Attack Team qualifies 7 to state tournament

Competing at the Ohio Youth Wrestling Association District Tournament at Barberton High School on Feb. 18, the Holmes Area Wrestling Club Elementary Attack Team qualified seven wrestlers for the OYWA State Tournament.

Advancing to state were district champion Grantham Lovell (sixth grade, 150 pounds), runners-up Rowand Mathie (sixth, 82) and Carter Kick (sixth, 95), third-place finishers Chansen Hart (fourth, 86) and Ryker Stokovich (fifth, 205), and fourth-place finishers Weston Rogers (sixth, 90) and Clint Burgett (sixth, 132).

Just missing a qualifying berth was Kolston Wagers (fifth, 175), who finished fifth and will be a state tournament alternate.

In the team race, the Attack Team placed fifth out of 28 teams. Wadsworth (337 points) won the team title and was followed by Barberton A (232), Highland A (208), Shamrock Wrestling Club (176) and the Attack Team (164).

“What a day,” Attack Team coach Jarret Mathie said. “To come away with 10 district placers, seven state qualifiers and one alternate from a tough district tournament, words cannot describe how proud I am to be their coach. I want to say that what we were blessed to witness today as a West Holmes wrestling family was (not) a surprise or a shock to me.

“Since the first week of November, this team has been grinding. The amount of work these guys have endured is remarkable. They have been battle-tested and ready to go. The outcomes we saw today were 100% earned by them and the level of commitment they’ve given to the team and program the last 3 1/2 months. Seven state qualifiers is a new record for me as a coach. I can’t wait to see them compete another week at the highest level.”

With one more week left in the season, the biggest one, coach Mathie said his seven state qualifiers need to keep the momentum rolling.

“We will look to keep the momentum flowing one more week at the state tournament,” he said. “I would love to see all these wrestlers on the podium when the dust settles (on Feb. 25).”

The state tournament will take place at GlenOak High School in Canton on Feb. 25, with wrestling beginning at 9 a.m.