COLUMBUS ― Thirteen indeed proved to be a lucky number for Licking County wrestlers on the opening day of the state tournament on Friday the 13th in Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.
Of the 18 who competed, 13 won a match, advancing to March 14, and nine earned their first-ever state victory. But in the case of Granville senior Luke Sanchez, he created his own luck.
After losing 7-1 in his Division II 165-pound debut to Beaver Local’s Evan Ours, a returning third-place All-Ohioan, Sanchez trailed Kent Roosevelt’s Gavin Edwards 8-5 in the third period of the consolation match. However, he not only reversed him, but got the pin.
“He got the takedown to go ahead, but I reversed him, circled him up and got him to go backward,” Sanchez said. “It shouldn’t have even come to that, but I’ll take it. I know the first guy got third last year, but I was mad that I lost and it made me more determined.”
Also winning their first state matches for the Blue Aces were senior Nash Finley (120) and sophomore Henry Geiger (113) in the consolation round, while returning All-Ohio sophomore A.J. Bergeron scored a first-round pin at 126 as all four Granville qualifiers made the second day.
“Our goal is to get top 10 as a team, and it’s very doable,” Sanchez said.
Finley overcame an injury timeout to stay alive with a 9-5 win against Peyton Martin of West Holmes, while Geiger took a 4-2 decision against Beaver Local’s John Burkett. Meanwhile, Bergeron was doing his usual thing as he won his 40th match of the season.
Bumped up 20 pounds from last year’s sixth-place All-Ohio finish at 106, he opened with a second-period pin of Indian Valley’s Brock Albright in a match he was leading just 7-5.
“We’ve really been working with him on getting better on top, and his last two wins have been from his work on top,” coach and dad Kyle Bergeron said. “Our goal is to get all four on the podium, and I totally thought coming in that we could do it.”
His son has some work to do, as next up at 126 is Licking Valley senior Joe Curry, a third-place All-Ohioan last year and a former state champion. Curry dominated Benedictine’s John Paul Hatgas in a 16-2 major decision for his 44th win.
Panther teammate Brody Miller, making his state debut at 106 as a sophomore, suffered a heartbreaking last-second loss to Watterson’s Sid Hunt. Miller led 8-4 before Hunt got four points for a near fall, then a pin just as time was expiring.
But Miller showed resilience, pinning Circleville’s Kevin Downing in the second period to remain alive.
“He threw me at the very end, and I wasn’t expecting it,” Miller said of the loss. “I had to not get discouraged, and stay motivated. I controlled it (the win), staying on top and not letting up.”
Another sophomore, Lakewood’s Carson Schehl also rebounded from an early loss. He was pinned in the second period by Akron St Vincent-St. Mary’s Quinn Hurley but roared back with a 19-2 technical fall of Gabe Umstead from West Holmes.
“I went into my first match a little bit scared with the atmosphere and everything, and I wrestled like it,” Schehl said. “In the second match, I knew I had to be more aggressive. I was going to get my shots in and not let him run his shots. Just wrestle like it was a normal tournament.”
A third 10th grader, Watkins Memorial’s Ryan Noble, made his state debut at 106 in Division I an impressive success, blanking Austintown Fitch’s Chayce Kemble 5-0.
“I had a little bit of nerves, but not too much,” Noble said. “I went in wanting to be very aggressive, like I usually am. I kept going for single leg shots, and even though I never really hit one I was still able to get the takedown.”
It was also a great day for the Watkins girls team, with two winning their opening matches and the other two scoring consolation round victories. And Licking Valley senior Addison Justice continued on her mission to ascend the podium after not placing last year and finishing seventh as a freshman and sophomore.
Justice made short work of Berea Midpark’s Micah Finley at 135, pinning her in 1:03 for her 43rd victory.
“That first match, it was getting the jitters out of the way,” she said. “After that I should be more comfortable as I move along. I want to place higher than I ever have. Four days a week, I’ve been practicing twice a day.”
Two of Watkins Memorial’s junior quartet, Mila Cruz and Elliana Perry, opened the tournament with notable victories.
Cruz grinded out a 3-1 win at 100 pounds against Avon Lake’s Destiny Cabot, a returning All-Ohioan. It was a 0-0 tie until the third period, when Cruz scored a big takedown.
“I was very, very nervous,” Cruz said about going into the third scoreless. “I was going to do whatever it took to get that first score, then keep her there. She placed fourth in the state last year, but I’ve lost some matches recently that I probably shouldn’t have and I just wanted to make up for that.”
While Cruz is hoping to improve upon last year’s 1-2 state finish, Perry made her state debut a memorable one. The fourth-place district finisher dominated district champion Tinley Thieroff of Woodmore 7-0.
Payton Morse and Brielle Proffitt of the Warriors will be joining their teammates on the second day after they bounced back from opening losses. Morse (130) major-decisioned Hannah Richards of Toledo Start 10-2, while Proffitt (155) pinned Britoriah Rollison of Sandusky in the second period.
Lakewood sophomore Cohen Shinault (113) and Utica freshman Conner Wygle (113 in Division III) nearly stayed alive, but suffered gut-wrenching consolation losses. Shinault was nipped 2-1 by Madison’s Jordan McCullough, while Wygle was up 9-7 late before Preble Shawnee’s Sam Million rallied for the 13-9 win.
Also going 0-2 on the day were Watkins Memorial Division I heavyweight WoJo Moore, Licking Valley junior Ayden Douglass (138) and Northridge freshman Bridon Angus (Division III 132).
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: On a day of firsts, 13 Licking County wrestlers stay alive at state
Reporting by Dave Weidig, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
