WWW.OhioWrestler.com would like to thank Brian Brakeman for all the hard work it took putting out the High School Wrestling Forecast and for the opportunity to share it with all our loyal e-patrons.

Introduction

The object of these annual reports encompasses two basic goals.  First is to acquaint everyone with the basic character of each weight class and identify the participants who are likely to play a major role in its resolution.  In addition, each district is examined as to whom its’ representatives might be.  Second is to stimulate interest in the whole State tournament process throughout Ohio.  Naturally, accuracy is also of primary concern, so care is taken to develop the most comprehensive list possible of outstanding wrestlers, though of necessity, the evaluation of their final place is, in part, subjective.  This report was written during a ten-day period ending January 20, based on the information available at that time.  It’s kind of a snapshot in time, with a picture that will surely change in many ways by tournament time.  Certainly many of those listed at weight classes where they are currently certified will move up for competitive reasons or because they cannot make the 50 percent rule.  In fact, some of those moves may well be precipitated by information contained within this document.

There are several ways you can help make this report more accurate.   First by sending me bracket sheets for tournaments you enter either by fax or mail – I’m especially interested in sectional and district bracket sheets this year and any tournaments for next year.   Also, phone calls, or better yet, e-mail messages dealing with results, weight class selection, or whatever, are gratefully received.  I especially appreciate coaches who provide an honest overview of their squad and superior wrestlers they’ve seen in competition.  Already I get messages and information from too many people to name individually, but I appreciate it all.

Brian Brakeman

23225 Hardwick Road

Shaker Hts., OH  44122

Fax No.: 330-659-2359                     E-mail:  cherylabrake@aol.com

This report is also available on the Internet on Gary Baumgartner’s website as well as Brecksville High School’s website:

http://www.baumspage.com

http://www.brecksvillewrestling.com

©2004– Reproduction of this material for profit without written consent is prohibited.

And remember, my usual fee is a wrestling T-shirt – XL.

(and that includes all your Internet readers)

DIVISION I

This is yet another year in Division I where there are more than the normal number of weight classes that seem in disarray.  Despite the fact that there are many more meets that draw teams from all corners of the state the sorting out process seems even more confusing than in the past.  While this is hard on forecasters it makes for exciting and unexpected outcomes - - at least at the weight class level.  In the team competition two squads stand out among the 200 or so Division I competitors and are the only ones with a realistic chance of winning the overall championship.  One complicating factor this year is the uncertain composition of the districts at Darby and Fairfield.  The two northern sectionals in the Southwest District will seed teams such that one group will head to Darby and the other to Fairfield.

103 #

Projected Champion:  KYLE HOLLIDAY (Waite)

Top Contenders

The first weight class out of the gate and already I’m stumped.  In the past it often happened that candidates at the lowest weight class were in short supply.  But, lately, we’ve been spoiled as each year there have been two or three possible winners with exceptional credentials.  That is not true this year.  All the 103-pounders competing in Division I have a combined two victories in state competition, so we have little “past-year” credentials to evaluate.  At the same time no one has dominated during the course of this season with many of the biggest tournaments won by Division II and III competitors.  With no real standouts look for somebody in the five to ten ranking to make a real run at it.

It’s likely that the Perrysburg District will be the crucible from which the eventual champ will emerge.  It is by far the most difficult site making the four eventual qualifiers battle-hardened if nothing else.  State qualifier Holliday owns one of those two state victories and has vacillated between 103# and 112#.   It looks like it’s a tough cut so he may be vulnerable in the early rounds of a tournament.  He won at Medina--ahead of Harris, but they did not meet--and was 2^nd at Perrysburg at 112#.  He won at Waite defeating Division III Evans 7-4 in the final.  He might be the most explosive wrestler in the field.  If it’s not him it could well be Ricky Floyd.  He was the JV 103-pounder behind state runner-up Jordan Brown last year and won the WRC when Brown was hurt.  He won at Solon, but has wrestled very little since then.  For a first year varsity wrestler, (even with DeAngelo and Deonte Penn as brothers), that could be a large negative.  The best of this group will eventually be the freshman Harris.  The question is whether “eventually” means the end of February or next year.  He has wrestled a brutal schedule including a 4^th at the Ironman and the Beast and a 3^rd at Medina.   He has not lost to a Division I competitor.   A state junior high champ he is experienced far beyond his years.  The senior Levine has only lost once, but has not wrestled nearly the schedule of Harris or Holliday.  Two other wrestlers are probably nearly equivalent to this top quartet.  Peskar, in particular, is good, but has, like Floyd, been inactive recently.  Parker got “stuck” in his first bout at Waite and then won everything else to finish 3^rd--unfortunately missing a chance at Holliday.  He won at Southview and was 2^nd (to the tough Barnard) at Riverside.  That leaves the productive Lem, the excellent freshman Guthrie, and Strieter with little hope for qualification--unless Floyd and Peskar are district no-shows.

The only district with two returning state qualifiers--Earley and Jordan--is at Darby.  The one to watch is the rugged Earley who was a state quarter-finalist last year.  His big win was at the Midwest Classic where he dominated the field and he did so again at Marion Harding.  A Columbus area 103-pounder had not won a Division I state title since 1973 when Iovine won two years ago. This time Earley may make it a far shorter wait. The rest of the participants will struggle to place.  Jordan is, probably, the safe choice as next best, but he too, hasn’t wrestled recently missing the Top Gun.

Barnard has not registered often on my radar screen, but he beat Parker handily at Riverside and won at Kenston over Roche.  It will be interesting to see how he fares on a weekend where he’ll face all quality opponents.  Rini, although very small, has suddenly blossomed at Massillon Perry.  He was 4^th at Brecksville and since then beat Gasser twice (in overtime both times) and Weaver.  He seems on a relatively steep upward trajectory.  Gasser is always steady while Wills will challenge for the fourth state berth out of the Massillon District.   He’ll have plenty of company - - Stoerkel, Schilling, Fetchko and a cast of dozens in that quest. Incidentally, I like old-style nicknames like Butch and Spike so Boomer Fetchko gets a check mark from this author.

I’m not seeing any standouts at Fairfield.  Most of the tournaments in that area seem to have Division II or III wrestlers winning at 103#.  The two finalists at the SWOCA-- Adams and Weaver in a 12-10 barnburner--look to be a shade above everyone else, but they’ll struggle against the best from the North.  Wolf and Doll should lead a Dayton contingent, but to where--south to Fairfield or north to Darby.  I also like Hall in this district with, maybe, a DeVelvis as a possible challenger.

More than most weight classes the resolution of this weight class will hinge on the random fluctuations inherent in the pairings process.  If Holliday gets a very tough foe early, when he has just made weight, or Harris draws one of the big 103’s or any of a dozen other possibilities, the impact could be substantial.  In quantum mechanics one formulates a wave function that can assume many different values and which then collapses (at least in this universe) into the actual outcome.  So, too, at this weight class, there are many more possibilities than usual, but in this case, the most probable champion is likely to be Kyle Holliday.

112 #

Projected Champion:  LANCE PALMER (st. edward)

Top Contenders

One of the staples of Hollywood movie making is the sequel.  Most of them are far worse than the original (just think of Speed 2), but occasionally the sequel turns out to be as good or better than the original.  I liked “Aliens” at least as well as “Alien” and “Terminator 2” was every bit as entertaining as “Terminator”.    This weight class could easily be call “The Return of the 103’s” and I think it could well be even more exciting than last year’s box office hit.

Last years state finalists at 103# will both exit the Perrysburg District.  State champion Palmer, now a sophomore, was the dominant figure at 103# last year.  He was 41-1 and won just about everything except the Ironman where he lost in the finals to an out-of-state wrestler--a defeat he quickly avenged at the Beast.  At the state meet he was never really challenged defeating Brown 9-4.  This year it hasn’t been quite as easy.  He was 2^nd at the Ironman and the Beast getting shut out in both finals, and then lost to Donahoe from Davison (Michigan) when he returned from an injury.  Moving up to 112# is never easy, but, remember Palmer’s three losses have all been to out-of-state competitors.  Palmer is a little small at 112#, but he knows his chief competition well, and should capture his second state title.

Brown is an experienced senior who can control the tempo of the bout.  At Columbus last year nobody (until he got to Palmer) could score on him.  This year he won at Solon and the Midwest Classic and was 2^nd at the Powerade.  Now nursing a leg injury he’ll be refreshed and ready at tournament time.  However, I still think Palmer is three to five points better. The plus for Brown is that he should be on the other side of the draw from Palmer and possibly from Hartley as well.

That Perrysburg District is very good.  You have to figure a healthy Palmer and Brown are going to snag two places leaving only two up for grabs.   There are a lot of possibilities here.  State qualifier Mitchell has been getting low to middle places at 119#, but will do better at 112#.  He was a state quarter-finalist last year, but he has no guarantees at this district.  Toledo Waite champ Brown is very good and CIT champ Shuller and Perryburg champ Tilocco (over Holliday) are both very experienced.  Any of this trio has the credentials to make Columbus, but there are likely to be no more than two spots open.  Goldacker and Yasenko are also good and Ali, at 112#, could be a force as well. It will be a great district. 

The other two possible finalists are at Massillon.  Hartley, still just a sophomore, is a tough kid.  He lost to Palmer in the state semi-finals, and ended up 4^th.  This year he was 4^th at the Ironman, 7^th at the Beast, 3^rd at Medina and 1st at Mayfield.  He only loses to the best--Palmer nipped him (it keeps getting closer), 4-2, and Donahoe beat him at Medina, 16-11.  One of these times he’s going to beat Palmer in what might become a four-year drama.   Also at Massillon is Brecksville champ, Ben Johnson.  He’s tough to figure.  After a great season last year he goes to the district and loses to two guys I think he should have beaten.  This year he won at Brecksville and has had the look of a state placer.  A brilliant student he, maybe, over-analyzes on occasion.  The rest of this district is also strong.  State qualifier Shaft can grind out the wins and state alternate Dunlap may even be better.  I’m not sure whom Mayfield will put out at this class, but both Catalona and Thomas are good.

Neither of the southern districts will be as daunting.  There are four returning state qualifiers in the Southwest District, but I’m guessing Clausing will be at Darby.  If so, he should be favored to win that district.  He was the district title-holder at 103# last year and finished 6^th losing to Brown, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.  His results this year have been generally good with a 3^rd at the GMVWA and 2^nd at North Canton where he lost to Kriwinsky by the surprising score of 12-l.  Since then he won at Fairfield and looks back on track for a second state placement.  If, indeed, he is at Darby I have not seen much there to challenge him.

Assuming Clausing goes to Darby that leaves three returning state qualifiers--Price, Lambert, and Riestenberg--at Fairfield.  Between them they went 0-6 in Columbus and struggled against some of the better boys.  Of this trio I like Price the best as he has had the best performance this year. Lambert, down from 119#, could be a factor at this class once he settles in at the weight.  However, the best 112-pounder (other than the aforementioned Clausing) might be Shilt who beat Price handily early in the year.

119 #

Projected Champion:  Andrew perez (ELYRIA)

Top Contenders

This is one of the strongest and deepest weight classes in Division I (or, in fact, in all divisions).  It starts right at the sectional level with some great match-ups, but the district brackets will really be brutal.  This is true even though it now appears that senior, state runner-up Clayton Stark will not compete at this class.  Even absent his presence the state bracket sheet will be loaded with wrestlers whose credentials might in a normal year cast them as a possible state finalist. 

As was true at the two previous weights the locus of power is at Perrysburg.  My choice is three-time state qualifier and the defending state runner-up at this weight class Andrew Perez.  He won his first 38 bouts last year and then dropped the state final, 5-3, to the clever, two-time champ Brandon Luce.  He is, again, undefeated this year with tourney titles at Avon Lake and Brecksville.  His two demolitions of state champ Pat McLemore have probably unduly inflated his reputation since stylistically, McLemore is perfect for him.  Still, he is blindingly fast and strong and moved up only one weight (and changed one school) since he was 5^th as a freshman at Vermillion. Also at this district is defending state 112# champ Ryan Smith--who was 2^nd as a sophomore and 3^rd as a freshman. Smith is a consummate defensive wrestler with better than average attacking skills.  His four-year record is 129-8 with the upset loss to Eric Wanner in the Medina finals a real surprise--he had beaten him in Columbus on his way to the state title last year.  I keep thinking that the more chances Smith has to look at Perez the more the odds start to shift toward him.  The first takedown in their bouts will be critical and I think Perez will get them.

It now looks like state runner-up Stark will wrestle (if at all) some place other than 119#. His substitute will either be state qualifier McDiarmid--not bad depth--or the excellent Sulzer, both of whom would be a factor at this district.  Also back is state placer Bugara who was 5^th at 103# last year.   He won at Edison, was 3^rd at Mentor (losing to Scaletta) and 2^nd at the Dies getting majored by Ryan Smith. You can’t forget Kleinman, who won the Powerade and was 3^rd at Solon since he has been very close to state qualification the last two years.  This is a tough quintet for the Toledo area boys, but Zyduck won at Perrysburg and Abitua won at Toledo Waite, so you know they can compete.  Also in the mix is Marion Harding and Gorman champ Brett Kemp who in different circumstances would almost surely be favored to qualify.  This is some district--one of the toughest I can remember.

The district at Massillon is also strong, but certainly not to the same extent as Perrysburg.   In my mind there are four principal players with good qualification chances and another foursome who need to be in peak form if they are to get to Columbus.  Former state placer Hunt wrestles for Collinwood and has done a great job despite a schedule that often fails to test him.  He won at Wadsworth defeating Manoogian and Christenson back-to-back.  He’ll be a huge 119#.  Manoogian is a returning state qualifier who continues to get better.  He won one bout at Columbus and was lst at Canal Fulton and 3^rd at Wadworth and the Dies.  Lerer was 3^rd last year at l03# in a most fortunate manner.  He was 5^th in his sectional, but when the sectional champ, Hunt, could not compete Lerer made his way into the bracket and (rather dubiously) on the top seeded line. Good fortune is nothing without good performance and Lerer won three bouts to become a district finalist and state qualifier.  Tack on four additional state wins and he was a third-place medal winner.  He has been at 125# most of the year but 119# looks just about right.  He beat Kleinman, 2-1, and held Perez to his closest score of the year.  He is tough to score against.  Catalona (or Thomas) should have the best shot at the last state spot.

The two top Central District 119’s will face-off with whatever Southwestern wrestlers get shuttled up to Darby.  Wanner was 6^th last year at 112# losing only to two state champs Smith and Federico.  This year his championship at Medina included wins over three-time placer Jackson and state champion Smith.  With that victory he vaulted into the upper echelon at this class.  Two years ago I overlooked Jang at 119# and got “chewed out” by a supporter for missing someone who ended up 5^th in the state.   It certainly is not my intent to miss any strong performer (but it happens) so last year--determined not to get “chewed out” again I thoroughly, each week, checked out the scores from Columbus.  No Jang.  I got panicky thinking I was going to err again when I discovered that he was on some kind of overseas mission.  This year he’s returned but the lay-off has clearly set him back. Still, by tourney time, I anticipate the high level of performance that I had earlier missed.  Factor in Gottke, Ray, Hopkins, and Lepley plus some Dayton boys and it should be a very competitive district.

There are two significant 119’s in the Cincinnati-Dayton area.  Kostoff was a district champ at 112# and won two state bouts.  He was the champ at GMVWA and was 3^rd at the Top Gun losing only to an out-of-state wrestler.  The other strong candidate to place is the junior Sean Szekeresh, a 6^th place district finisher last year.  He was 2^nd at the SWOCA losing to the Indiana state champ 13-9 in the finals.   He also won at Sycamore and seems to be on a roll.  Also there are state qualifier Willcocks, Carraher, and Kaake.  Two people to watch for are DePoy who won again at Mason and was 3^rd at GMVWA.   Also back is state qualifier Kody Pierson who has not competed this year up to now.  How he’ll perform is a question mark.  District semi-finalist Tebbe has a broken hand, but will be a factor if healthy. Depending on who goes to Darby Willcocks could be on the bubble here.

125 #

Projected Champion:  Albert madsen (st. edward)

Top Contenders

This is a weight class that has been dominated for decades by wrestlers from the Northeast District.  The last five champions have competed in that area, eight of the last nine (only Travis Key broke that monopoly), and 24 of the past 28 champions.  At the moment no one dominates, but there are a number of wrestlers that one could make a case for in terms of the top ranking.  In addition, this field could be augmented by some of the 119’s choosing to avoid the crush at that weight class and compete here.

Two years ago this month I thought Madsen would win two or three state titles.  He was at 112# then and he was crushing everybody.  He ripped through the Mentor District and won two state bouts before eventual two-time champ Luce beat him by a takedown in the semi-finals.  He fell to 6^th and then, in his junior year, was plagued by the same sort of injury that hampered Mike Kulczycki for almost a year.   He came back at the end of last year and repeated as district champ, but twice lost to Roberts and finished 4^th.  He wrestled only 15 bouts last year--six of them at States.   This year he was 5^th at the Ironman, 4^th at the Beast, and 1^st at Medina.  His only loss to an in-state wrestler was to state champion Cameron Doggett who he later defeated.  At the Ohio Duals he beat Mossor and crushed state placer Goode.  This is his last chance, and it’s a good one, but he’ll have to be in top form to win it all. 

Madsen will wrestle in the very tough Perrysburg District again brimming with talent at this weight class.  State qualifier Mitcheff has moved to Elyria in a less than amicable parting, and convincingly won at Avon Lake.  Since then he has been inactive due to injury, but he is a real talent.  State qualifier Santiago is now at 125# for Lorain Southview (what a wrestle-off that would have been with Mitcheff) and he is very good.  Last year two-time state runner-up Horne defeated him 3-1 in the first round at Columbus.  Santiago has won at Riverside and then got caught early at Southview and pinned in the finals by Ysaguirre.   I also like Dreschel here--the best wrestler on the Sandusky squad.  Other possible qualifiers are Carver and Carpenter. 

State place-winner Ty Anthony looks to be the dominant figure at Massillon and has strong finalist possibilities.  He has already won at North Canton, Canal Fulton, and Brecksville and this experienced wrestler knows how to win.  Armstrong, Hunt’s workout partner at Collinwood, was a state semi-finalist last year before losing to Perez and finishing 5^th.  He beat Anthony 7-6, in that run, but I’m not convinced he can do it this year.  He was 2^nd to Rogers at Wadsworth losing a 1-0 yawner.  State qualifier Rogers is also here along with Evangelista, who has shown strong improvement.

There are three very good wrestlers at this weight class at Darby.  I rate two-time state qualifier Mossor at the top with big wins at Tiffin and Ryle and a 3^rd at the Top Gun -- losing to Cubberly.  Madsen also beat him at the Ohio Duals.  Hucle was 4^th last year at 119# beating Goode, Riggs, and McDiarmid in the process.  He has not seemed quite as sharp at this weight class, but, perhaps, as he did last year he’ll come on strong at the end. I’ve always had Sasfy out on the periphery, but I took notice when both Santiago and Dreschel fell to him at Toledo Waite.  Looks like he is ready to make a run at placement.

The district at Fairfield does not appear to have anyone you could label a sure placer.  Goode had a 6^th three years ago, but that was at 103#.   You never know with him.  Madsen beat him 14-1, but next time it could be completely different.  He has already won the CIT and SWOCA so don’t under-rate him.  Pierson is a state qualifier who should earn a return trip, while Rutledge, Braun, Woolf and Ashbrook are all possibilities. 

130 #

Projected Champion:  Sean nemec/ Clayton stark (st. edward)

Top Contenders

I think there is a good chance that this is the weakest weight class in Division I.  There does not appear to be substantial depth and, rather unusually for a middleweight, no one here placed last year.  It is interesting how weight classes seem to cycle up and down as do schools, districts, and divisional classifications.  For example shown below is a chart that examines the winning percentages of the 12 districts that fed into last year’s state competition.

2003 District Performance

(Ranked in order of championship rounds percentage)

      DISTRICT              CHAMPIONSHIP*                    CONSOLATION*           TOTAL*

1.   Elyria Catholic (III)                        .684                                         .541                             .628

2.   Galion (II)                           .585                                         .550                             .570

3.   Marion (III)                                     .561                                         .512                             .540

4.   Mentor (I)                           .559                                         .616                             .582

5    Perry (I)                                         .524                                         .486                            .509

6.   Firestone (II)                                 .480                                         .476                             .478

7.   Wilmington (I)                               .479                                         .370                             .429

8.   Coshocton (II)                               .475                                         .494                             .484

9.   Goshen (II)                                    .442                                         .481                             .460

10.  Darby (I)                                       .427                                         .531                             .479

11.  Waite (III)                          .341                                         .488                             .415

12.  Xenia (III)                          .321                                         .468                             .400

·         Does not include bouts that matched wrestlers from the same district

Clearly it was a good idea to split the Elyria Catholic District, which was extremely tough last year.  Note that Darby was the worst performing Division I district, but an influx of talent from Dayton should boost that winning percentage.

This report was written over a seven-day period beginning on January 17^th and ending on January 23^rd.  I began with Division III, which has the least current material in its analyses and then moved to Division II and finally Division I.  They are not written in order by weight class, because some of them are more perplexing, more confusing than others.  The worst type of weight class is where no one has the look or feel of a state champ.  That is why this weight class, 130#, is the very last to be written.   Frankly, I’m no closer to a conclusion than I was a month ago. I had hoped for some breakout performance, some unexpected piece of data, or even divine inspiration so as to come to a conclusion.  Didn’t happen. 

The obvious choice is Dustin Center who has been the most successful wrestler in the Southwest Area this year.  Undefeated so far he won at the SWOCA and Mason and has had things pretty much his own way.  Yet, I’m dubious.  He was 0-2 at the state meet and Santiago beat him 13-0 in the first consolation round.   It would be quite a turnaround to come back and win it all at 130#.  He is undefeated but he has not wrestled, as it turns out a tough schedule.  So I’ve look around.  Rieman placed two years ago and he lost to Madsen last year 1-0.  However, at the Top Gun he lost twice failing to score in either bout.

Spencer came to mind after winning at Brecksville, but Straughn beat him in the Mayfield 8 and he has never done real well in Columbus.  Nemec has wrestled a tough schedule and done well (5^th at the Ironman, 2^nd at Medina, undefeated at the Ohio Duals), but he is only a freshman and I’m thinking we might even find state runner-up Stark in that slot come tourney time. If so, maybe, he should be the favorite.

What to do?  I thought about the situation and said who would I pick if I didn't know what grade they were all in. Clearly, the choice would be Nemec. He's wrestled the toughest schedule and shown the greatest improvement of any of the contestants here. He lost to the Michigan superstar Reader 9-1 at Medina, but then beat him three weeks later 9-4 in the dual. I think three-time state placer Tyler Reichman is one of the best wrestlers Claymont ever produced and Nemec beat him 15-4 when Reichman moved up one weight class. And if Nemec doesn't wrestle it will be state runner-up Stark who put on a great late season show last year.

The deepest district is at Massillon.  Spencer is certainly, a top placement possibility, with that Brecksville win and a 2^nd (at 135#) at the Midwest Classic.  A state alternate last year he knows how to win.  I thought Oberdove would qualify last year, but a first-round upset sped him off-track, and he failed to get out.  He was 2^nd at Perrysburg (losing to Worley) and should be a factor.  State qualifier Bodnar and state alternate Noble are not only state caliber wrestlers, but could place at this class.  I especially, like the first-named, only a sophomore, who I think should be moving up to the next level.  Results like the 3^rd at Brecksville or the 6^th at the Top Gun should leave him very dissatisfied.  Obviously, the freshman Straughn has proven upset potential while Barrette and Dickey can win as well.

Center has not had much competition in his area.  I’ve got Cook, Cummins, Marsh, and Volkerding ranked, but more as qualifiers than as possible placers.  The fact that this group has not challenged Center has been part of my struggle in properly evaluating him.   Cook, for example, was 2^nd at the SWOCA and CIT, but lost his first two bouts at Brecksville.

State qualifiers Rieman and Williams head a Darby District that does not look particularly daunting.  Rieman, as I mentioned, seems very good at times, but needs consistency.  Williams qualified in Division II last year and went 2-2 at States.  Strength of schedule is a negative factor for him (sounds like the B.C.S. group), but he could be a player here.  Dowell is in that excellent Pickerington program and that should pay off in state qualification.

There are some intriguing combatants at Perrysburg. The freshman, Nemec, was a junior high state champion last year and has clearly gotten even better this year.  However, he'll have to hold off state runner-up Stark in the wrestling room and that may be far tougher than any bout he's likely to have till the last couple rounds of States. Mathews, a state alternate, won at Edison and was 3^rd at Brecksville at 135# (losing only to state placer Roberts).  He swept through the Ohio Duals and won at the Dies.  Still he has four losses including a 4-2 decision to Nicholson who will also be at Perrysburg.  He won at Solon, but got hammered by Spencer at the WRC.  Add in state qualifier Herzfeld, Lewis, Felton, and Reams and this is a solid district.  However, the key figure here will be Ramirez.  He was a state qualifier at 135# last year and went 1-2.  This year he dominated at Waite, but fell to 6^th at Medina after reaching the semi-finals.  He can beat anyone in this field, but I’m not sure he can sustain that level over an entire weekend.

135 #

Projected Champion: JASON johnstone (MASSILLON PERRY)

Top Contenders

Ohio has two of the best 135-pounders in the country both of whom have the initials J.J.  Who would win a match-up of these superstars was a heavily debated topic, it was, it seemed, a question that would have closure since they were both entered in the Ironman.  Then, and this is no disparagement of Pat Phelan, unbelievably Johnstone (the conqueror of Dustin Schlatter) was upset in the quarterfinals.  Jaggers went on to trounce Phelan and Johnstone crushed everyone else to finish 3^rd.  The next week Johnstone dominated at the Beast including a third period fall over Phelan.  Of course, just last week Jaggers struck quickly in the second period and went on to post a 6-3 win over Johnstone.  Johnstone was 2^nd to Mark Moos as a sophomore and then won at 125# last year defeating Horne in the finals.  He will be a strong favorite this year, but it is a formidable field that he will have to overcome--and, as we have seen, upsets are an integral part of this sport. 

The Massillon District is strong.  Johnstone, of course, is at the top of the list, but four other wrestlers have good credentials.  Spencer was 2^nd two years ago in Division III, and then was 4^th last year--losing a semi-final bout to eventual champ Enright, 5-4.  This year he has wrestled an aggressive schedule triumphing at Brecksville with wins over Canoles and Roberts.  At the Mayfield Big 8 he bumped up to 140# finishing 2^nd to the incomparable Schlatter.   Roberts is amazing.  He was 6^th two years ago and 3^rd last year (beating Madsen and losing to Horne 3-2).  He is a master of the down-tempo bout and it takes a magician to register a takedown.  This year he was 2^nd at Brecksville, but he is the kind of wrestler who can beat anyone--especially if he gets the first takedown.  State qualifier Canoles and Campbell complete the top quintet.  

Horne should dominate at Darby.  He now has twice been a state runner-up losing to Luce at 112# and Johnstone last year.  He started this season at 145#, but has gradually settled in at this weight class.  He was 3^rd at Medina losing to Johnstone 10-5 in the semi-finals in what could not have been one of the finer moments in seeding.  At the Ohio Duals he was apparently injured, but the assumption is that he will return shortly.  He and Johnstone should be in separate halves of the state meet, perhaps, setting up a rematch of last year’s final at 125#.  Most of the rest of this district is well below Horne. I’m wondering whether Davis, Stephens, or Stevenson have (low) placement possibilities.

This is one time when the Perrysburg District may not play a significant role in the final outcome of this weight class.  Of course, I could have made a similar statement about Phelan at the Ironman and look how wrong I would have been.  Clearly Phelan’s years at St. Edward have not been wasted.  He’ll forever be remembered for upsetting Johnstone in the quarterfinals at the Ironman, but he may wish to create a few more memories at Columbus.  Remember, after defeating Johnstone he reached the finals before losing to Jaggers.  He was 5^th at the Beast, but did not wrestle at Medina.   He looks to be the best of a weak field at this district.  Salem came from a 4^th place sectional finish to upset Herzfeld the in the first round and nearly qualified last year.  Lewis is good but the Northwest quartet of Herzfeld, Bork, Castillo, and Weisenstein must be accounted for. Add in the recently dropping Fowler (Sylvania Northview) and one might expect at least of the two qualifying berths to end up in the northwest.

Two-time state qualifier Sizemore heads the Southwestern contingent after a 5^th place finish last year.  A semi-finalist he lost to Cunningham 3-2 in a bout that almost cost us the dream match-up of Lang versus Cunningham.  He beat Linz (second best here) 3-1 to win the SWOCA, but was 5^th at Medina - - losing 15-0 to Blunk (easy to do if you’ve never met him) and Stevenson.  Duffy, just down from 140#, should be a factor here and, perhaps, Hayden and Mizener as well.

140 #

Projected Champion:  dustin schlatter (MASSILLON PERRY)

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The Schlatter odyssey continued this year with junior two-time state champion Dustin now competing for Massillon Perry.  What more can you say about this brother combination?  Last year I presented arguments that suggested that C.P. might be the most accomplished high school performer in Ohio wrestling history.  Dustin may be even better.  Coming off an injury that kept him out of the Ironman he, like Johnstone, torched the field at the Beast majoring Troy Tirapelle in the final round.  It appears that the Schlatters are destined to lose only in their sophomore year on their way to four state titles. His uncanny ability to anticipate and counter his opponent’s offensive actions is unbelievable, and he has a sixth sense when it comes to ferreting out possible weaknesses.  He is a college wrestler--and a good one--right now. Barring injury or div