Knights wrestling has strong showing at home invite
West Holmes’ Peyton Martin, right, finished third at 113 pounds at the Knights Invitational on Jan. 27. The sophomore, who is still making his way back from an injury, pinned all of his opponents in the pool rounds.
West Holmes varsity wrestling coach Scott Vaughn was a very happy coach after his wrestlers earned two individual championships, placed four others on the top six podium and snared a third-place team finish at the Knights Invitational held inside The Dungeon at West Holmes High School on Jan. 27.
Earning their first Knights Invite titles were Cole Porter (junior, 175 pounds) and Grant Miller (senior, 215). Scoring runner-up finishes were Louden Dixon (sophomore, 144) and Hunter McCluggage (junior, 150) while Peyton Martin (sophomore, 113) and Grady Toye (senior, 126) both scored third-place finishes.
Buckeye (295.5 points) easily won its second straight team title, outpacing Carrollton (202.5) and the Knights (177.5).
“The competition was awesome today,” Vaughn said of the tournament, which featured two returning state champions, a plethora of returning state placers and qualifiers, and nearly 40 state-ranked wrestlers. “We had high-level wrestling all over the place. I was really happy with the way our wrestlers came out and competed. Win or lose, we are competing out there. I like that we are cleaning up a lot of our techniques every time we step out on the mat. That shows me that they are working hard and learning in the practice room.”
Porter (5-0, four falls) went undefeated in his pool rounds, then scored a 6-2 decision win in the championship semifinals to earn a shot at gold. Porter made quick work of it, pinning Gibson Swartz (Philo) in 43 seconds for the championship.
Miller went 5-0 with three falls, was undefeated in his pool and scored a 4-2 decision win in the championship semifinals. Facing Division III state-ranked Jordan Folmer (Keystone) for the title, Miller and Folmer were dead even until Miller got a reversal and near fall points late in the third period for a 9-4 victory.
“Cole had a dominant day,” Vaughn said. “Four of his five wins were pins in the first period. This is a big tournament for Cole. A performance like this could send him soaring into the last month of the season. Really proud of how he competed today.
“Grant is putting together a really awesome senior season. Other than maybe a match or two, he has been wrestling well all season. I know this tournament championship was important to him. It is a great feeling winning a tournament at home.”
Dixon (4-1) dominated on his way to the championship match with three fall wins and a tech fall win. In the title match, he faced Danny Beckett (Buckeye) in a battle of returning state qualifiers and state-ranked wrestlers. The match lived up to the hype with Beckett taking advantage of a mistake by Dixon that resulted in a 10-6 decision win for Beckett.
McCluggage (4-1, two falls) rolled through his pool with two fall wins and a major decision win, then scored a championship semifinal 7-6 decision win over Nick Brunst (Buckeye), a returning state qualifier and state-ranked wrestler. McCluggage then faced Div. I state-ranked No. 10 Alex Boske (Hoover) for gold but came up short, losing 7-3.
Still working his way back from injury, Martin (4-1, three) had a very good first-of-the-season tournament. Pinning all his opponents in the pool rounds, Martin then faced Div. II returning state placer Landon Jenkins (Carrollton) in the championship semifinals, where he dropped a 9-0 major decision. Facing Div. II No. 11 state-ranked Daniel McGarr (Claymont) in the third-place match, Martin, ranked 15th in Div. II, earned a 6-5 decision win.
Toye (4-1, four) looked strong all day, except for a championship semifinal 8-2 decision loss to Div. II No. 18 state-ranked Logan Letner (Cloverleaf). Toye, a returning state qualifier, was dominant in his other matches, pinning all four opponents in the first period including his third-place match with Dominic DeMastus (Springfield) at 1:26.
M.S. Knights place fifth
at John Frye Classic
The West Holmes Middle School wrestling team finished fifth at the John Frye Classic at Mount Vernon High School on Jan. 27.
Easton Ross (eighth grade, 205) led the way for WHMS by winning a title. Colton Garver (seventh, 92), Liam Angle (eighth, 98), Wade Miller (eighth, 134) and Silas Baker (seventh, 142) all finished third. Placing fourth were Logan Leyda (seventh, 128) and Brady Milam (eighth, heavyweight) while finishing sixth were Oliver Roberts (eighth, 116), Noah Grassbaugh (eighth, 122) and Oliver Hiller (eighth, 142).
The Knights scored 153.5 points to take fifth in the 16-team race.
Ross (3-0) nailed two fall wins in the early rounds to advance to the title bout, where he posted a 3-0 decision to claim the crown, earning him the Knight of the Week from Wilcox.
“Easton is definitely our Knight of the Week for wrestling a great tournament,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “His finals match was against a tough kid. It was tied going into the second. He rode the kid out on top, got out on bottom in the third, played the match smart and took the kid down in the last five seconds to seal the deal. I think it was the smartest and most technically sound match Easton has wrestled. Great job by that young man.”
Garver (3-1, fall), Angle (5-1, four), Miller (4-1, three) and Baker (5-1, two) all had to work their way back through the consolation rounds.
Garver and Miller both worked their way to the championship semifinals before they were upended and came through with consecutive wins to take home bronze.
Attack Team rolls to team title
The Holmes Area Wrestling Club Elementary Attack Team dominated the Ohio Youth Wrestling Association Mid-Ohio Division Varsity Tournament, rolling to its second straight team championship and placing 14 wrestlers, including three champions, on the top six podium inside The Dungeon at West Holmes High School on Jan. 28.
Earning championships were Jackson Vaughn (fifth, 79) with a 4-0 record and three fall wins, Rowand Mathie (sixth, 82) with a 3-0 record and two falls, and Grantham Lovell (sixth, 150) with a 2-0 record and a fall win.
Weston Rogers (sixth, 90, 3-1, three falls), Carter Kick (sixth, 95, 2-1), Kolston Wagers (fifth, 175, 1-1, fall) and Ryker Stokovich (fifth, 205, 1-1, fall) scored runner-up finishes. Snaring third-place finishes were Dawson Miller (fourth, 67, 3-1, three), Chansen Hart (fourth, 86, 4-1, two) and Clint Burgett (sixth, 132, 3-1).
Briggs Patterson (fifth, 105, 3-2, three) finished fourth, Jordan Vaughn (second, 64, 3-2, fall) placed fifth, and Silas Larimore (fourth, 70, 3-3, three) and Sawyer Miller (third, 76, 2-3, fall) both finished sixth.
The Attack Team easily outscored runner-up Black River 275-213 for the team title in the 18-team field.
“We wrestled absolutely amazing today,” Attack Team coach Jarret Mathie said. “We dominated the tournament, and I could not be more proud of our kids.”
Five elementary wrestlers qualify for grade school state tournament
A dozen Attack Team wrestlers competed on Jan. 27 at the Ohio Athletic Committee Grade School State Tournament district qualifier at Jackson High School, looking for a top four finish and a berth in the late March OAC State Tournament.
Five of those 12 wrestlers achieved their goal as Jordan Vaughn (second, Div. II, 61), Graham Mathie (second, Div. II, 70), Chansen Hart (fourth, Div. III, 85), Clint Burgett (sixth, Div. IV, 130) and Grantham Lovell (sixth, Div. IV, 180) all finished in the top four of their respective weight classes to sew up state tournament berths.
Wooster Battle for the Belt
Ten West Holmes elementary wrestlers competed Jan. 27 at the Wooster Battle for the Belt at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster.
Sawyer Hood (third, Div. IV rookie, weight 13, 1-1, fall) and Casey Pendlebury (fourth, Div. III rookie, eight, 1-2, fall) each finished second while Trace Towner (first, Div. I, eight, 1-3, fall) finished third.