Heller, Rahoi Lead Eskymo Wrestlers To Regionals

ESCANABA---The Escanaba Eskymos will send four wrestlers to the MHSAA Division Two Individual Regional Tournament next Saturday in Mt. Pleasant.

And two of those boys will head downstate as highly-ranked wrestlers. Travis Heller and Kaleb Rahoi each won district championships Saturday as the Eskymos welcomed kids from 13 other schools from across both peninsulas to the individual finals.

Travis Heller (on top) gets the title win over Gaylord's Trent Hunt (bottom).

Heller was solid as usual on Saturday, eventually beating Gaylord's Trent Hunt in the 152-pound final, 6-4. Rahoi is just a sophomore, but he has been just as dominant in the 135 pound weight class. On Saturday, Rahoi beat Dylan Nichols of West Branch Ogemaw Heights, 9-0, in a one-sided district championship match.

Escanaba's 103-pounder, Sergei LaMarche, qualified for the regionals with a 9-1 win over Malachi Lyon of Mt. Pleasant in the third-place match. Eskymo heavyweight Billy Soper made regionals by finishing fourth in his weight class.

Marquette's Curt Calovecchi won the 171 pound championship to also advance to the regionals.

Fellow Redman Joe Iwanicki also earned a trip to Mt. Pleasant with a third-place finish in the 215-pound weight class.

The Upper Peninsula's only other D-2 qualifier was Sault Ste. Marie's Steve Kymes, who won a district title at 140 pounds Saturday.

CLICK HERE to see all of the results of the D-2 individual district.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see more photos. Thanks to Linda Bockman for providing these snapshots. Pictured at top: Escanaba's Kaleb Rahoi and Dylan Nichols of West Branch.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

12/6	7:00 PM	at Coleman, Wis.	15 - 59 (L)

12/13	6:30 PM	at Gladstone Braves	21 - 43 (L)

1/10	6:45 PM	Marquette Redmen	53 - 21 (W)

1/31	7:00 PM	Gladstone Braves	19 - 41 (L)

2/2	10:00 AM	Gladstone Braves	223 - 203 (W)