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Kelley ousted from district meet, falling 7-4 to Elder’s Jake Meyer in consolation match
KELLEY LED MOST OF THE WAY;
DOOMED BY 3-POINT, NEAR-FALL
TAKEDOWN WITH 0:07 REMAINING
FAIRFIELD — Dillon Kelley punched the bleachers with his fist, slumped to the gymnasium floor and — drenched in sweat with his hands covering his eyes — burst into tears.
Centerville High School assistant wrestling coach Craig Kuhr tried to console him in a lonely corner just off Mat 5 at Fairfield High School. It didn’t work.
“He’s a very emotional kid,” his father, Patrick Kelley, said.
“We don’t speak to him after matches,” his mother, Jennifer Marovich, added.
Especially losses.
Nearly nine hours after winning an appeal in court, Kelley was swept out of the 140-pound weight division at the Division I district wrestling tournament, his season and 18-day nightmare in the “Cookie Caper Case” finally over.
The 16-year-old Centerville High School sophomore, who was arrested for alleged theft of a $1.30 package of cookies in the school cafeteria on Feb. 10, learned at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 27, that he’d be wrestling in the district meet.
Judges Mary E. Donovan and James A. Brogan of the Second District Court of Appeals ruled in his favor, overturning Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Frances E. McGee’s Thursday decision that granted Centerville’s request to have a temporary restraining order dissolved.
Kelley won in court, but lost twice on the mat, which cost him an opportunity to qualify for the state tournament.
Glen Este’s Tommy Fehring pinned Kelley at 1:10 of the first period during the afternoon, then Cincinnati Elder’s Jake Meyer beat Kelley, 7-4, in an 8:15 p.m. match decided when Meyer scored a 3-point, near-fall takedown with 0:07 remaining in the third and final period. Kelley led most of the match.
“The last two weeks have just about drained the whole family,” Patrick Kelley said. “It was one roller coaster after another. Ups and downs. This culminates it all. Hopefully, next year he’s learned from this experience and grows with it. He plays baseball, so we’ll move on to that.”
Added Marovich: “Tough match. It happens. I’m just glad he got to wrestle. It’s been a tough couple weeks for him — a long haul. It’s been a difficult time and it’s hard to prepare mentally. This is a very mental sport. But he did his best and the better wrestler won.”
Kelley gathered up his sweat suit and headgear and moved to a breezeway adjacent to the main arena, where more tears flowed. Ten minutes later, he was finally calm enough to speak.
“It was hard to focus on wrestling and wrestle your best,” Kelley whispered. “It’s disappointing. There were a lot of distractions these last two weeks. I’ve just got to get ready for next season.”
SCORING IN CONSOLATION MATCH
DILLON KELLEY VS. JAKE MEYER
First period — Kelley 2-point takedown; Meyer escape. Kelley leads, 2-1.
Second period — Kelley 2-point reversal; Meyer escape. Kelley leads, 4-2.
Third period — Meyer 2-point reversal 1:34 remaining; Meyer 3-point, near-fall takedown 0:07 remaining.
JAKE MEYER WINS, 7-4.
“It was a pretty hard match,” Meyer said. “You just can’t get frustrated when you’re behind. You’ve got to keep your head in the match. He (Dillon Kelley) was a tough wrestler. I didn’t expect him to come at me that hard.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: Wrestling
Comments
By Bill
February 27, 2009 11:23 PM | Link to this
Is this the ONLY wrestling story that DDN can report on? We have the states top DII and DIII teams and several other outstanding wrestlers, how about covering some of them and giving wrestling in this area some positive coverage?By JimBob
February 27, 2009 11:47 PM | Link to this
Good riddance to this unworthy news story. Now let’s do a few things: 1) Start reporting real news, 2) Prosecute people in real courts rather than in the court of public opinion and 3) Investigate why CHS charges $5.20 for a dozen cookies when most grocery stores charge less than $4.00 per dozen for cookies made fresh in their bakeries.By Scott
February 28, 2009 7:28 AM | Link to this
Too many cookies did him in. We probably haven’t heard the last from him. I see he’s getting ready for baseball season now. I see another lawsuit coming the first time he gets yanked for a pinch hitter.By baseballguy-1
February 28, 2009 7:32 AM | Link to this
I pity the poor pitcher who hits little Dillon with a pitch. We’ll be back in court over this incident.By OHYEAOFLITTLEFAITH
March 1, 2009 1:56 PM | Link to this
You that are without sin cast the first stone