By Cort Reynolds
TROY - Ada senior grappler Chase Sumner won both of his matches in the 145 lbs. bracket on the first day of competition at the Div. III Troy wrestling districts Friday in Hobart Arena to clinch no less than a top four finish.
In the first round of the double-elimination event Friday, Sumner defeated freshman Lane Mefford of Indian Lake by technical fall, 17-0. Mefford dropped to 13-6 with the loss.
In the quarterfinals, Sumner beat familiar foe Zane Strubler (46-10) of Miami East by a 6-2 decision to clinch another trip to the state meet in Columbus.
On Saturday, Sumner (31-2) will face freshman Austin Awan (26-13) of Troy Christian in the semifinals at approximately 10 a.m.
If he wins, Sumner will then take on either undefeated junior Joey Caprella (38-0) of LCC, or junior Dylan Schenck (32-5) of Milton-Union in the 145 bracket finals at about 3:30 p.m.
An upset loss to Awan would drop Sumner to the third-place match against the Caprella/Schenck loser. Caprella handed Sumner one of his two losses this season in the sectional finals last weekend in a 12-3 decision.
Ada senior Kade Cortez lost his first match at districts in the 132 lbs. division by pin at 2:53 to senior Dustin Robins of Reading. Robins, one of the four top seeds in the bracket, improved to 37-5 with the win.
Then in the first consolation round later on Friday, Cortez was pinned by freshman Chase Trainer (27-9) of Greenon in 1:37 to be eliminated.
Cortez ends his season with a 13-10 record.
The Div. III state wrestling meet will be held March 8-10 at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.
