Things are finally starting to settle into place regarding the top 25 Greater Akron/Canton wrestling rankings.
The first Greater Akron/Canton wrestling rankings came out on Dec. 18. The second top 25 came out Jan. 12.
Here’s the final take on what should be a great 2026 postseason:
1. Rylan Seacrist, Brecksville
113 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 2
Seacrist and Brennan Warwick have shared the top spot, but Seacrist is ranked No. 1 in the nation, so that’s good enough to make him No. 1 here. He the reigning state and Fargo national champion. Seacrist won titles at Ironman and the North Coast Classic.
2. Brennan Warwick, Perry
175 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 1
Warwick won the Brecksville Holiday Tournament and finished fifth at the Ironman Tournament to start the season. The West Virginia commit finished fifth in Division I last season and is a Fargo and Super 32 All-American.
3. Jarreau Walker, Streetsboro
113 pounds, junior
Previous ranking: 3
Walker is a reigning state champion. He won the Portage County Tournament and Top Gun. He was fourth at Ironman and at Brecksville. His only loss at the North Coast Classic came to Brecksville’s Seacrist in the finals.
4. Brandon Bickerton, Highland
120 pounds, junior
Previous ranking: 4
Bickerton won the Brecksville Holiday Tournament, Bill Dies Memorial Tournament and Suburban League Tournament. He was second at the Grizzly Invitational Tournament. The North Carolina commit won a Fargo national and Division I state title in 2024. He was eighth at Ironman.
5. Mason Rohr, Perry
144 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 5
Rohr is a back-to-back winner at Brecksville. The University of Buffalo commit is the reigning Division I state champion. He finished third as a freshman and was a state qualifier as a sophomore before an injury kept him from Columbus.
6. Liston Seibert, Perry
132 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 6
Seibert finished fourth at Brecksville at 138 pounds but has since dropped a weight class. The Maryland commit is a Fargo national runner-up, Division I state runner-up and two-time state placer. Seibert finished fifth at Ironman.
7. Caige Horak, Perry
190 pounds, junior
Previous ranking: 8
Horak returned to action with a title at Brecksville. He is coming off a Bulldog Brawl title and was third at Top Gun. The Pitt commit finished third in Division I last season and is a two-time state placer. Horak is also a Fargo All-American and two-time Brecksville finalist.
8. Brydon Feister, Hoban
215 pounds, sophomore
Previous ranking: 7
Feister hasn’t wrestled since the Kenston Invitational Tournament and needs to be cleared next week before sectionals. He is a Division II reigning state champion and a two-time junior high state champion. Feister won the Hudson Holiday Tournament and KIT this season.
9. Brayton Feister, Hoban
285 pounds, junior
Previous ranking: 9
Feister will try to return to the state championships after missing all of the regular season. He was a Division II state runner-up. His only high school loss came to three-time Fargo All-American Michael Boyle of Bishop Watterson.
10. Zack Aquila, Brecksville
165 pounds, junior
Previous ranking: 10
Aquila won the North Coast Classic and Suburban League Tournament. He finished second at Brecksville. The Little Rock commit finished fourth in Division I last season and was a Fargo All-American in 2024. Aquila finished sixth at Ironman.
11. Blake Bartos, Buckeye
138 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 11
Bartos is trying to come off injury and return to the postseason. He won the Medina Invitational Tournament and was a four-time finalist there. The Wyoming commit is a 2024 state champion, two-time state finalist and three-time state placer.
12. Jacob Earnest, Wadsworth
285 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 14
Earnest has wins at the Grizzly Invitational Tournament and Suburban League Tournament. He returned to the mat after missing all of his junior season to injury and was second at the Brecksville Holiday Tournament.
13. Austin Bickerton, Highland
126 pounds, junior
Previous ranking: 12
Bickerton won the Suburban League Tournament and Bill Dies Memorial Tournament. He was fourth at Brecksville. The North Carolina commit finished fourth in Division I last season and is a Fargo All-American.
14. Gavin Genovese, Woodridge
120 pounds, junior
Previous ranking: 13
Genovese won the Hudson Holiday Tournament and North Coast Classic. He was second at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament and is a reigning Division II state champion.
15. E.J. German, Brecksville
215 pounds, senior
German won the North Coast Classic, Top Gun and Suburban League Tournament. He was second at Brecksville. German finished sixth in Division I at the state tournament last season .
16. Paul Tepley, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
190 pounds, sophomore
Tepley won the North Canton Hoover Holiday Tournament and was second at the Maumee Bay Classic. He was third at Brecksville and the Grizzly Invitational Tournament. Tepley finished fourth at the Division II state tournament.
17. Dom Prosperi, Canton South
120 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 16
Prosperi finished third at the North Canton Hoover Holiday Tournament. He finished sixth at Top Gun and was a Division II runner-up last season. Prosper is a two-time state placer.
18. Drake Brasiel, Aurora
175 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 20
Brasiel won the Medina Invitational, Liberty Classic, Cobos Insurance Classic and Suburban League Tournament. The Newberry College commit finished eighth in Division I last season at state.
19. Lincoln Rohr, Perry
126 pounds, junior
Previous ranking: 18
Rohr finished fifth at Brecksville. He was seventh last season at state and is a two-time placer. He is also a Fargo All-American.
20. Dominic Kemble, Southeast
138 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Kemble has been on a tear this season with tournament wins at the Top Gun, Joshu Hepner, Waterloo Classic and Portage County Tournament.
21. Cole Speer, Brecksville
138 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 19
Speer won the North Coast Classic and Suburban League Tournament. He finished fifth at Brecksville. Speer finished fifth at the Division I state tournament last season.
22. Taegan Gilmore, Medina
126 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Gilmore won the Kilted Classic, Hudson Holiday Tournament and Josh Hepner. He was second at the Maumee Bay Classic and third and the Medina Invitational Tournament.
23. Gavin Cantera, Southeast
144 pounds, freshman
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Cantera has had a great season for the Pirates. He heads into the postseason with titles at the Waterloo Classic, Portage County Tournament and Josh Hephner Memorial and was third at the Top Gun.
24. Rocco Czarnecki, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
132 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 21
Czarnecki won the North Canton Hoover Holiday Tournament, was fourth at the Maumee Bay Classic and fifth at the Grizzly Invitational Tournament. Czarnecki was seventh at Brecksville. He finished third at the Division II state tournament last season.
25. Niko Giatis, Highland
165 pounds, senior
Previous ranking: 22
Giatis won the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament and was runner-up at the Grizzly Invitational Tournament and Suburban League Tournament. He finished fourth at Brecksville and was fifth at the North Coast Classic.
Out: Blake Frantz, Wadsworth; Kolt Mellon, Wadsworth; Jackson Phillips, Barberton
Also considered: Sam Adams, Perry; Desmond Childers, Copley; Aric Criss, Louisville; Blake Frantz, Wadsworth; Rylan Hurley, St. Vincent-St. Mary; Kaden Lawson, Tuslaw; Drew Moro, Brecksville; Kaden Orndorff, Coventry; Phil Partin, Manchester; Jackson Phillips, Barberton; Lucas Schulz, Brecksville; DeAngelo Spear, Canton South; Taggart Wade, STVM
Brad Bournival can be reached by email at bbournival@usatodayco.com and is on X at @bbournival.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Greater Akron/Canton wrestling, who made the final top 25 for 2025-26
Reporting by Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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