State tournament has favorites, parity

By FRED ALDRICH
Special to The Advocate
Published: Feb 17, 2006

Defending state wrestling champions Jesuit (Division I), Northside (Division II) and Brusly (Division III) might have to watch someone else take home the championship trophies this year.

Or then again, maybe not.

State championships in 14 weight divisions as well as overall team championships will be decided in each division at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association state tournament today and Saturday at the Ponchartrain Center in Metairie.

Parkway of Bossier City in Division II and Brusly appear to be early favorites, while as many as six teams could have a legitimate chance to claim the Divsion I title.

“This looks to me like the closest (Division I) meet in the last eight years,” said Catholic High coach Tommy Prochaska. “There is no dominant team this year, and it should be wide open. You’ll have guys coming off injuries, and teams knocking each other off. Some team with two or three wrestlers could cause havoc by winning certain matches.

“The winner will be whoever’s wrestling best this weekend and whoever can pull an upset. It’s not just about how many guys you can put in the finals, but how many matches you can win in both (championship and consolation) brackets.”

Prochaska’s Bears have 12 wrestlers seeded, with No. 1 seeds in Jeff Falcon at 119 pounds and Brian Parenton at 145. Other teams with enough seeded wrestlers to make a title run are Jesuit, Rummel, Brother Martin, St. Paul and Comeaux.

Parkway finished second in Division II in 2005 and appears to be in good position for a title run this year. The Panthers have one of the top three seeds in 10 weight classes, led by Michael Newberg at 160 who brings a 34-0 record into the meet.

Baton Rouge-area wrestlers among the top contenders in Division II include Jesse Graves of Zachary, seeded first at 112; his teammate Cade Felps, first at 119; Blake Dowden of Tara, first at 125; Michael Oakley of Broadmoor, third at 125; Rene Ybarra of Tara, second at 135; Marshall Leavoy of St. Michael, third at 171 and East Ascension teammates Michael Wascom, first at 152 and Justin McGehee, second at 275.

Brusly coach Jimmy Bible said he is betting his hair on a strong Panthers’ performance.

“I told my guys if we get 10 in the finals I’ll color my hair blond,” he said. “If everyone wrestles like he should and places where he should, we’ll be all right. This team is real loose and chomping at the bit. My nerves started up Wednesday after practice, but the guys told me they’ll take care of business,” he said.

Five seniors, Tom Cebollero, Jake Leveron, Myron Harris, Andrew Baldwin and Bryce Wilson are team leaders for the Panthers. Leveron is the defending champion at 170 pounds. Junior Nick Hebert, a former champion at 119, is the No. 1 seed at 140. Baldwin (215) and Harris (189) are No. 1 seeds, along with sophomore Blake Panepinto at 103.

Harris could face No. 2 seed Britton Purvis of Redemptorist whom he defeated in the finals of the Greater BR City Championship Meet. Purvis was the champion of the Lee High Invitational.

Coach Rodney Sutherland will be taking a full Parkview team to the meet for the first time in his school’s seven-year wrestling history.

“We’ll have someone in 13 of the classes, and 14 if we can get a problem worked out. We’ve come a long way, with patience and just having guys stay on the team from year to year. My first state champion, Ben Roper, has come back to help me coach. Our parents have just been incredible, the way they’ve pitched in, and we’ve just watched the program grow,” said Sutherland, now in his fourth year as the Eagles’ head coach.

David Roper (152) and Chris Nowosisky (119) will carry No. 1 seeds into the meet, while Phillip Govan is the No. 2 seed at 140. Roper is the defending state champion in his weight class.