2016 OHSAA State Wrestling Dual Team
Tournament Preview
By Josh Lowe, IntermatWrestle.com
Josh Lowe is in his seventh year as the national
high school wrestling analyst for InterMat, and also writes a weekly high
school wrestling column for JJHuddle. He has also contributed to additional
local and national wrestling publications and websites for several years.
Lowe is a wrestling tournament coordinator for his alma mater, Beachwood
High School, including an OHSAA sectional tournament. Outside of wrestling,
Josh is a licensed OHSAA baseball and fast-pitch softball official, as well
as a registered slow-pitch softball umpire, and serves as a volunteer
assistant soccer coach at Beachwood High School. Lowe graduated from The
Ohio State University in 2004 with Bachelor's degrees in Mathematics and
Economics, as well as an MBA in Accounting from Baldwin-Wallace College in
2013. He is currently an accounting professional at a nursing home, resides
in Mayfield Heights, and was honored with an OHSAA Media Service Award at
the 2013 individual state wrestling tournament.
OVERVIEW
2016 marks the fourth year
of the OHSAA state wrestling dual team tournament. Each year of the event
brings a degree of newness to the table. This year the event is being held
on a Sunday, as opposed to Saturday, as it was the prior three years. In
addition, there are nine teams making a debut appearance in the event � a
number that is rather similar to the second and third editions of the event,
when nine and 10 teams, respectively, were making state wrestling dual team
tournament debuts.
Teams making debuts in the
state tournament are Dublin Coffman and Fairfield in Division I; Mentor Lake
Catholic, Mt. Orab Western Brown, Steubenville and Wauseon in Division II;
along with Apple Creek Waynedale, Oak Harbor, and Shadyside in Division III.
The Division I tournament
has crowned three different champions in the three previous seasons, with
all three previous champions in this year�s tournament; St. Paris Graham
Local is seeking a fourth straight title in the Division II tournament, and
is the top seed for the fourth straight year; while Delta seeks a fourth
straight title in Division III.
The wrestling dual team
tournament continues to crown a state champion solely based on dual meets,
fostering a team spirit that further engages fans across the state, and add
another set of relevant wrestling dates on the calendar.
DIVISION III
Three-time defending
champion Delta is the top seed in the Division III tournament for a
fourth-straight year. The Panthers are led by five returning individual
state tournament finalists: Drew Mattin (120), Jake Spiess (132) and Chance
Veller (285) are defending state champions, while Dustin Marteney (138) and
Jesse Beverly (152/160) earned runner-up honors. Two others return with
state individual tournament experience, Colin Hoffman (138/145) and two-time
placer Devin Richard (220). Their quarterfinals opponent is eighth-seed
Shadyside, who is making its state team tournament debut. The Tigers are led
by two past individual state tournament qualifiers, Brett Kahl (145) and
two-time placer Greg Quinn (120).
The second seed this year
is Mechanicsburg, which is coming off of its best wrestling season in
program history last year � a semifinal appearance in the dual team
tournament and a fourth place finish in the individual tournament. The
Indians feature seven wrestlers with individual state tournament experience,
led by two-time champion Kaleb Romero (160) and four others have placed at
state as individuals: Tyler Wetzel (113), Alex Rhine (120), Tanner Smith
(138) and Wade Smiddy (145), while Nick Miller (132) and Corey Bogan (152)
have qualified previously. Their quarterfinal opponent is seventh-seed
Amanda-Clearcreek, which is in its third state team tournament appearance
and is seeking its first win in the event. The Aces return one qualifier
from last year�s Division II state individual tournament, Jordan Leasure
(195).
Apple Creek Waynedale, the
third seed, is making its state team tournament debut. In three previous
years, the Bears have been eliminated by a combined 10 points in the
regional final or semifinal losses. This year�s team is led by three
individual state tournament qualifiers in Christian Wellman (113), Reid
Stanley (160) and Tristan Anderson (182). Drawing the Bears in the
quarterfinal round is sixth-seed Versailles, which returns to the state team
tournament for the first time since a 2013 semifinal appearance. The Tigers
are led by returning state individual tournament qualifier Kyle Gigandet
(195).
Fourth seed Oak Harbor is
also in their state team tournament debut after eliminating returning
semifinalist Milan Edision 31-29 in the regional semifinal. The Rockets had
lost to eventual state champion Delta each of the prior two years at the
regional level. They feature three returning qualifiers from the Division II
individual state tournament: Dylan Mansor (126), Rhett Petersen (145) and
Brandon Garber (285). Oak Harbor draws fifth-seed Rootstown, which is in its
second state team tournament, having advanced to the quarterfinal stage in
2014. The Rovers feature six returning individual state tournament
qualifiers: Seth Hayes (120), Jason Sadler (145), Luke Sorboro (170) and
Patrick Jordan (182) as returning placers, while Dalton Leightner (113) and
Tony Paolucci (126) fell one match short of the podium last year; however,
the status of Sadler for the team state tournament is uncertain.
DIVISION II
In Division II, three-time
defending champion St. Paris Graham Local is again the top seed and a clear
favorite. The Falcons have also won the individual state tournament in 15
consecutive seasons. They are led by three-time state individual champion
Alex Marinelli (170); three other champions in Mitch Moore (126), Brent
Moore (138) and Rocky Jordan (145); three other state placers Justin
Stickley (120), Ryan Thomas (132) and Garrett Jordan (160); along with
qualifier Kanan Sarver (195). In the quarterfinal round, the Falcons draw
eighth-seed New Lexington. The Panthers are in this round for a second time,
having fallen to St. Paris Graham 66-6 at this stage last year. They are led
by returning state individual tournament qualifier Matt Adams (285), while
Andrew Spicer (132) qualified in 2014, and returning qualifier Dmitri
Williams has not competed since December due to injury.
One of four debut
participants in Division II, Steubenville has earned the second seed after
upending dual team tournament regular Urichsville Claymont 34-31 in the
regional final. The Big Red are led by three returning state individual
tournament placers: two-time runner-up Tariq Wilson (126), Jashon Hubbard
(132) and Shawn Livingston (170); while Dakota Goff (145) and Tim Albertson
(195) have also qualified. Their opponent is seventh-seed Hamilton Ross,
which is in its third state team tournament appearance, including
advancement to the semifinals in 2013. The Rams, however, feature just one
returning state individual tournament qualifier, Jake Gentry (113).
Yet another debutant in
Division II is third-seed Wauseon, who had been eliminated by three-time
state tournament semifinalist (also 2015 runner-up) Toledo Central Catholic
the previous three seasons. In each season, the Indians were top ten in the
state individual tournament, including fifth last year. Wauseon is led by
three returning state individual tournament placers: Sandro Ramirez (145),
Tre Campbell (182), and Tony Bannister (195); while Mauricio Barajas (126)
and Hunter Yackee (132) also qualified for state as individuals. Their
opponent is sixth-seed Akron SVSM, who is in the tournament for a second
straight year after beating two-time team state participant Padua 37-34 in
the regional final. The Irish are led by state individual tournament placer
Ben Knaus (170) and returning qualifier Luke Wymer (120).
Rounding out the
quarterfinal matches is a pairing of teams in their initial state team
tournament, as fourth-seed Mentor Lake Catholic takes on fifth-seed Mt. Orab
Western Brown. Lake Catholic is led by returning state individual tournament
placer Kevon Freeman (132), along with three other returning qualifiers in
Hunter Ryan (113), John Szep (182) and Justin Sanders (195); while Mitch
Skleres (126) qualified for the 2014 state individual tournament in Division
III. The fifth-seeded Broncos feature just a pair of returning state
individual tournament qualifiers in returning placer Brandon Lucas (106/113)
and Malachi Marlow (152).
DIVISION I
2013 team state champion
Lakewood St. Edward is the top seed in Division I for a third time in four
editions of this event. Last year the Eagles finished as runners-up, being
upset by Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 32-30, in the final. However, they
bounced back to win the state individual tournament for the 17th time in 19
years. This year�s St. Edward team is led by five wrestlers who have
appeared in the state individual tournament: champion Allan Hart (126),
runners-up Hunter Ladnier (138) and Jared Campbell (220), placer Jack Conway
(152) and qualifier Matt Kazimir (113). Four others placed at the district
tournament last year. They draw eighth-seed Cincinnati Elder in the
quarterfinal round, which also qualified for the state team tournament last
year, losing to eventual champion Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 51-10, in
the opening round. The Panthers are led by three returning state qualifiers:
Austin Murphy (126), Connor Craig (145/152) and Ti�Ric Evans (170), while
Samuel Williams (145/152) also qualified for state in 2013.
The second seed is Elyria,
which was runner-up in last year�s state individual tournament after losing
34-24 to Lakewood St. Edward in the semifinal of its debut state team
tournament appearance. The Pioneers return seven with state individual
tournament experience, including champions in Ben Darmstadt (195) and Kevin
Vough (285). Placing last year as individuals were Brandon Fenton (113/120),
Nico O�Dor (152), Mikah Price (160) and J.T. Brown (182), while Josh
Breeding (120/126) was a qualifier. Their quarterfinal opponent is
seventh-seed Delaware Hayes, which returns for its second state dual team
tournament appearance (2014). The Pacers are led by a pair of state
qualifiers in two-time state placer Greg Brusco (152) and Chris Martinez
(195).
Returning state team
tournament champion Brecksville-Broadview Heights is the third seed this
year. Last year�s path to the championship included a 27-21 semifinal
victory over Massillon Perry, which avenged a 2014 state final loss, before
upsetting Lakewood St. Edward in the final. This year�s team is led by three
two-time state individual tournament placers: Jarrod Bronstrup (113), Harry
Feuer (120) and Justin Demicco (145). Three others qualified for state last
year: Austin HIles (152), who placed third, Luke Strnad (182/195) and Eddie
Strnad (220), though the status of Sternad is uncertain. The Bees draw
state team tournament debutant Dublin Coffman, the sixth seed in the opening
round. The Shamrocks have shown improvement each year: regional second
round, regional quarterfinal, and regional semifinal the previous three
years. They are anchored by returning state champion Dominick Demas (145),
along with two other district placers.
The other Division I state
tournament debutant is fourth seed Fairfield. The Indians are led by three
returning state individual tournament qualifiers: Zach Shupp (106), Austin
Sper (132) and Andrew Sams (152); Sams also having placed at state as an
individual in 2014. Their opponent is 2014 state team and individual
tournament champion Massillon Perry, which drew the fifth seed. The Panthers
were also team state runners-up in 2013 and semifinalists in 2015. This
year�s team is anchored by state individual champion David Carr (145),
placer Joseph Koontz (138) and qualifier Emil Soehnlen (152).
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