Crown Point: Host Bulldogs wins fifth straight sectional title

CROWN POINT ââ?¬â??
Andrew Szymborski was well aware of the perfect record North Newton�s Josh Funk took into Saturday�s Crown Point wrestling sectional.

But the Crown Point 171-pounder wasn�t going to let that zero in the loss column affect him.

Szymborski topped Funk 6-3, one of four individual titles for the Bulldogs as they won their fifth straight team sectional.

ââ?¬Å?It doesnââ?¬â?¢t
bother me if they�re undefeated or not,� said Szymborski, who improved
to 28-3 and sent Funk to 27-1. ââ?¬Å?I just knew I had to wrestle my match
out there � just focus on my basics and be in control.

ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m just glad this weekââ?¬â?¢s over and I advance to regionals.ââ?¬Â

Funk had been
ranked No. 3 in the state. Szymborski, himself ranked No. 8, was coming
off a week in which he beat two other wrestlers in the Top 10, so his
title wasn�t exactly a shock.

ââ?¬Å?Andrewââ?¬â?¢s been wrestling well,ââ?¬Â Crown Point coach Scott Vlink said. ââ?¬Å?(Funk is) a quality wrestler, but so is Andrew.ââ?¬Â

The Bulldogs had 240.5 points. Lowell had 207.5, without the benefit of a champion. Third-place Valparaiso (189.5 points) and fourth-place Hanover Central (185) both had four champions.

The top four individuals in each weight class qualified for the LaPorte Regional on Feb. 3. The top two teams, Crown Point and Lowell, move on to the Portage Regional on Wednesday.

ââ?¬Å?We always want to win the sectional,ââ?¬Â Vlink said. ââ?¬Å?We donââ?¬â?¢t want to limp over to Portage in second place.

ââ?¬Å?There were no big surprises. No big disappointments. It went pretty much as planned.ââ?¬Â

All four of the other wrestlers who entered sectionals undefeated left that way, including three from Hanover, with all three moving to 38-0.

Andrew Howe,
last season�s 140-pound state champion, continued to roll toward
another one at 152. He scored a 21-9 major decision over Crown Point�s Mark Myers.

At 160, Matt Sands had to stave off a stiff challenge from Lowell�s Max Znika. Sands held on for a 10-9 victory, as Znika nearly got the decisive takedown in the waning seconds.

At 119, George Petrov topped Crown Point�s Anthony Fennell 14-11.

And at 125, Valparaiso�s Tom Churchard improved to 37-0 with a 7-0 victory over Crown Point�s Ryan Gill.

Boone Grove 112-pounder Dan Sullivan and Hanover 135-pounder Brandon Ward both avenged earlier losses.

Sullivan defeated Lowell�s Jacob Lamb 4-2, after having lost 4-3 at the Lowell Invitational on Dec. 16.

ââ?¬Å?It feels
great,ââ?¬Â Sullivan said. ââ?¬Å?I was nervous about it because he beat me
earlier. I was worried. But I think I wanted it more because I�m a
senior. Every match could be my last � I want to finish strong.

ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢m feeling
better after this win because I hadn�t beaten too many good people.
This boosted my confidence. I knew I could beat someone good; this
shows it�s true.�

Ward downed Lowell�s
Kurt Monix 6-0, after having lost 5-4 in the teams� dual match on Jan.
10. Ward and Monix, who have known each other since second grade, have
wrestled each other eight times over the last two seasons, with Ward
actually now 7-1. He said he might have been ââ?¬Å?cockyââ?¬Â in the previous
match.

ââ?¬Å?Last time I
wasnââ?¬â?¢t feeling too good,ââ?¬Â Ward said. ââ?¬Å?I didnââ?¬â?¢t wrestle my best, and he
wrestled good. I had my head into it more today. I felt a lot better.�

Valparaiso 189-pounder Brandon Tritle topped Crown Point�s Marcus Shrewsbury 7-3. Shrewsbury had beaten Tritle 6-4 in a dual on Jan. 10, before Tritle edged Shrewsbury 4-3 at the DAC meet on Jan. 13.

ââ?¬Å?Heââ?¬â?¢s a tough wrestler,ââ?¬Â Vlink said of Tritle. ââ?¬Å?Our boyââ?¬â?¢s tough too.ââ?¬Â

Crown Point�s Tony Conway escaped a tough match at 145, pulling out an 11-8 victory over Lowell�s Shawn Franz. Conway
trailed 8-6 in the third period, before receiving a stalling point then
getting the decisive takedown and back points with less than 20 seconds
left.

Kankakee Valley heavyweight Wes Clifton was the only No. 3 seed to win a title � No. 1 seeds won 10, and No. 2 seeds won three � pinning Valparaiso�s Bryan Miller in 1:26.

In the remaining
championship matches: Crown Point�s Anthony Hawkins beat Hanover�s John
Petrov 7-1 at 103; Crown Point�s Nick Mohamed pinned Lowell�s Mark
Puskar in 3:06 at 130; Valparaiso�s Austin Zosso pinned Crown Point�s
Jeremy Pogorzelski in 4:52 at 140; and Valparaiso�s John Small defeated
Crown Point�s Nick Cottrell 7-2 at 215.

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