GUTHRIE CENTER — The reasons for the coaches, matmen and fans of the Woodward-Granger wrestling team to celebrate at the AC/GC Charger Invitational Saturday were many.
The Hawks placed fifth in the 22-team field, crowned two champions, and had six others reach the eight-man podium. It was, however, one win in particular that had the W-G loyalists most excited.
Senior Tanner Vermaas, ranked second in Class 2A at 182 pounds, entered rarified company at the event by winning his 150th career match en route to a championship. Vermaas opened with pins of Caden Larson (AHSTW) in 1 minute, 18 seconds and of Riley Algreen (WCV) in 5:08 to reach the finals, where he scored a 10-7 decision over Isaiah Yoder of Greene County for victory 150.
“At the beginning of the season I wasn’t thinking about it, but half-way through I knew I could get this,” Vermaas said of his milestone win. “It is little bit of relief not having to think about it now.”
Vermaas has been stopped only twice this year, both times by Class 1A top-ranked Logan Schumacher of Martensdale-St. Marys. He is often hardly challenged, and admitted he can sometimes sense if an opponent is a bit intimidated, though he added he does not take any foe lightly.
“I not only want to be on the podium (at the state tourney) but to be high up on it,” he said.
Vermaas was denied placing at the state meet last season and said avenging himself has been his goal ever since.
He admitted to benefiting from the practice room presence of freshman Cody Fisher (39-5), who won the championship at 195 pounds Saturday.
“We have been good partners for each other and attend extra practices together,” Vermaas said. “We push each other to keep getting better.”
Fisher has clearly gained from having Vermaas to train with and has shown solid improvement all season after a strong youth AAU record. He topped Clarion-Goldfield’s Ben Powers with an 11-0 major decision before pinning Southeast Warren’s Alex Hommer in 1:53. He won in the finals over 1A No. 7 Quinton Castell of Moravia by medical forfeit.
Junior Austin Scharlau (37-14) finished 3-2 to place fourth at 152 pounds, with Aaron Sperling (21-10) 2-2 to place fifth place at 170 while Tyler Lawernson (19-27) posted a 3-2 mark to earn fifth at 220.
Three Hawks — Cole Carman (23-22 at 138), Gabriel Yingst (26-24 at 145) and Cale Pritchett (21-23 at 160) — each finished in eighth place.
While not scoring placing, Hunter Pierce (30-19 at 106), Tate Lettow (19-22 at 120) and Devonante Calderon (5-7 at 126) all managed to score valuable team points, with Dilynn Lewiston (7-16 at 113), Jayden Dorenkamp (12-29 at 132) and Dillon Fogarty (4-6 at 285) also in action for the Hawks.
Clarion-Goldfield won the team title with 169.5 points with Van Meter second at 156. Panorama was third at 147 and Underwood fourth at 130 with W-G fifth at 128 in the 22-team tourney.
