This Sunday will mark 40 years to the day that Ohio crowned its first four-time state wrestling champion when on March 10, 1979, Mark Zimmer of Columbus DeSales pinned Belpre’s Scott Adams at the 2:45 mark to win the Class AA crown at 119 pounds. That state tournament – and many others – took place right across the street at St. John Arena, which now serves as host of the OHSAA dual team state wrestling tournament in February.
On that day in 1979, Jim Jordan of St. Paris Graham won his first state title, a 5-4 decision over Aurora’s Scott Keil in the 98 pound weight class. Three years later, he became Ohio’s second four-time state champion, and be the lynchpin of the Falcons’ first state championship team. Jim’s younger brother Jeff was an eighth grader in 1979, and became Ohio’s third four-time state champion with titles won from 1980 through 1983. In 1982, Jim and Jeff were the lone state champions on a state title-winning team, which had just two other state placers.
Since then, one might recall Jeff Jordan as the architect for the current dynastic run that Graham is on. The Falcons have won 18 consecutive state titles, and 19 in the last 21 years; Jeff was the head coach for the last 17, but stepped down at the end of last season.
In terms of potential four-time state champions, Dylan D’Emilio (Genoa Area) is in position to make it four straight years that Ohio has had a four-time state champion crowed. However, in each of the last three years, a three-time state champion has also lost in the semifinal round or earlier at the state tournament. Prior to 2016, three-time state champions were 108-0 when competing at the state tournament in their senior season.
History and milestones are always happening at the state tournament. Ben Pasiuk (Carrollton), who will be competing this weekend in Division II at 160 pounds, will be the fourth wrestler to enter the state tournament as a three-time state runner-up.
Previously, Steven Blunk (Cuyahoga Falls CVCA/Streetsboro) finished second in 2001-2003 before earning four straight technical falls on the way to a state title at 135 pounds in Division II; Josh Horne (Pickerington Central) was second in 2002-2004 before beating Mikey Davis (Hilliard Davidson) 6-4 in the Division I final at 140; while Ryan Fields (Lakota West) lost to freshmen in the 2005-2007 state finals before losing a 2007 state final rematch in the 2008 Division I 130 pound state semifinal on the way to a fourth place finish.
As a freshman 106 pound wrestler, Pasiuk lost 2-0 to defending state champion Josh Venia (Toledo Central Catholic) in the state final; while the next two years, he would lose in the state finals to four-time state champion Mitch Moore (Graham). In 2017 it was a 2-0 victory for Moore at 132, while last year it was 3-2 for Moore at 145. Looking at Pasiuk’s nine state tournament victories to date, four come by fall, and a fifth is by technical fall.
There are two potential team point milestones in play this weekend. In Division III, Genoa Area could break the points record held by Troy Christian, which amassed 162 points in 2008 on the strength of four state champions, a fifth finalist and eight total medalists. The Comets return six top three place finishers from last year’s state tournament, and a seventh that placed in the 2017 state tournament.
In Division I, Lakewood St. Edward and Cincinnati La Salle should be engaged in a very tight battle for the state title. The two teams will have the most individual qualifiers for the state tournament and four weeks ago battled in a barnburner in the dual team state final, one that St. Edward won 29-28. The most points by a second place team occurred in 2010 when St. Edward amassed 167.5 points, but that was not enough as Wadsworth scored 172. In that year, Wadsworth and St. Edward each had four champs and two additional finalists.
Looking to star individuals this weekend, D’Emilio is one of 15 wrestlers that return from winning a state title last season, along with three other individuals that were state champions in a previous year. None of those individuals are competing in a common weight bracket, the first time that has happened since 2011, when those 16 defending champions and three additional champions were also in different weight classes.
Seeking third state titles are Jacob and Jordan Decatur of Cuyahoga Falls CVCA, both of whom are seniors and have signed with Ohio State; while Bryce Andonian (St. Edward), a Virginia Tech signee, is also seeking a third state title in four years. Andonian, D’Emilio, Jacob Decatur, and Pasiuk are among the twelve wrestlers seeking a fourth straight state tournament placement.
DIVISION I
Champions of the last four individual state tournaments, seven of eight and 20 of the last 22, St. Edward will enter the event with a tournament-high 12 state qualifiers. That total includes six district champions and no fourth place finishers. Among the district champions are returning state champion Bryce Hepner (138), Andonian at 145, three-time state placer Sam Dover (152) and undefeated returning state placer Padraic Gallagher (160).
Dual team state runner-up La Salle qualifies a school-record 11 to the state tournament, eight of whom are district champions, and just one that finished fourth. Among the district champions are undefeated Cole Skinner (106); returning state runner-up Dustin Norris (113); returning champ Lucas Byrd (120); returning state placers Antoine Allen (126), Trey Sizemore (182) and Michael Baker (195), as well as now two-time state qualifier E’lan Heard (152).
Quality depth has been the hallmark of the big-school division over the years and merely making it to the state final is truly an accomplishment. Making that point abundantly clear are a pair of seniors ranked in the top five nationally that have yet to wrestle on the Saturday night stage at Value City Arena: Dover at 152 and Connor Brady (Olentangy Liberty), who is ranked No. 1 nationally at 160.
Dover features in a relatively deep 152 pound weight class that includes returning state champion Victor Voinovich (Brecksville-Broadview Heights). Of interest here is that Dover went 3-0 against Voinovich last year, and also earned a 6-3 victory last month at the dual team state tournament. Dover is looking at a potential semifinal against Heard, whom he beat 5-2 in the dual team state final; while Voinovich has two-time state placer Walker Heard (Marysville) in his half-bracket.
Brady enters the state tournament as one of 10 undefeated wrestlers in Division I, 20 between the three divisions. There is a clear potential for a showdown on Friday night in the semifinals between Brady and fellow undefeated Gallagher.
Two other national No. 1 ranked wrestlers feature in the big-school Division: returning state champions Byrd at 120 pounds and Carson Kharchla (Liberty) at 170. Byrd is looking at a potential semifinal against returning state placer Jacob Sherman (Lewis Center Olentangy), who is undefeated on the season; while the other half-bracket is highlighted by another undefeated wrestler in two-time state placer Jake Canitano (Solon). For Kharchla, who is undefeated on the season, two-time state placer Nevan Snodgrass (Kettering Fairmont) is the other district champion in his half-bracket; while returning state placer Najee Lockett (Shaker Heights), who is also undefeated, is in the opposite half of the draw.
Three weight classes in Division I feature six wrestlers that have placed in the state tournament, in particular the 138 pound bracket that includes wrestlers that finished first, second, and third last year at state. Hepner and returning state runner-up Luke Baughman (Wadsworth) were district champions, while Marco Regalbuto (Brecksville) lost 3-2 to Baughman in the district final.
The bracket sets up a potential Hepner-Regalbuto semifinal, though Hepner could face two-time state placer Gus Sutton (Austintown Fitch) in the quarterfinal; while Baughman could have a quarterfinal against returning state placer Matt Zuckerman (Elyria), with district champion Jake Niffenegger (La Salle) and returning state placer Mitch Collica (Macedonia Nordonia) wrestling in the opening round in that same half-bracket.
Also with six returning state placers are the 126 pound class led by returning runner-up Dylan Shawver (Elyria) and 120, while there are two weight classes with five returning state placers, 132 and 145 pounds.
Undefeated Jaivon Jones (Nordonia), a returning state placer, is among those at 132. Jones is looking at a possible quarterfinal match against two-time state placer Blake Saito (Perrysburg), while two-time state placer Jordan Ward (Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller) is the other district champion in the half bracket. In the upper half, returning state runner-up Mick Burnett (Elyria) is one of the two state placers, while Casey Wiles (La Salle) is in the opposite quarter bracket after losing to Ward in overtime in the district final.
Two-time state champion Andonian is featured at 145, where he is joined by two-time state placer Michael North (Wadsworth) as the other district champion in his half-bracket. The bottom half-bracket includes Christopher Donathan (Mason), the returning runner-up in this weight class after beating Dover 7-4 in the state semifinal; returning state placer Daniel Patten (Stow-Monroe Falls) is a possible quarterfinal opponent for Donathan, while returning placer Daniel Segura (Dublin Scioto) is the other district champion in the half-bracket.
Rounding out the undefeated wrestlers in Division I are two-time state placer Gary Wokojance (Barberton) at 182 pounds and junior Jacob Padilla (Huber Heights Wayne), who is the only returning state placer at 285.
Among the teams positioned well to be in the hunt behind St. Edward and La Salle are Elyria, which qualified nine to state, as well as district champions Brecksville and Dublin Coffman, which qualified eight each to state. Other teams of particular note are Oregon Clay, which qualified seven to state; while Wadsworth, Perrysburg, Mason, and Harrison each qualified six.
DIVISION II
Even in the midst of mass transition, new head coach Travis McIntosh led his Graham team to 11 state qualifiers after winning a seventh straight dual team state title last month. Keep in mind this is a Falcons team that lost six state champions and/or finalists to graduation, each of whom is wrestling at the NCAA Division I level. In addition, returning state champion Tanner Jordan and returning state placer Andrew Shaffer were lost due to injury prior to the start of the season.
It is now six consecutive years for the Falcons to qualify 11 or more to the state tournament, 10 of whom made it to the district final. A group of five – including returning state runners-up Nick Moore (132) and Alek Martin (138), two-time state placer Jeffrey Thomas (152), and returning state placer Isaiah Stickley (160) – won district titles; while three-time state placer Johnny Shafer (285) finished third at district.
Moore will feature in the opposite half-bracket of two-time state champion Jordan Decatur, who is ranked No. 1 nationally at 132 pounds. When the pair wrestled in late January, Decatur emerged with a 3-1 victory.
Martin enters the state tournament coming off a 4-1 district final victory over fellow returning state runner-up Wade Monebrake (Eaton). Two-time state placer Jacson Muldrew (Steubenville) is in the same quarter bracket as Martin, while another two-time state placer Caden Blust (Tiffin Columbian) is in the other quarter of this half-bracket along with district champion Hunter Olson (Akron SVSM). In the bottom half, Monebrake features in the same quarter of the draw as Gabe Steyer (Van Wert), who beat Blust in the district final, while returning state placer Kyle Petersen (Aurora) is in the other quarter along with district champion Micah Norwood (Columbus Bishop Hartley), who beat Muldrew 6-3 in the district final.
That 138 pound weight class is joined by two other Division II brackets to feature five returning state placers, those at 160 and 170. Three-time state runner-up Pasiuk anchors the 160 pound class. The opposite quarterfinal in Pasiuk’s half could feature returning state placers Justin Mayes (Bellevue) and Will McGhee (Aurora), while returning state placers Isaiah Stickley (Graham) and Ethan Hernandez (Norwalk) are the district champions in the opposite half-bracket.
Among all 42 weights to be contested at this weekend’s state tournament, the deepest is the 126 pound weight class in Division II, which features eight returning state placers. In the top half bracket, the district champions are returning state placer Peyten Kellar (Vincent Warren) and Isaiah Wortham (Dayton Chaminade-Julienne), and each could face another returning state placer in the quarters; for Kellar it would be Davin Rhoads (Louisville), while Wortham could face two-time state placer Connor McCrone (Mentor Lake Catholic).
District champions in the bottom half are Matthew Williams (CVCA) and returning state placer Nolan Ray (Wauseon). Williams could face returning state placer Peyton Blasko (Steubenville), while Ray has an opening round match against two-time state placer Jack Gorman (Aurora) with two-time state runner-up Cole McComas (Lisbon Beaver) as a possible quarterfinal opponent.
Despite being a two-time state champion, and having ended last season ranked No. 1 nationally at 106 pounds, Jacob Decatur has lost to two different contenders in his weight class this season. Those being two-time state placer Cael Woods (Millersburg West Holmes), who is undefeated on the season, and Dierre Clayton (Akron SVSM). That pair could possibly meet in the quarterfinal.
Two returning state placers join Decatur in his half-bracket at 113 pounds, Michael Petrella (Columbus Bishop Hartley) and Chase Huff (Goshen), who meet in the first round and feed into the quarter of district champion Jake Manley (Tontogany Otsego). Returning state placer Jake Hamulak (Chardon) was runner-up to Decatur at district and is in the opposite quarter of the half-bracket anchored by Woods and Clayton.
Two additional wrestlers return as state champions from last season, Tyler Stein (Canfield) at 220 pounds and Jack DelGarbino (Girard) at 285. Stein is the lone returning state placer in his weight class, though he did need to win a pair of one-point matches against now two-time state qualifiers in Blake Robbins (Louisville) and Breslin Walker (CVCA) to win a second straight district title.
DelGarbino is undefeated in 74 consecutive matches after an overtime loss in the consolation final at state of his sophomore year; Shafer is the lone additional wrestler to previously place at state in this weight class, and is in the same half of the bracket as DelGarbino; while Alex Coleman (Hamilton Ross), who pinned Shafer in the district semifinal anchors the opposite half of the draw.
2017 state champion Jordan Crace (Bellefontaine) and returning state runner-up Kyle Rowan (Perry) join Woods and Crace as the only wrestlers to be undefeated entering the Division II state tournament. Crace could be looking at a semifinal match against returning state placer Andy Garr (Aurora), a wrestler that he beat by just one point in mid-January, though two-time state placer Skyler Lasure (Lisbon Beaver) possibly awaits first in the quarterfinal. The other half of the 145 pound bracket has sophomore Douglas Terry (Granville) and freshman Ethan Turnbaugh (Ontario) as its district champions. At 106 pounds, Rowan is the lone returning Ohio state tournament placer, and is ranked in the top five nationally after winning the Walsh Ironman in January.
The previous four years saw Graham win the state title by more than 100 points, and in the last 18 years the margin has only been less than 40 on three occasions (38 in 2014, 37-1/2 in 2002, and 39 in 2001). Runners-up for three straight years, Canfield is in position to again contest for that position with three district champions among its six state qualifiers. Also with three district champion individuals are Aurora and CVCA; the Greenmen qualified a school-record seven individuals in winning a district team title, while the Royals qualified five. Mentor Lake Catholic and Lisbon Beaver qualified the second most wrestlers with eight each, a record-tying total for the Cougars and a record-setting one for the Beaver. Steubenville has two district champions among its seven individuals, while Sandusky Perkins also has two district champions in its record-tying total of six. Also qualifying six to state was Louisville, and that is a record total.
DIVISION III
Genoa Area seeks to sweep titles at the dual team and individual state tournaments for a second straight year. The Comets advanced a school-record nine to the state tournament, including six as district champions: Oscar Sanchez (120) and the undefeated James Limongi (160), who both were 2017 state champions; two-time state runner-up Julian Sanchez (132), three-time state champion Dylan D’Emilio (138), state placer Dustin Morgillo (145), and 2017 state placer Kevin Contos (152).
The sixth returning top-three state placer for Genoa is Noah Koch (285), who was third last year in the weight class, but lost by fall in the third period to Noah Price (Fremont St. Joseph Central Catholic). Price is undefeated on the season, placed third last year at 220, and would be his school’s first state champion since 1983.
In the state 285 pound bracket, Price has district champion Jeff Meyer (Columbus Grove) and returning state placer Joe Warren (Smithville) in other quarter of the same bottom half, while Koch and returning state placer Donovan McCollister (Nelsonville-York) could meet in the quarterfinal, with district champion William Lindsey (Hawken) also in that half-bracket.
Two weight classes in the small-school division feature six returning state placers, those at 126 and 145 pounds, each includes a returning state champion among the field. At 126 pounds, Ethan Turner (Troy Christian) lost 2-1 in the ultimate tiebreaker of his district final against freshman Gavin Brown (Xenia Legacy Christian Academy). Turner could face returning state placer Gavin Weaver (Newcomerstown) in the quarterfinal, while returning state placer Cameron Dickman (Oak Harbor) is the other district champion of that half-bracket. Brown could face returning state placer Dakota Blanton (Ashland Crestivew) in the quarterfinal, while three-time state placer Zach Larue (Akron Manchester) and returning state placer Antonio Lecki (Millbury Lake) also reside in that half-bracket.
Morgillo is looking at a possible quarterfinal at 145 against fellow returning state placer Cael Rowland (West Salem Northwestern), while two-time state placer Devan Hendricks (Jamestown Greeneview) is also in that half-bracket. Returning state champion Nick Burgard (Ashtabula St. John) is in the opposite half of the draw, with the other pair of state placers in the other quarter, district champion Joey Caprella (Lima Central Catholic) and Carter Winegardner (Zanesville West Muskingum).
Four weight classes feature five returning state placers: 113, 132, 138, and 170. Returning state champions also feature at three of those weight classes.
At 113 pounds, Casey Barnett (Milan Edison) is the returning state champion, while Lucian Brink (Coshocton) is undefeated. For Brink that includes a 4-3 late January win over Barnett to avenge last year’s 106 pound state final defeat. Those two are in opposite half-brackets. Caleb Edwards (Rootstown) joins Brink as a district champion in the bottom half-bracket, placing third at state in this weight last year, and could see returning state placer Cael Vanderhost (Covington) in the quarterfinal. Barnett is in the opposite quarter of fellow district champion Max Shore (Casstown Miami East) and two-time state placer Collin Yinger (Nelsonville-York).
Julian Sanchez reversed a late December loss to returning state champion Cole Mattin (Delta) by winning 3-2 in the district final. Sanchez could face returning state placer Brian Palmer (Rayland Buckeye Local) in the quarterfinal, while Mattin is looking at a first round match against two-time state placer Jake White (Akron Manchester) and then a possible state finals rematch from last year against two-time state placer Klay Reeves (Johnstown Northridge) in the semifinal round.
In the hunt for a fourth state title, the other district champion in D’Emilio’s half-bracket is two-time state placer Niko Chilson (Rootstown). Returning state placer Logan Hursey (Newcomerstown) is one of the district champions in the bottom half, while the other quarter of that half features a first round bout between returning state placers Jordan Keegan (Milan Edison) and Parker Watson (Rocky River Lutheran West).
Three returning top three place finishers, all of whom won district titles, are among those five state placers at 170. Conor Becker (Galion Northmor) and two-time state placer Brad Mendoza (Gibsonburg) anchor the top half of the draw, with state placer Sevi Garza (Rittman) a possible quarterfinal opponent for Becker. Returning runner-up David Cumberledge (Ashtabula St. John) won his district title by beating the previously undefeated Garza 7-1, and could face returning state placer Santino Kusic (Bridgeport) in the quarterfinal.
Three additional wrestlers enter the Division III state tournament undefeated: returning state placer Kellan Anderson (Covington) at 106 pounds, returning state placer Deandre Nassar (Bluffton) at 182 and returning state champion Hudson Jump (Grandview Hts.) at 220.
Qualifying the second most wrestlers in Division III was district-champion Troy Christian with seven. Third-most was Milan Edison with six, as the Chargers were runner-up to Genoa at district tournament and last month in the dual team state tournament. Oak Harbor qualified five, as did the top two teams out of the Garfield Heights District – Rootstown and Tuslaw. Last year’s runner-up to Genoa in the individual tournament, Ashtabula St. John, is among five teams to have four state qualifiers.