The Warren wrestling team honored it’s former, and current, coaches as part of their 70th anniversary celebration during a pre-match ceremony in the Joseph A. Massa Memorial Gymnasium, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. Former coaches Lee Chew (1969-1982, 79-79-5), center, Mike Hahsey (1988-1993, 49-22-1; current head coah at Erie Cathedral Prep), right and Glenn Baldensperger (2001-2015, 141-104) sit with current coach Dean Johnson (2016-present, 22-25) following introductions.

On a night when the past was honored, Warren wrestlers channeled the spirit of that past and battled Erie Cathedral Prep to the end in the Joseph A. Massa Memorial Gymnasium Thursday.

The Ramblers came away with a 51-22 win to clinch the Region 5 title, but the Dragons stayed within striking distance up to the final three matches. Warren honored its past, and present, coaches prior to the start of the match as part of the program’s 70th anniversary celebration.

“They brought it tonight,” Warren coach Dean Johnson said. “They were letting it all hang out.”

Prep (4-0 overall, 4-0 Region 5) picked up tech fall victories from Jacob Van Dee (106) and Kaemen Smith (113) to start the match.

Avery Smith brought the crowd to its feet for the first time when he decked Elijah Hunt just 52 seconds into their 120-pound contest.

“Once Avery gets it locked up, it’s lights out,” Johnson said. “He wanted to set the tone.”

Ryan Madigan and Jamale Crockett battled through the first two periods of the 126-pound contest. Madigan took a 4-3 lead into the third.

Crockett started on bottom and got an escape point to knot the match. Madigan quickly countered with a takedown and rolled Crockett to his back with just 26 seconds left to give the Dragons a 12-10 advantage.

“Avery had a nice pin, then Madigan had a nice pin,” Johnson said. “I think we surprised them.”

Alex Chelton (132) got a major decision to get the lead right back, and Caden Farr, son of former Warren wrestling standout Joe Farr, earned a 6-3 decision over Donovan Fiscus at 138. Paniro Johnson picked up a tech fall at 145 and Marques McClorin got a quick pin at 152 to stretch the Ramblers lead to 28-12.

Zack Zinger nearly had Hunter Sunafrank pinned in the second period at 160, but couldn’t quite get both shoulders to the mat. Zinger came away with a 15-5 major decision to make it 28-16.

Kelyn Blossey got the points right back with a pin at 170. MaBrukhe Tagba got the night’s only forfeit at 182 to pull the Dragons within 12 at 34-22.

Prep showed why it is the top team in the region in the final three matches. Kareem Carson got a tech fall at 195 and Dorian Crosby and Kawaun DeBoe followed with second and first period pins at 220 and 285, respectively, to close out the win.

Former coaches Lee Chew (1969-1982), Mike Hahsey (1988-1993; current Prep head coach), Red Childress (1999-2001) and Glenn Baldensperger (2001-2015) were all given standing ovations as they were recognized prior to the match. Chew compiled a 79-79-5 record and coached the Dragons’ first state medalist, Randy Graves (185), to a third place finish in 1979. Hahsey went 49-22-1 and coached Joe Farr (now an assistant on Hahsey staff), Warren’s first two-time state medalist and Mike Rogers to third and fourth place finishes, respectively, at states in 1993. Childress, who was unable to attend due to a conflict, was 22-3 in his two seasons at the helm and guided Gregg Clopp to the podium in Hershey in 2000. Baldensperger is Warren’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 141-104, and coached a program-record three state medalists (with four total medals) during his tenure. The Dragons also recognized current head man, Dean Johnson (2016-present). Thus far, Johnson is 22-25 through his nearly three seasons and took a record 10 Dragons to the regional tournament in 2018.

The Dragons head to Grove City today for the first day of the Fred Bell Tournament. Wrestling gets underway at noon.

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Cathedral Prep 51, Warren 22

106: Jacob Van Dee (P) tech fall Connor Papalia, 15-0

113: Kaemen Smith (P) tech fall Christian Papalia, 19-4

120: Avery Smith (W) pin Elijah Hunt, 0:52

126: Ryan Madigan (W) pin Jamale Crockett, 5:34

132: Alex Chelton (P) maj. dec. Alex Anderson, 15-4

138: Caden Farr (P) dec. Donovan Fiscus, 6-3

145: Paniro Johnson (P) tech fall Kyle Swick, 25-10

152: Marques McClorin (P) pin Alex Zariczny, 0:15

160: Zack Zinger (W) maj. dec. Hunter Sunafrank, 15-5

170: Kelyn Blossey (P) pin Brandon Daugharthy, 3:59

182: MaBrukhe Tagba (W) via forfeit

195: Kareem Carson (P) tech fall Joey Arnold, 18-3

220: Dorian Crosby (P) pin Jacob Hayes, 2:32

285: Kawaun DeBoe (P) pin Tristan Dolan, 1:03

Warren’s Zack Zinger lifts Erie Cathedral Prep’s Hunter Sunafrank in a cradle during their 160-pound match in the Joseph A. Massa Memorial Gymnasium, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. Zinger picked up a tech fall over Sunafrank, but the Ramblers defeated the Dragons, 51-22.