Waynedale's Patterson finishes as wrestling All-Ohioan
Waynedale High School freshman 106-pounder Stephen Patterson earned an eighth-place podium finish and All-Ohio recognition at the recent Ohio High School Athletic Association DIII State Wrestling Championship Tournament at Value City Arena inside the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.
Patterson scored a fall win (1:27) over Gavin Bolock of Belmont Union Local to open his tournament, then fell by a 6-3 decision in the championship quarterfinals to Adam Mattin of Delta. Patterson came back Saturday with a 5-2 decision victory over Nolan Fraley of Mechanicsburg to sew up a podium finish. In the consolation quarterfinals on Saturday evening, Patterson dropped a 3-2 tiebreaker decision to Kaden Lawson of Tuslaw and lost another 3-2 decision in Sunday’s seventh-place match to Johnathan Huntsman of Barnesville. Patterson finished his season 43-12.
The Golden Bears' Caden Schmeltzer, a sophomore at 132, won his opening-round match on Friday with a come-from-behind 6-3 decision over Gabe Chapa of Archbold but lost his next two matches. Schmeltzer ended his season 34-4.
Dalton High School’s lone state qualifier, sophomore 144-pounder Kaden Russell, finished 0-2 on Friday, a 6-2 decision loss and pin loss, to fall from the tournament. Russell completed his sophomore campaign with a record of 35-13.