McCONNELSVILLE — Versatility was Bradley Spencer’s hallmark.
Whether it was a defensive stopper in soccer, making tackles as a first-year linebacker or racking up takedowns, Morgan’s multisport standout will soon leave as one of the school’s most productive all-around athletes.
In the end, it was wrestling that drove him most. Between his days wrestling for Jeremy Burkhart as a Raider to his time with the SEO Wrestling Club, his passion was on the mat.
That’s why he bypassed more lucrative schooling packages to play soccer to stick to what he loves. His next destination will be at Wheeling University, a Division II program in the historic West Virginia panhandle. The Cardinals are in the Mountain East Conference.
“It’s what is best for him,” Burkhart said. “The decision is always up to the kid, not me. If he thinks that is the best fit, then that’s what he should do.”
A dream realized
Spencer said he has always envisioned a future of wrestling in college. While he played other sports dating to his days in youth league, wrestling has always been the sport that has trumped the others in terms of focus.
His personal accolades with the Raiders put him at or near the top of the school’s longstanding wrestling history. He finished as a three-time MVL finalist, three-time district qualifier and two-time state qualifier with a 160-36 record. That included 95 pins, 201 takedowns and 1,157 career points.
He owns school records for wins, single-season points and career points. Only former All-Ohio teammate Logan Niceswanger, now at Ohio University, has matched him in recent years.
“It’s special coming from Morgan,” Spencer said. “I mean, we’ve never been known for our wrestling program, but between Logan (Niceswanger) and I, I feel like we’ve definitely got our name out there. Logan and I have done the most for this team, in my opinion, so when we bring a name it’s kind of special.”
Spencer said he will forever be grateful for his Morgan experience, particularly the relationships with friends, teachers and coaches.
Burkhart and his father, Mitch, were the Raiders’ coaches.
“There are just so many great people here,” Spencer said. “Even if they aren’t worried about sports, they care about making you better, and they care about how you are as a person.”
Burkhart said Spencer matured with Niceswanger serving as the team’s unquestioned leader his final two seasons. Spencer was there for two of those and carried those learnings into his senior year, when he became the team leader.
”It’s one thing to think you’re good enough and another thing to go out and put it together and make it happen,” Burkhart said. “He came up short (of the state) his sophomore year and knew the mistakes he made, but junior year he spun it around and got through some of those gritty matches.”
Elite competition offered glimpse of future
Being in a stacked 157 class, after initially starting his senior season at an equally difficult 165, offered him chances to wrestle the state’s top-ranked performers in his class in Sheridan’s Coltyn Reedy and Steubeenville’s Brody Saccoccia.
Reedy, the unbeaten state champion, will wrestle at Navy, and Saccoccia, whom Reedy edged at the district and state, at Purdue. Spencer lost to both in the postseason, but it proved to be invaluable experience.
“At the time I didn’t think much of it,” Spencer said. “But going into the postseason, at the state tournament I really felt like I could compete with them, because I could get to my (attacks) if I worked hard enough. It really helped me getting those matches.”
As Burkhart said, “he had to wrestle No. 1 and No. 2 three weekends in a row. I don’t know how you can see anyone else who can give you better competition than that. We had three kids in our league from the same weight class go to state (at 157).”
Spencer fell shy of placing but it provided a snapshot of what will be required in college.
“I have always felt like I’ve got the perfect style to wrestle at the next level, but I feel like I’ve never executed that to perfection,” Spencer said. “I think with that extra help with someone that has that D-I experience that I am going to be able to compete better.”
Being with the SEO Wrestling Club, based in New Lexington, has helped raise his aptitude. Some of the most difficult matches has faced in wrestling as a high schooler was during trips to Virginia and Florida.
“In Florida we were in the toughest division, and we still got eighth,” Spencer said. “We had a state placer who started off 0-3, so I knew the competition (was difficult). I didn’t do as well as I wanted, and I was wrestling up a weight class, so it drove me. I didn’t feel like where I was going to be good enough to get back to the state tournament at the beginning of the season. It really pushed me.”
He continues to work out with his teammates there, many from around Southeast Ohio, such as state placer Tyson Spicer, of New Lex, and Panthers two-time state qualifier Harrison Ratliff, to name a few.
One of the SEO coaches, Wyatt Abele, was at his college signing.
“Every time I go over there I know I am going to learn something,” Spencer said. “They have some studs over there.”
Burkhart admitted collegiate wresting is far different from high school from a stylistic standpoint, so it’s difficult to predict how Spencer will adapt.
But he knows he has put in the time.
“He does a lot of different things with freestyle and Greco (Roman) that will translate pretty decent with the upper body and the throws,” Burkhart said.
Why Wheeling?
The crown jewel of the panhandle, with hotspots like Capitol Music Hall and DiCarlo’s Pizza, to name a few, also features two wrestling powers in Division II in West Liberty and Wheeling.
The recruitment process began after a call reaching out to Cardinals coach Shane Brown, “and it was all good from there,” Spencer said. There were five Ohioans on the roster in 2024-25.
He plans to major in physical therapy, largely because of a concussion he suffered playing football in the fourth grade. He didn’t play another down until his senior season under first-year head coach Seth Brown, balancing the two sports while still staying in shape for wrestling.
“I just really liked the experience of helping people get better,” Spencer said of physical therapy.
sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Bradley Spencer thrived in three sports at Morgan. Wrestling was always his first love.
Reporting by Sam Blackburn, Zanesville Times Recorder / Zanesville Times Recorder
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
