Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
It was another year, and another impressive showing at the state wrestling tournament for the Clay boys wrestling team.
Led by junior Garrison Weisner, who came in seventh at 126 pounds, Clay finished 19th in Division I with 21.5 points.
He opened by winning his first match by technical fall, 19-4, over Brush's Josiah Sims, then lost to Cincinnati Elder's Konner Lambers, the No. 2 overall seed, 6-5, via tiebreaker
Weisner recovered to defeat Cincinnati Moeller's Gavin-Nacho Watson by technical fall, 15-0, in the consolation bracket before losing to Massillon Perry's Emetic McBurney, 10-3.
But Weisner finished on a strong note, winning the seventh-place match by pinning Hamilton Township's Ayden Jobe in 1:44.
Clay coach Justin Wharton spoke highly of Weisner's performance.
"He had one of the toughest, deepest weight classes in the state,” Wharton said. “He fell in the quarterfinals to someone who has wrestled many times before, and battled back and won a couple matches. Garrison was upset (in the quarterfinals), and a lot of people would've mailed it in, but he kept his head up and kept fighting. The fact that he held his head high and fought back says a lot about him as a person."
Josh Medina (113), Gabe McNally (165) and Carter Whaley (190) all went 1-2 while competing against the best Ohio has to offer.
It was the final match for Medina, who will move on to compete at NCAA Division I Bellarmine University in Louisville next year.
"He'll do anything for you, work 1,000 percent, Wharton said. “Throughout his senior year, he showed the younger guys what it means to work hard. At our awards banquet, he won the Coach's Award (because) he's dependable, and he's always going to give his best effort.
“You can depend on him. I'm happy for him achieving one of his goals and excited to see him continue wrestling (at the college level).”
McNally, a sophomore, has vastly improved from his rookie campaign according to Wharton.
"Gabe was a match or two away from the state tournament, and he won a match at state this year,” Wharton said. “He and Garrison and Carter will take over as the leaders of the team. Gabe will do all of our spring and summer training, and he’ll make sure guys on our team do all the right things. I'm really excited about Gabe and his future.”
Wharton, meanwhile, is impressed with Whaley’s ability to be coached.
"A lot of people on the outside would've said it was a surprise that Carter would've made the state tournament,” he said. “If you were in our room and part of our program, week in and week out, I don't think it was much of a surprise to see him do what he did. He took second at the Solon Invite, and he had a good season. He is a coachable kid — if you tell him to make an adjustment, he does it. I'm really happy for him."
Wharton just finished up his third year as the head coach of the program.
"I feel good, (especially) to end the year with four state qualifiers and three of those returning, and all of our guys in position (to succeed)," he said. "Three of them were one match away from placing. It was good for some of those guys who have worked really hard to accomplish some of the goals they set for themselves.
"I feel like (the program) is in a good spot. Each year, we're getting a few more wrestlers to districts and the state tournament. Participation in our offseason program has been really strong. If we continue to do that, there's going to be a lot of good things that come from the Clay wrestling program. I feel really good about the success we've had, but I know there's still a lot of work to be done."
Leonhardt highlights Gibsonburg girls at state
On the flip side, the Gibsonburg girls wrestling team finished 14th in Ohio with 35 points. There is only one division in girls wrestling, and Powell Olentangy Orange won the championship with 111.5 points.
Five Bears qualified to get to Columbus, and Morgan Leonhardt (120) had the best showing, finishing fourth. She won her first two matches by fall, then lost to the eventual-state champion, Steubenville's Tales Guntrum, in the semifinals after being pinned.
Leonhardt was victorious in her ensuing consolation bracket match, pinning Westerville North's Arden Heckman in 2:55 before falling, 7-0, to Chippewa Kayla Moroschan in the third-place match.
Leonhardt, who won the state championship a year ago, finished the season with a 41-4 record.
Lilly Zweifel (100) won her first match, defeating Madison's Taylor MacAdam by major decision, 9-0, then fell by technical fall, 21-6, to Jackson's Makennah Craft, who would win her next two matches and claim the state title.
Zweifel rebounded to win her next two matches — beating Lorain's Cali Otero, 8-4, and Taylor's Vita Savage by technical fall, 15-0. Zweifel then lost to Poland Seminary's Ella Thomas by fall in 2:52 but easily defeated Northmont's Ja'Leia Mitchell in the fifth-place match by technical fall, 15-0.
Gibsonburg coach Chad Patterson was impressed with the bounce-back ability of Leonhardt and Zweifel.
"Both girls wrestled excellent,” Patterson said. “Morgan got caught in the semifinal match and dropped to the consolation (bracket) but pulled together," said Patterson. "Lilly lost to a four-time state champion and fell to the consolation (bracket), but pulled it together and beat a girl she had never beaten in two years.”
Allison Schroeder (115) won a match in her bracket, while Lillian Kendel (105) and Josey Mendoza (140) got a taste of the action on the biggest stage.
"This was Allison's first year qualifying for state, and she just fell short, but it was a good experience for her going into her senior year,” Patterson said. “Josie qualified her freshman year and fell short of placing, and her sophomore year she only wrestled half the season due to (having) surgery on her hands, and then pulled together her junior year to qualify for state, but fell just short.
"Lillian has had shoulder injuries all season long and wrestled through lots of pain, but was still able to pull together at the end and qualify for a good experience at state for a freshman. Overall, those three girls wrestled excellent this year and have started putting in the work to improve for next season."
Patterson said the interest in girls wrestling continues to grow.
"Girls wrestling will keep growing and hopefully within the next two to three years, they separate girls in middle school, which will definitely help it grow," he said. "Lots of parents don't like their girls wrestling with boys in middle school."
