Lake developing as a team to beat in Northern Buckeye
Lake wrestling returns four district qualifiers in junior Toran Schroyer, sophomore Cristian Lecki, senior Luke Wamer and senior Antonio Lecki. Antonio Lecki is a returning two-time state qualifier.
In 2018, Antonio Lecki, a senior, placed sixth at the Division III state meet in the 126 pound weight class, finishing his junior season with a 40-4 record. In 2017, he was sixth at 113 pounds. This year he is wrestling at 138.
In all, Lake coach Tom Jackson has 10 returning lettermen from a team that finished 11-6 a year ago in dual matches, including 3-4 in the Northern Buckeye Conference. This is Jackson’s 21st season as head coach, 24th season overall, with all of them spent at Lake.
“The returning district qualifiers and state placer will be our top wrestlers this year,” Jackson said. “Also expected to contribute are Eli Guyton and Keagon Henry, who also had some success at varsity last year as freshmen. These two could be ‘sleepers’ because they weren't always in our line-up last year and did not wrestle at our conference tournament or sectionals.”
Guyton is a sophomore wrestling at 106 pounds and Henry is a sophomore wresting at 145. Cristian Lecki is at 120, Schroyer at 126 and Wamer at 132.
“Most of our experienced wrestlers are in the lower weights so that is where our strength is. Those guys drill and challenge each other every day so I think they will continue to improve,” Jackson said.
“We are a little less experienced in the middle to upper weights, but also look to improve and see two of three of those guys placing in the league and possibly also moving on to districts.”
The league coaches voted Lake to finish fifth out of eight teams, but Jackson feels anything could happen.
“I think the conference is very interesting this year. I think any one of the top five teams could compete for the conference championship if things go their way,” Jackson said.
“We're off to a good start. We finished second at Northwood’s Jim Derr Memorial and won our first two duals against solid teams from Eastwood and Genoa.”
At the Derr Invitational, Lake finished second of 25 teams, scoring 211½ points to finish behind Whitmer (282). The Flyers had two champions in Cristian Lecki and Antonio Lecki.
Cristian went 6-0, winning the championship by a 4-2 medical forfeit over Whitmer wrestler Tony Gill. Antonio was 5-0, winning his title by major decision over Whitmer’s Jason Cascadden, 9-0.
Wamer placed second, going 5-1, only losing in the championship, getting pinned in 3:34 by Whitmer’s Jack Haskin. Henry also placed second, going 4-1, losing by a 4-2 decision to Whitmer’s Brian Stewart.
Also placing were Guyton (fourth) at 106, Brian Haslinger (fifth) at 113, Caleb Mullican (fifth) at 220, Travis Folley (sixth) at 160, Jesse Ash (sixth) at 170, Schroyer (seventh) at 126, Ryland Morlock (ninth) at 195 and Austin Greene (tenth) at 182.