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Tension could be on the rise in one Ohio Valley wrestling family this holiday season fueding as to which cousin is the better wrestler -- Zack Kosky or Bryan Skoff.
The cousins have a family blood line that runs deep in the sport of wreslting and is only heating up after the weekend's end.
Kosky, a 152-pounder at St. John Central, and Skoff, a 160-pounder at Bridgeport, both won their resepective weight classes this weekend. Kosky was the Green and White front runner in the Irish Invitational, pinning Magnolia's Travis Helmick in the finals while Skoff was the first of the Bulldogs to pick up a title at the Doan Ford Inviational handing Buckeye Local's Nathan Schaal a 7-4 setback.
Earning individual titles were great honors, but the icing on the cake came afterward when both were voted Most Outstanding Wrestler in their respective tournaments.
"We were talking that night at the St. John tournament and thought it was really cool that both of us won the Most Outstanding Wrestler awards," Kosky said.
These accolades are impressive, but both are in agreement the big goal is still at the end of the tunnel in Columbus.
The two hope to round out their senior campaigns with similar honors as family members Joe Skoff -- a 2006 Division III State Champion at 135 pounds -- and Mick Nicola -- a 2006 Division III State Runnerup at 145 pounds.
Both are great wrestling technicians with the ingredients needed for state gold, but both have the same problem of not having enough people in the preactice room. Neither squad supports a full team making it difficult to improve somedays.
"They can be two the biggest jackarounds in the room," Bridgeport coach Ross Roskovich said about the duo. "But you'll never see two individuals like those two push each other like they do one-on-one when they are on the mat."
Fueling the family's practice scheme, both St. John Central and Bridgeport coaches say they have to bring in some extra help to keep improving the two.
Helping out in the practice room are both Joe Skoff and Mick Nicola.
"Those guys all take care of one another and get done what needs to be done," Irish mat mentor Andy Case said. "It is awesome to wtach. They can come in and turn any practice around. Wrestling runs thick in that family."
The two also get stiff competition from Bridgeport assistant coach Brian Roskovich, a former Ohio State University wrestler, and during combined practices with Wheeling Central's Zack Basich.
"When we practice with other guys it gives you a better practice with better competition," Roskovich said. "It also makes a difference wrestling guys that have proved themselves and they won't wrestle much better at this level."
Kosky can be seen in tournament action this weekend as the top seed in the 145-pound bracket at the Emerald Pointe Barnesville Wrestling Invitational.
"Zack has been working hard and is pretty focused. He will be tough to be beat," Case said.
Skoff, along with the rest of the Bulldogs, will be off this weekend, but look for Skoff as a spectator in Barnesville.
CLAYMONT
THE GOLIATHS of the wrestling world will all collide this weekend at the Asics' Walsh Ironman Tournament. In the March 2006 issue of Wrestling USA magazine staff writer Al Fontes described the Ironman as, "The toughest tournment in the nation. In fact it has been the toughest for the past few years and appears to be getting even tougher."
Hosting the top nationally ranked high school programs in the country with the likes of Lakewood St. Edwards, multiple teams from Oklahoma and California. This year there will be a newcomer invited the Claymont Mustangs.
Continuing to build the program up, the Mustangs will take one step past their typical rigid schedule of the Alliance Top Gun Tournament, the Ohio dual tournament and dueling with nationally ranked Parkersburg South (W.Va.) this season.
This invitation was graciously received and accepted by coach Eric Toukonen. However, the Mustangs had to drop the Emerald Pointe Barnesville Wrestling Invitational, which they have not been absence since its founding.
HARRISON CENTRAL
THE HUSKIES' mat program head northwest this weekend to the Dover Invitational. Being out muscled by Maple Heights (311) and Markington (219) in the team standings, Harrison Central (204) was able to finish with a third place finish and a pair of individual champions.
Taking gold for first year head coach Todd Dunlap were Nick Risdon (125) and Rob Eddy (145).
Risdon, an unlikely winner, had to battle the likes of Lake Catholic's Dominic Randazzo. Leading 11-1, Randazzo got sloppy riding the hips high as Risdon was able to tripod and grab the head for a pinning combination.
"I guess I just got lucky in the end," Risdon, a returning state qualifier, said to the New Philadelphia Times Reporter. "I just saw his head and grabbed it. He was beating me pretty good up until that."
BROOKE CLASSIC
Oak Glen continued as a perennial powerhouse this weekend winning the Brooke Classic in Wellsburg. Placing in 12-of-14 weight classes, the Golden Bears are building for another run at the OVAC and West Virginia Class A/AA titles.
For Wheeling Park, first year coach Sean Doyle's debut in Red, White and Blue wasn't quite as what he expected, but plans to build from the experience.
"We had a pretty good effort as a team. We had a couple guys who had leads on day one make mistakes and got pinned. That cost them to not place," Doyle said to The Herald Star.
Doyle's team scores didn't show the Patriots' potential without 103-pounder Dirk Bauer. One of the best in the nation at his weight, the returning OVAC and state champ didn't make weight.
With Bauer's experience and knowledge how of the sport, this is a personal letdown to the Patriot mat program. No wrestler should ever not make weight, especially one with as much talent as Bauer.
Look for Doyle to lay the hammer down and keep a strikingly close eye on the Patriots' weight management program this week as Wheeling Park prepares for a tri-match with East Liverpool and Buckeye Local on Dec. 19.
BERTOLINO ROLLS AS CYCLONES FALL
Buckeye Local graduate David Bertolino stepped out in front of a sold-out crowd at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa Sunday afternoon as his No.1 Iowa State Cyclones fell short 20-13 against rival No. 3 Iowa.
Only 24 seconds into the first period, Bertolinio nearly stuck the Hawkeyes' Chad Beatty taking him to his shoulders on a deep takedown, but was only awarded with a two-point nearfall.
The Mount Pleasant native added two takedowns in the second period for a 9-1 advantage heading into the final two minutes of action. Bertolino scored two more takedowns and an escape before the final whistle blew and was awarded an additional point for riding time to win the bout, 16-5.
"I just went out there and wrestled hard," Bertolino said to the Sports Information Department. "I pushed the pace, and tried to break down my opponent like any match. I was definitely looking for the fall. I tried to give us a chance to make a run."
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