In a gym filled with fans, there could not have been a better ticket in town in all of Northwest Ohio. Four solid Division 3 programs met up at Elmwood High School for an early season battle. Tiffin Calvert, Attica Seneca East, and Harrod Allen East all made the trip to Royal Country to test their team’s early-season mettle. The most anticipated match of the night was between two state-ranked squads, Calvert and Elmwood. Both teams were returning a lot from teams that finished in the top five at the Owens Community College district and in the number two and three positions for this year’s Division 3 State Duals, set to take place at Evergreen High School in Metamora next month.

Since qualification for the State Duals is based on returning district points, despite Elmwood taking third place at the district tournament last year over Calvert’s fifth place finish, they fell just one spot short when it came to qualification. Beating Calvert head-to-head would have to do for now, and Elmwood stepped up and showed that they belong in the top of the crop, as they took the highly-contested battle with a final score of 34-26.

While looking up and down the line-ups of both teams, one could only hope for some of the potential match-ups that would make the night great. Well, the coaches must have heard the murmurs in the crowd. It seemed like any big match-up that could have happened, did. It was an instant classic.

To start off the meet in what may have been the most exciting match of the night, returning state placer Kyle Kwiat of Calvert beat returning state qualifier Mitch Lee of Elmwood 10-6 in the second overtime. Lee started off the match with a takedown, but Kwiat hit a reversal soon after when Lee attempted to put the legs in. Lee struck back with a reversal of his own to end the first period with a 4-2 advantage. This score remained the same until the third period when another failed attempt to put in the legs by Lee led to Kwiat securing his second reversal and tied the match at 4-4.

The first overtime elapsed and neither wrestler secured a takedown, but there were close calls both ways. For the second overtime, Kwiat chose the bottom position. He scored a reversal to make the score 6-4, but there were still 30 seconds of wrestling left. Lee chose down and reversed Kwiat to tie the match once again at 6 points apiece. However, Kwiat was not about to quit. Kwiat reversed Lee to his back for a short two count with very little time remaining in the second overtime to take the emotional 10-6 win.

In another match pitting two wrestlers sure to make noise on a state-wide scene, returning 215-pound state alternate Jon Aurand of Elmwood came away with a pin in 2:44 over Calvert’s 189-pound state qualifier Zach White.

This match-up was full of great matches. Each team had ananswer for the other team’s surge. It was definitely worth the price of admission!

Bloomdale Elmwood 34, Tiffin Calvert 26
160: Kyle Kwiat (Calvert) dec. Mitch Lee (Elmwood) 10-6 OT
171: Jordan Ackley (Elmwood) tf. Aaron Smith (Calvert) 16-0
189: Zach Seislove (Calvert) pin Travis Tahy (Elmwood) 3:28
215: Jon Aurand (Elmwood) pin Zach White (Calvert) 2:44
285: John Stover (Calvert) dec. Mike Wenig (Elmwood) 4-1
103: Nick Goebel (Elmwood) pin Luke Hafley (Calvert) 3:53
112: Wes Lee (Elmwood) dec. Sebastian Williams (Calvert) 10-4
119: Zach Felton (Calvert) won by forfeit
125: Eric Gase (Calvert) pin Joey McCartney (Elmwood) 3:14
130: Tyler Baer (Elmwood) md. Matt DeRose (Calvert) 14-4
135: Darris Correll (Calvert) dec. Nick Hernandez (Elmwood) 5-4
140: Cody Alexander (Elmwood) dec. Dillon Kwiat (Calvert) 4-1
145: Alex Betts (Elmwood) md. Joe Scherger (Calvert) 8-0
152: Gavino Hernandez (Elmwood) dec. Jeff Stover (Calvert) 11-9

Tiffin Calvert 58, Harrod Allen East 12
152: Jeff Stover (Calvert) pin Ryan Wood (Allen East) 3:43
160: Kyle Kwiat (Calvert) pin Jeremy Hutchinson (Allen East) 2:42
171: Aaron Smith (Calvert) pin Dan Dysert (Allen East) 0:58
189: Matt Dues (Allen East) dec. Zach Seislove (Allen East) 8-4
215: Zach White (Calvert) pin Kyle Fields (Allen East) 3:59
285: John Stover (Calvert) pin Jeremy Pryer (Allen East) 3:17
103: Luke Hafley (Calvert) won by forfeit
112: Zach Felton (Calvert) won by forfeit
119: Sebastian Williams (Calvert) won by forfeit
125: Garrett Freeman (Allen East) dec. Eric Gase (Allen East) 15-9
130: Trey Fisher (Allen East) pin Matt DeRose (Allen East) 1:46
135: Darris Correll (Calvert) dec. Grant Dues (Allen East) 9-8
140: Dillon Kwiat (Calvert) md. Michael Walters (Allen East) 13-4
145: Joe Scherger (Calvert) dec. Aaron Helms (Allen East) 5-1

Harrod Allen East 60, Attica Seneca East 6
160: Jacob Hager (Allen East) pin Tyler Dunbar (Seneca East) 1:59
171: Jeremy Hutchinson (Allen East) pin Kyle Shock (Seneca East) 3:27
189: Matt Dues (Allen East) pin Kyle Shaffer (Seneca East) 0:43
215: Kyle Fields (Allen East) pin Phil Toney (Seneca East) 0:40
285: Jeremy Pryer (Allen East) pin Kole Young (Seneca East) 1:37
103: Double Forfeit
112: Double Forfeit
119: Double Forfeit
125: Garrett Freeman (Allen East) pin Kane Naugle (Seneca East) 1:23
130: Trey Fisher (Allen East) pin Tyler Crapo (Seneca East) 2:24
135: Grant Dues (Allen East) won by forfeit
140: Mike Walters (Allen East) pin Cory Lewis (Seneca East) 2:49
145: Aaron Helms (Allen East) pin Taylor Hoepf (Seneca East) 1:08
152: David Fike (Seneca East) pin Ryan Wood (Seneca East) 3:59

Bloomdale Elmwood 68, Attica Seneca East 3
152: Gavino Hernandez (Elmwood) pin Tyler Dunbar (Seneca East) 1:28
160: Mitch Lee (Elmwood) tf. David Fike (Seneca East) 18-2
171: Jordan Ackley (Elmwood) md. Kyle Shaffer (Seneca East) 15-4
189: Travis Tahy (Elmwood) pin Kyle Shock (Seneca East) 1:17
215: Jon Aurand (Elmwood) pin Phil Toney (Seneca East) 0:45
285: Mike Wenig (Elmwood) pin Kole Young (Seneca East) 1:52
103: Nick Goebel (Elmwood) won by forfeit
112: Wes Lee (Elmwood) won by forfeit
119: Double Forfeit
125: Joey McCartney (Elmwood) tf. Kane Naugle (Seneca East) 15-0
130: Tyler Crapo (Seneca East) dec. Tyler Baer (Elmwood) 2-1
135: Nick Hernandez (Elmwood) won by forfeit
140: Cody Alexander (Elmwood) pin Tayler Hoepf (Seneca East) 2:53
145: Alex Betts (Elmwood) pin Cory Lewis (Seneca East) 3:23