Sports
Historic Day For Canton Wrestling Program at The Palace
Pair of sophomores win their semifinals matches on Friday, give Chiefs two finalists for the first time in school history.
AUBURN HILLS – It was a historic night for the Canton wrestling program on day two of the individual state wrestling finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Chiefs sophomores Ben Griffin and Alec Pantaleo both advanced to the finals with two wins on Friday. Canton will have two wrestlers compete for state titles for the first time in school history.
As a freshman, Griffin competed at the state finals and finished All-State, but he wasn't satisfied with seventh place. Now, he is one win away from a state championship after beating Roseville senior Doug Zundel on a 5-1 decision in the semifinals (112 pound).
“Very impressive,” Chiefs coach Cory Mancuso said. “He wanted to win today, that’s our team this weekend, just having the will to win every match we wrestle.”
The whole match was a battle back and forth.
Griffin didn't pull away to the very end of the third. He scored a takedown with 25 seconds left in the final round to take a four-point lead.
Rochester junior Kaelan Richards had a hard time grabbing hold of Pantaleo in their semifinals match (135 pound)
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“He just kept moving,” Mancuso said. “That’s what you got to do.”
In the third round, Richards thought he had Pantaleo on his back. The sophomore kept twisting and turning to prevent the Falcons wrestle from getting any points. It was the turning point in the match as Pantaleo hit a takedown with 25 seconds left on the clock to take a 7-4 decision.
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“He wrestled fast and strong, he’s really strong at every position,” Mancuso said. “He’s tough to beat.”
Mancuso couldn’t have been prouder of his wrestlers.
“It was great for our program,” Mancuso said. “I think every year you have to try and have a finalist to keep on the map, but this is the first time we’ve had two of them.”
Pantaleo will wrestle Detroit Catholic Central sophomore Malik Amine Saturday night. Griffin will face Temperance Bedford junior Mitch Rogaliner.
Canton senior Zach Marsh didn’t make it to the semifinals, but he is still alive in the consolation bracket. He rebounded from a loss to Brother Rice senior Thomas Giradot with a 15-4 major decision win over Pontiac’s Deishawn Stewart.
With Marsh winning, the Chiefs are guaranteed all three of its finals qualifiers will earn All-State status.
Meanwhile, Plymouth's Said Youssef lost to Trent Samuels of Jenison 3-1 by decision in the 140-pound weight class in the semifinals. Youssef will compete Saturday morning in the consolation round.
