Clay wrestling fares well against nation's elite

To be the best, you've got to beat the best.

 Some Clay Eagles, as part of Team Ohio, found that out in July when the team competed at the U.S.A. Wrestling National Championships in Fargo, N.D.

Out of 125 boys on Team Ohio, Garrison Weisner (4-2), who weighs 138 pounds, and Gabe McNally (3-2), who is 175 pounds won a combined seven matches in freestyle.

Jacob Purtee (215) won two matches, Carter Whaley (190) won a match, and Ethan Ackerman (106) and Bennett Viers (285) had good showings but fell short of attaining a victory.

In Greco Roman, Purtee went 2-2, as did Josh Medina (126) while Augie Lohmeyer (190) went 0-2 but gained some valuable experience.

"It's truly a game-changer for young wrestlers, offering an experience that can significantly change the trajectory of their careers," Clay coach Justin Wharton said. "It provides them with much more than just a chance to compete on a national stage.

"Regardless of where they are in their wrestling journey, every one of our wrestlers at this tournament gets an invaluable opportunity to compete against the absolute best in the nation. Some of the wrestlers in this event are world medalists and currently hold a world ranking.

“For our guys, getting the chance to wrestle against this caliber of competitors, and to compete alongside them, and to observe their approach to matches and their overall mindset, is an incredible experience. It truly provides a unique learning curve that you can't get anywhere else."

Wharton noted that some of the top wrestlers in the country didn't place on account of the fact that the tournament featured such prestige.

The weekend before the competition, the wrestlers had a three-day camp that was led by some of the state's top coaches as well as Division I college coaches from across the country.

"The preparation for this competition is equally valuable," Wharton said. "The high-level instruction and sparring elevates their skills."

Making the trek to North Dakota allowed for the wrestlers to create and build friendships.

"The bonding experience is truly special," Wharton said. "One of the most rewarding aspects I witnessed was seeing wrestlers from different teams and parts of the state, like the group from Clay, form new friendships."

It wasn't much of a surprise to see Weisner and McNally have a successful tournament.

"Garrison and Gabe are familiar faces on the national stage, and while they might not have reached their ultimate goals on this trip, their performances continue to show significant growth," Wharton said. "This was Garrison's third year on the team and Gabe's second, and they've clearly been improving.

"Both young men are incredibly driven athletes. I know they're already thinking about how this experience will fuel their motivation to keep growing in the sport. It'll be exciting to watch how this propels them forward."

Wharton was particularly pleased with Purtee's showing.

"His performance truly stood out," Wharton said. "What made it impressive was his success in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman styles, picking up two wins in each of them for a total of four victories.

"This was Jacob's second trip to Fargo, and the progress he's made since his last appearance is remarkable. I believe he's shown tremendous growth over the past three months, and it was fun to watch him compete."

Clay has one of the top programs in the state, and this is just another step up the ladder.

"The fact that our team was able to go to Fargo and compete against this level of competition speaks volumes about the current state of our program," Wharton said. "We are in a period of significant growth.

"While we've made strides, there's still a clear understanding, shared by myself, the wrestlers and the rest of the coaching staff that there's a lot of continued development needed within the program. We're all aware of the areas we need to focus our efforts to ensure we keep growing."

Next up for the Eagles is the chance to qualify for the Super 32, another national tournament held in Greensboro, North Carolina. The qualifying event for it is on Sept. 7 in Fort Wayne.