Dec 29, 2002 By Jim Kriek For The 5 min read

ALVERTON – Mike Myers did just what he and his coach had worked on, and won a championship. Shane Datz tried to do the same thing, and while his opponent had other ideas, the Southmoreland junior still won a repeat championship.

They were among 14 champions crowned overall as the third annual Southmoreland Holiday Wrestling Classic wound up a two-day stand last night.

Myers represented Jefferson-Morgan in the parade of champions, and worked a solid bout to decision Rich Froats (Burgettstown), 3-1, and win the 171-pound title.

They were scoreless in the first with Froats picking down to start the second. He escaped for a 1-0 lead, then with :48 left in the period, Myers put him down for a 2-1 lead and he would stay out front the rest of the way.

Froats did a good job of tying up Myers, who was down to start the third, and with time running down they went off the mat. Resuming at center mat, Froats let Myers escape, but then he in turn was parried on every takedown try until time ran out with Myers the 3-1 winner and champion.

Myers called Froats “a real tough opponent, very strong, and mentally tough, and because of that he put a lot of pressure on me physically. I had to work for it until I finally got the opening in the third.

“I figured he was letting me escape with the idea that he could get a takedown, but I was able to counter his moves. I’m real happy with the title, my first one.”

Coach Mike Lesko said, “Mike wrestled a very smart match. Before the match we worked on his staying away from being tied up. We figured it would come and when it did, Mike was ready. He also wrestled a real physical bout.

“It’s hard to beat good techniques, and that was what Mike had. He controlled the wrists and ankle, and when you can do that to your opponent then you will be in control of the match.”

Myers reached the finals with two pins and two decisions, the second one being a 9-0 major over Zach Slupski (St. Francis DeSales, Ohio), in the semifinals.

Datz tried to use his quickness and techniques against Sean Kisel (Forest Hills) in the 189 final, but Kisel spent more time trying to get off the mat than he did staying on, and was able to counter Datz’s efforts to get him down for the count.

Datz went up 2-0 in the first with a waist drag takedown. He was down to open the second and escaped, took Kisel down, and when the latter escaped Datz put him down again to lead 5-1 into the third. Kisel escaped to start. Datz got him down; he escaped, and was put down again as Datz wrapped up an 11-4 win and a second successive championship.

Scotty coach Jon Banko called Kisel “a good wrestler. Shane got out to a good lead, and then Kisel wrestled defensively, trying to keep from getting turned. He tried to counter Shane’s moves by getting off the mat. Kisel is a physical wrestler, but Shane scored on every shot he tried.”

Datz moved into the finals with his fourth consecutive pin in the semis, planking Sean Byerly (Hickory) in 1:15. His four pins came in a total time of 3:15, including the fastest fall of the tournament, an opening night 14-second nailing of Tony Piscitelli (Steel Valley).

Justin Poole (275) tried to make it two champions for the Scotties, but lost a 5-1 decision to Ryan DeArment (Hickory). DeArment took him down in the first, escaped in the second to lead 3-0, and after Poole escaped to start the third, DeArment put him down again for the final edge.

Banko said, “Justin had a good tournament, and this was a match where he had to move his opponent if he wanted to score. He did get close at the end, and there was an instant where if he could have got a takedown he would have tied the match.

“Justin is a small heavyweight and he has to attack his bigger, heavier opponents from the side. If he tries to come at them head-on, the bigger guys can counter him, and that was what happened here.”

Poole had three pins and a technical fall to reach the finals, his third pin coming in 2:39 over Tim Miller (Elizabeth-Forward) in the semis.

One of the real big bouts on Saturday took place in the consolation round (152) where Mike Morgan (Beth-Center) and Stush Demaske (Jefferson-Morgan) had a Pier Sixer going for third place.

Demaske escaped to start the third and took Morgan down, to lead 4-3, with 1:13 left. Morgan escaped at 1:10 for a 4-4 tie and that’s the way they ended regulation. They went to a one-minute overtime, and both countered each other’s moves effectively, until they ended the first OT still tied 4-4. Morgan picked down to start the second overtime, and with nine seconds left, he escaped to win 5-4.

Forest Hills crowned three champions and repeated as team champion with 242 points. Hickory and Charleroi had two champs, and Jefferson-Morgan, Southmoreland, Butler, Valley, Greensburg Central Catholic, Meyersdale, and Jeannette had one each.

Rounding out the point standings were Hickory 192.5, Butler 137, Hampton 134.5, Valley 120.5, West Branch 116, Charleroi 115, Greensburg Central Catholic 98, Burgettstown 89.5, St. Francis DeSales 82, Southmoreland 81.5 Meyersdale 79.5, Jefferson-Morgan 76, Yough 62, Norwin 58, Jeannette 56, Blairsville 53.5, Beth-Center 52, Frankfort, W. Va., 48, Penn Cambria 44, Laurel Highlands 42, Blackhawk 34, Woodland Hills 32, Bentworth 27, Elizabeth-Forward 24, Steel Valley 12, and South Allegheny 3.