PPT Slide
Saturday February 26, 2005
Johnson not fazed by injury
COLUMBUS — The realization he will wrestle for a state championship hit Jackson High School 125-pounder Ben Johnson before he left the Value City Arena mats Friday night. “Actually, as soon as they lift your hand,” Johnson said after he had pinned Lakota East’s Kent Pierson 4:59 into his Division I state semifinal match. “It’s a great feeling. “Especially after losing in the match and coming back winning.” Wearing headgear he “didn’t want to wear” to protect a severely bruised forehead, Johnson trailed Pierson most of the match. Down 4-2 early in the third period but not desperate, he got a single-leg takedown with 1:08 left. Nine seconds and a tight cradle later, Johnson had his 41st victory of the season and a berth in today’s Division I final at the 68th State Wrestling Championships at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. “I don’t know if it’s a fracture of what,” Johnson said of his injury. “(The coaches) wanted me to have a CAT scan but if there was something wrong I wouldn’t be able to wrestle. “So I figured I’d wait ’til it was over.” That’s how badly Johnson, fifth at state at 112 last year, wants to win this tournament. He will be joined in the finals today by semifinal winners Dustin Schlatter (145) and Zach Mizer (130) of Perry, Mike Miller (160) of Lake and GlenOak 215-pounder Nick Roman. Schlatter pinned Moeller’s Dean Gaier in 51 seconds to advance to the finals for a fourth time. Miller rolled out a 22-5 technical fall over Beavercreek’s Nate Wiley to reach the finals a third straight year. Mizer pounded out a 13-7 decision over Perrysburg’s Matt Holland and Roman blasted Westerville South’s Manju Jabbie, 10-4. Both Stark County wrestlers are in the final for the first time. Perry’s Chris Hartley (119) and Thomas Straughn (140), Jackson’s Dante Rini (103), Northwest’s Drew Kapper (119), Alliance’s Matt Walker (215) and Fairless’s Ryan Bowers (275) all fell a match shy of the finals by losing in the semis. Johnson made his first trip by never giving up against Pierson. “My coaches (Dan Funk, Paul Kapper) said don’t try and wrestle differently,” Johnson said. “You can’t change your style, just stay solid and get a takedown. “He’s definitely bigger and stronger than me,” he said of Pierson, who scored a first-period takedown to grab the lead. “I knew I was in better shape than he was just from watching him wrestle and seeing him on tape. I knew if I could get him into the third period and push him a little I’d be (fine). “I definitely wasn’t thinking pin but once I got him cradled and locked up, I figured I’d end the match.” Johnson’s first finals appearance will be against Lakewood St. Edward two-time
