the consolation rounds.
Shore will face Trace Williams (43-4) of North Union in the quarterfinal at 120 pounds.
Also winning his opening round match to advanced to the quarterfinal was senior heavyweight Dustin Winner (39-7). Winner found himself in a tight battle against Marshal Bier (43-4) of Hannibal River where offensive points were not in the cards. Winner won the match by the slimmest of margins, 1-0, on a second period escape.
He will face Dallas McCracken (46-7) of United in the quarterfinal round tomorrow morning.
Junior Drake Bennett came up short in both matched on Friday as he lost to Blake Elliott 9-6 in the opening round and then dropped a very close 8-6 decision to Caleb Gregory (37-12 of Loudonville in the first consolation round. Bennett ends his season with a 31-13 record.
