Bears cruise to Lee title

• By FRED ALDRICH
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Jan 11, 2009 - Page: 12c - UPDATED: 9:40 a.m.

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Catholic High easily outwrestled the field to defend its title at the 36th annual Lee High Invitational Tournament on Saturday at the Ketcham Center.

The Bears rolled up 253 points to 206 for second-place St. Paul’s of Covington and 203 for third-place Rummel.

Every year the Lee High tournament has had intriguing story lines, and this year was no exception.

Matt Rabinowitz of Airline-Bossier City opened the finals by winning his third straight championship in the 103-pound division with a 12-2 decision over Ryan Seals of Mandeville.

“I really put my heart and soul into this tournament,” Rabinowitz said. “That first win (championship) was definitely the hardest. This year I felt like I had a big experience advantage over my opponents.”

With the win, Rabinowitz will have a chance to return next year and attempt to become the first four-time winner in tournament history.

Story line No. 2 came in the 125-pound division when Catholic’s Chase Fresina defeated Anthony Lacava of St. Paul’s.

Fresina joined his brother Trent as the 18th set of brothers to win a Lee High championship. Both Fresinas recorded a title in their junior year.

Chase Fresina moved up as the No. 1 seed when Jonathan Dupre of Jesuit withdrew from the tournament.

“I had been pumped to wrestle against Dupre, but when I got the seed I knew I could only go with what they gave me,” he said.

“I’d wrestled my opponents in the semis and finals before, but the matches were closer this time.”

Saving the best for last, Istrouma’s Christopher Johnson closed the tournament with a 40-second pin of second-seeded Tanner Baldus of Mandeville.

Unheralded and unseeded, Johnson defeated No. 1 seed Sam Engro of Brother Martin-New Orleans 6-2 and pinned No. 4 seed Nick Lagarbo of St. Paul’s on his march to the finals.