Heavy heart can’t stop Vikings’ Dukes <\/p>\n
By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor<\/p>\n
WILMINGTON – Ask DeRichieen Dukes about anything, especially his late father, and the Princeton sophomore’s likely response is a nervous smile.<\/p>\n
But Dukes wasn’t nervous on the Wilmington High School wrestling mat Saturday. The second-seeded Viking 112-pounder held off top-seeded Moeller freshman Eric Gobin to win the Division I sectional championship and lead Princeton to second place behind the Crusaders in the team standings.<\/p>\n
Dukes’ father, Richard, died unexpectedly Jan. 21 at 39 years old, DeRichieen said. He missed a week of competition and returned in time to win the Greater Miami Conference in his weight class and help the Vikings finish second, their best since 1996, fourth-year coach Ty Robbins said. Dukes followed up by overwhelming three opponents and edging Gobin 7-5 to improve his record to 29-4.<\/p>\n
“Talk about a guy overcoming some stuff, “Robbins said. “His father was a big supporter of the program.”<\/p>\n
Richard Dukes wrestled at Western Hills, DeRichieen said, adding he felt as if his father gave him strength and stamina on the mat.<\/p>\n
“I want to go to state, “said DeRichieen, whose mother, Joell, was on hand. “I was one match short of going to state last year.”<\/p>\n
Gobin was one of two Moeller wrestlers to finish second. A school-record 11 won championships as the Crusaders, who are ranked No. 1 in the Enquirer’s Division I coaches’ poll and No. 4 in the state Associated Press poll.<\/p>\n
The top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to the district tournament at Fairfield next Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n
“You’ve got to be happy, “Moeller coach Jeff Gaier said. “Everybody will be going on to next week. The competition we’ve wrestled this year really helps us in the tight matches.”<\/p>\n
Two second-seeded Crusader sophomores, 130-pound Germane Lindsey and 135-pound Tommy Weinkam, advanced with upsets of top-seeded seniors. Lindsey (28-9) knocked off Lakota East’s Billy Baker, and Weinkam (25-17) edged Princeton’s Rodolfo Rivera.<\/p>\n
Lakota East identical twin seniors Kody and Kent Pierson were the other two non-Crusaders to win championships. Kody (23-4) won his fourth sectional title by beating Colerain’s Ryan Erickson 14-4 at 119 pounds and Kent (25-4) improved to 3-0 against Moeller’s Josh Newbanks with a 4-3 win in an intense match at 125 pounds.<\/p>\n
“It’s always that intense – always that crazy – when I wrestle him, “said Kent Pierson, who won his second consecutive sectional title.<\/p>\n
FAIRFIELD I: Lakota West won by taking seven first-place spots and finished with 273.50 points. Elder was second (215) and had four winners. St. Xavier was third (205).<\/p>\n
FAIRFIELD II: Harrison won with 224.50 points and three winners. Mason was second (220.50) and Oak Hills third (149).<\/p>\n
WESTERN BROWN: The host Broncos won the Division II sectional with 227.5 points and finished with three winners.<\/p>\n
EATON: Franklin won the Division II sectional with 210 points. Ross was fifth (144.5).<\/p>\n
MADEIRA: Madeira finished third in the Division III sectional. Madison was fourth and Reading fifth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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