Yesterday's seven-team Friends Invitational amounted to a workout for No. 5 Owings Mills before tomorrow's county tournament, as well as an opportunity to gain valuable points toward the regional and state tournaments.
Owings Mills had 12 finalists and individual champs Steve Kellner (112 pounds), Josh Ellin (125, 22-1), Ari Dolid (130, 21-1), Jimmy Hudson (135, 21-3), Steve Kessler (140, 23-0), Shaun Andoll (145), Josh Ezrine (160), Kirk Lurie (189) and Anthony Smith (Hwt.)
Pikesville (12-2) was the only other team with multiple champs with Hale Schilling (103) and Chad Hipsley (171, 25-0), the latter having to overcome deficits of 2-0, and 3-2, in a 4-3 decision over Willie Broadnax (13-4) of Owings Mills.
Kessler, a defending state champ, improved to a state-record 59-0 with two technical falls, outscoring his opponents a combined 33-2.
Ellin led his title bout, 4-0, on a takedown and two back points en route to winning, 4-2, over Dundalk's Dan Simancek (20-2).
Randallstown's Sean Winigan (119, 14-5) pinned all three opponents, overcoming an 8-2 semifinal deficit to upset Owings Mills' Adam Fink (20-2), and erasing a 10-0 deficit in his title bout with Dundalk's Travis Williams.
pTC