Dixon, Miller lead Knights wrestling at Cambridge Invite

The West Holmes varsity wrestling team opened up the season with a fourth-place team finish at the 17-team Cambridge Invitational on Dec. 9.

Team co-captains Louden Dixon (sophomore) and Grant Miller (senior) led the way for the Knights, scoring individual championships at 144 and 215 pounds, respectively. Taking home third-place finishes were juniors AAJ Roberts (132) and Hunter McCluggage (157) with classmate Cole Porter snaring fourth at 190. Grady Toye (senior) earned a fifth-place finish at 126 while Gabe Umstead (sophomore) placed sixth at 113.

“It was nice to finally get back on the mat and compete,” Knights coach Scott Vaughn said. “I told the team, ‘First tournament of the season, I do not expect perfection. What I do expect is great effort and aggressive wrestling.’ I thought the team had that covered today. We had ups and downs, but we expected that for the first tournament. We don't want to be our best now. We want to be our best in February/March.”

Dixon (5-0 with three falls), a returning state qualifier, scored two fall wins and a major decision in his pool before nailing Mason Rider (New Lexington) to the mat in 43 seconds in the championship semifinal match. Dixon then came back in the title bout with a 4-1 decision win over Evan Ours (Lisbon Beaver Local) to win a gold medal.

“Louden puts an unbelievable amount of work into getting better at wrestling,” Vaughn said. “He is methodical and loves to compete. Once he knocked off the first-match jitters, he was off to the races. He had an excellent tournament.”

Miller also had a great tournament, finishing 5-0 with all of his wins coming via fall. The two-time returning district qualifier scored three first-period falls in his first three pool matches (1:10, 1:40, 16 seconds) and after a bye stuck John Queen (Miami Trace) in eight seconds to reach the title match. Though it took a bit longer, Miller kept it rolling, pinning Kartyr Armstrong (Vincent Warren) at the 2:46 mark to sew up a perfect day.

“Grant put on a show today, pinning all of his opponents,” Vaughn said. “That should really boost his self-confidence. I am excited to see him continue to get better this year.”

Roberts (4-1, three falls) scored three fall wins in his pool and then was upended in the championship semifinal to fall into the third-place match, where he won by default over Ashtin McCordle (Unattached/Extra). McCluggage also won his three pool bouts (1:52, 8-6, forfeit), and like Roberts, he was upended in the semifinal. McCluggage came back with a 4-3 decision win over Malachi McCullough (Washington Court House) to earn bronze and finish his day 4-1 with one fall.

Porter finished 2-3 with one fall, Toye finished 4-1 with four falls and Umstead finished 1-3 with a fall.

Beaver Local (182.5 points) won the team title over Minerva (163.5), followed by Indian Valley (160.5), West Holmes (154) and Miami Trace (153) rounding out the top five teams.

Three JV Knights post 3-0 records in round-robin matches

Five West Holmes junior varsity wrestlers competed at the Lake JV Round Robin Match Invitational on Dec. 9.

Grady Hawkins (sophomore, 215), Colton Leyda (freshman, 175) and Cohen Wilson (freshman, 175) all posted 3-0 records, and Jordan Gerber and Lincoln Goans, both 165-pound freshmen, finished 2-1.

Hawkins and Leyda won all of their matches via fall with Wilson scoring two fall wins and a technical fall win. Gerber chalked up a fall win along with a forfeit win while Goans scored both of his wins by fall.

Ross leads WHMS at Claymont Invitational

The West Holmes Middle School wrestling team started the season with a fifth-place finish at the 25-team Claymont Invitational on Dec. 9.

Leading the way for the Knights was Easton Ross (eighth grade, 205), who capped his day with a championship, while classmates Noah Grassbaugh (122) and Wade Miller (134) and seventh-grader Silas Baker (142) scored third-place finishes. Snaring a fourth-place finish was Colton Garver (seventh, 92) while fifth-place finishes went to Liam Angle (98), Grady Jones (116) and Oliver Hiller (134), all eighth-graders.

“I am very proud of my boys today,” WHMS coach Justin Wilcox said. “I ask them before every event to give me their best effort and to have fun. I believe we did both of those today.”

Ross dominated his weight class, posting four fall wins for the championship including his sticking of Quaid Shaw (Claymont) in the title match.

And Ross' title may have had something to do with a little talk from Wilcox.

“I had a tough talk with Easton a couple of weeks ago,” Wilcox said. “I suggested he stay strong and go up to 205 instead of trying to drop down to 172. I told him that his wrestling ability and athleticism would likely make him a better fit for 205, but he had to change his style a bit. Essentially, he had to start wrestling like a big guy, not a middleweight.

“I am proud of Easton, not for the victories alone, but that he bought into our coaching and had enough confidence in himself and his coaches to dominate today — great day.”

For the Knights' three third-place finishers, Grassbaugh finished his day with a 4-2 decision victory over Kayleigh Wiseman (Tusky Valley) to post a 3-1 record with a fall, Miller defeated Colton Mathias (New Lexington) by a 5-3 decision in their third-place match to post a 4-1 day with two falls, and Baker finished 3-1 with three falls after nailing Patrick Moran (Dover) by fall at 53 seconds in their bronze medal match.

Garver fought to a 2-2 record with a fall to garner fourth-place honors. Angle ended the tournament with a 4-1 mark and four falls while Jones and Hiller both went 5-1 with two falls.

Claymont (232) won the team title, topping runner-up Massillon Edison (220), third-place Carrollton (183.5), fourth-place Indian Valley (162) and fifth-place West Holmes (160).

Attack Team goes 3-0 to start season

The Holmes Area Wrestling Club Elementary Attack Team opened the season in dominating fashion, posting a 3-0 record at the Ohio Youth Wrestling Association Mid-Ohio Division duals inside the Wilbur Berkey Fieldhouse at Smithville High School on Dec. 10.

The Attack Team rolled over all three of its opponents, smashing Rittman 100-21, overwhelming Orrville 102-18 and handling Norwayne B by a 90-39 count.

“Overall, I thought we wrestled really well today,” Attack Team coach Jarret Mathie said. “We started with Rittman, and the boys took care of business. The dual started out with a few matches that went our way, followed by a rash of forfeits, and closed with a mix of wrestling and forfeits. Those who did wrestle in matches got after it and were aggressive.”

Posting 3-0 records with three fall wins were Jordan Vaughn (second grade) and Weston Rogers (sixth). Finishing 3-0 with two falls were Tavien Kosier (third), Dawson Miller (fourth), and sixth-graders Rowand Mathie, Carter Kick, Clint Burgett and Grantham Lovell.

Fourth-graders Silas Larimore and Chansen Hart, second-grader Graham Mathie, and fifth-graders Jackson Vaughn and Kolston Wagers were all 3-0 with one fall.

Earning 2-1 records were Luke Manges (second), Sawyer Miller (third), and fifth-graders Briggs Patterson and Ryker Stokovich.

Fletcher Hawkins (fourth) was 1-2 with one fall while Carter Boals (second) and Tevin Shaffer (third) both finished 1-2.

“Although the team went 3-0 on the day, we definitely have some areas where work needs done,” coach Mathie said. “It is early in the season, though, and we will get back to work and sharpen our skills. However, I saw enough today that I can confidently say this team has the potential to accomplish some very special things.”