Warren

Tower’s Pipes wins wrestling title at Macomb County Invitational

By Jason Carmel Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Warren Woods Tower junior grappler Nick Pipes won the 125-pound title at the 2012 Macomb County Invitational, which took place Dec. 21-22 at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley High. Pipes is pictured during a quad held Jan. 8 at Tower. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Warren Woods Tower junior grappler Nick Pipes won the 125-pound title at the 2012 Macomb County Invitational, which took place Dec. 21-22 at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley High. Pipes is pictured during a quad held Jan. 8 at Tower.

WARREN — Warren Woods Tower junior wrestler Nick Pipes said a win at the 2012 Macomb County Invitational could set the tone for a solid season.

Pipes’ season is off to a great start then, as he knocked off Richmond’s Austin Vannatter 20-4 in the 125-pound final of the tournament, held Dec. 21-22 at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley High.

Pipes recorded a technical fall in the win, outscoring Vannatter by more than 15 points in the final.

“I was really excited I won. You go up against some good wrestlers in that tournament, and getting a win can set you up to have a good season,” said Pipes, who qualified for the individual state finals as a freshman and sophomore.

“You put the season in sections: the (Macomb County Invite), the league season, districts and regionals, and the state finals. It’s great to get off to a good start,” he said.

Titans coach Greg Mayer said he was impressed with Pipes’ performance at the county invite. He said the junior grappler looked sharp from start to finish.

“He was just really focused for the entire thing, especially in the finals,” said Mayer, whose team sat at 10-5 overall, 1-0 in the Macomb Area Conference Red Division at press time. “He executed everything we work on every day in practice, and he executed it well.”

The invite, in its 39th year, is a showcase for individual wrestlers, but seeing a teammate win can prove positive for an entire group, according to Mayer. Tower’s team finished sixth out of 38 teams at the meet, which was won by Richmond for the third straight year.

Mayer, in his 14th year as Tower wrestling coach, said success breeds success, adding all of Pipes’ teammates reveled in his win.

“I love being able to share this with my coach and my team. It feels good knowing we all have 30 guys behind us cheering us on,” Pipes said. “If we have that all season, the team can do some things.”

The Titans next hit the mat for a quad with Anchor Bay, Romeo and Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse, set for 5 p.m. Jan. 17 at L’Anse Creuse.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jason Carmel Davis at jdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1107. Follow Jason Carmel on Twitter.