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Show Mike Birch. Park City's championship hope in the 126-pound class (below), gets a chin up on his opponent, Stu Ovard of North Summit. photos by David Hampshire fi - i V f if ..... "Os w n Wrestling cheek to cheek: Ocey Leavitt of Park City and Alan Hack lord ol South Rich put their heads together. yr l If :Ai 0 - -.. 'V , 1 . Is A Ocey Leavitt wins title at region wrestling meet Leave it to Leavitt. Ocey Leavitt, a junior at Park City High School, justified his top ranking in the 132-pound class by winning the Region 11 title at North Summit High School Jan. 24. The win makes him one of the favorites in the state 1A semifinals to be held Friday and Saturday in Green River. Leavitt earned his championship trophy by pinning Joe Rider of South Summit in the first round of the region tournament, then outpointing Alan Hackford of South Rich in the finals, 14-2. Park City's other top seed in the tournament, 126-pounder Mike Birch, had no trouble in his first match but faltered in the finals. In the first round, against Mike Hopkin of south Rich, Birch scored a takedown in the opening period, then followed with a pin midway through the match. However, his second opponent, Stu Ovard of North Summit was less cooperative. Ovard, who lost 11-8 in the last match between the two, had apparently been doing his homework. home-work. He managed to nullify Birch's best moves by controlling his hands while making the best use of his own lanky frame. The score was tied 2-2 after the first period. But Ovard put the match out of reach with seven near fall points in the second period. "Through the use his longer arms and more leverage he was able to get those back points," Park City Coach Jesse Schaub observed later. Ovard's win helped give North Summit the team title by a slim margin over rival South Summit. Park City finished a distant third. Birch's second-place finish also qualifies him for the state semifinal tournament along with three other Park City wrestlers: Rob Bassettt (105 pounds), Matt Burnett (119 pounds) and Brent Adams (167 pounds). Like Birch, Bassett cruised through his first match, whipping Troy Crittenden of South Summit. He scored five near fall points and a takedown in the first period, then followed with a reversal and a pin in the second period. But, again like Birch, Bassett had his hands full in the finals, losing 3-0 to Wes Blonquist of North Summit. "It was a great match," Schaub said. "Rob has really improved . . . two weeks ago he lost to the same kid 12-0." Blonquist's only points came on a takedown in the first period and a penalty against Bassett in the third. Burnett and Adams each lost his only match, but each was awarded third place (and a place in the semifinals) because there were only three wrestlers in those weight brackets. Burnett's loss was a 9-7 decision to Russell Robertson of South Summit. And that two-point difference could be traced to a takedown in the opening seconds of the match. "As soon as the handshake was over, the kid (Robertson) just dove at his legs," Schaub said. "Matt was really taken by surprise." Burnett came back with a reversal and two near fall points in the first period, and was protecting a 6-5 lead going into the final two minutes. But Robertson won it with a reversal and a near fall of his own in the third period. Adams, at 167 pounds, was pinned by Kirk Crystal of South Summit with two seconds left in the first round of their match. Crystal went on to win the region title. In other matches involving Park City wrestlers, Chad Zierenberg (98-pound class) was pinned by Kirk -Orgill' of , N.orth umniit an Steve 'Jacobson (155-pound class? was" pinned by Jeff Anderson of North Summit. At this weekend's semifinals, the top wrestlers from Region 11 will meet their counterparts from Region 13. Schaub said he expects tough competition from Monticello, Duchesne, Whitehorse and Monument Monu-ment Valley. The top four wrestlers in each bracket at Green River will qualify for the 1A state tournament to be held in American Fork Feb. 8 and 9. "Now what do I do?" Park City's Hob Bassett seems to be looking lor suggestions during his championship match with North Summit's Wes Blonquist. 1 |
