West Holmes rallies for dual win

West Holmes senior heavyweight Dylan Sours scored a fall win in the final match of the Jan. 29 dual meet with host Indian Valley, giving the Knights a 42-38 come-from-behind victory.

The Knights trailed Indian Valley 38-24 after the 175-pound match and then scored three straight wins — a Camden McCluggage (senior, 190) forfeit win, an Easton Ross (sophomore, 215) fall victory and Sours’ win — to sew up the dual meet and move to 6-4 in dual meets this season.

“The guys continued their hot streak tonight,” West Holmes coach Scott Vaughn said. “Indian Valley is one of the top teams in the district, and we knew they were going to be a tough out. I am proud of how (the team) faced the adversity of the match going back and forth throughout the dual. We were down 14 (points) going into the last three matches, and Cam, Easton and Dylan have continuously come through in the clutch for us this year. I know that they feel extra pressure finishing duals off, and those three are always the last to wrestle.

"I really like how they handle that pressure. They did it again to seal the victory for the team in an impressive win.”

Wyatt Crabb (junior, 106, forfeit), Gabe Umstead (senior, 132, fall), Calvin Pendlebury (sophomore, 138, fall) and Louden Dixon (senior, 157, fall) also won matches for West Holmes.

Junior varsity

West Holmes' Colton Garver (freshman, 120), Wade Miller (sophomore, 157), Kaden Markley (sophomore, 190) and Cohen Wilson (junior, 215) earned top four finishes at the Galion Covert JV Invitational Tournament Jan. 31 at Galion High School.

Garver (3-1, two falls) and Miller (3-1) picked up runner-up honors. Markley (4-1, three) and Wilson (6-1, five) earned third-place finishes.

Three junior varsity matches were contested when West Holmes faced Indian Valley for a varsity dual Jan. 29. Silas Baker (freshman, 165) scored an 8-5 decision win, Markley won by medical default and Hawkins pocketed an 18-3 tech fall win.

Middle school

Five West Holmes wrestlers qualified for the Ohio Athletic Committee Junior High State Tournament, posting top six finishes at the OAC Norwalk District Qualifier Feb. 1 at Norwalk High School.

Earning state tournament berths were Grantham Lovell (eighth grade, 209, second place, 2-1, two falls), Rowand Mathie (eighth, 108, fifth, 3-2, three), Jackson Vaughn (seventh, 102, sixth, 3-3, one), Rorick Taggart (eighth, 108, sixth, 2-3) and Kolston Wagers (seventh, 209, sixth, 3-3, three).

Finishing eighth and earning second state alternate status were Weston Rogers (eighth, 108, 2-2, one), Gavin Hoover (eighth, 132, 2-3, one) and Hudson Ross (seventh, 154, 1-3).

Competing at the OAC qualifier also came with a sacrifice for the Knights wrestlers due to a new regulation imposed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association for the 2025-26 wrestling season.

With a lineup featuring a lot of wrestlers who haven’t started this season, West Holmes fought its way to a 10th-place tie at the 17-team John Frye Classic Middle School Invitational Jan. 31 at Mount Vernon High School.

Mathie (104, 4-1, four) and Bryson Snyder (eighth, heavyweight, 2-2, two) both came away with third-place finishes. Clint Burgett (eighth, 128, 4-2, one) and Kolston Wagers (seventh, 205, 3-2, two) pocketed fifth-place finishes.

Attack Team

The Holmes Area Wrestling Club Elementary Attack Team earned its fourth straight Ohio Youth Wrestling Association sectional tournament championship Feb. 1 and advanced 20 wrestlers to the OYWA district tournament.

The Attack Team rolled up 318 points to outpace Wooster Gold (309.5) for the team title.

“We had a fantastic day,” Attack Team coach Jarret Mathie said. “This might be the best we have wrestled as a team so far this season, which excites me for districts. We would love to keep the momentum going. Going into the day, I knew our sectional would be tough. Teams like Wooster, Norwayne and Smithville have had very talented squads in previous years, and this year was no exception.”

Earning sectional championships were Austin Spreng (second, 52, 2-0, one), Dawson Miller (sixth, 79, 3-0, three) and Chansen Hart (sixth, 110, 2-0, two).

Pocketing runner-up finishes were Jordan Vaughn (fourth, 73, 2-1, one), Silas Larimore (sixth, 82, 1-1), Everett Tuitama (sixth, 90, 2-1, two), Brody Shriver (fifth, 100, 2-1, one) and Sawyer Hood (fifth, 150, 2-1, two).

Third-place honors fell to Lane Taylor (fifth, 64, 3-1, two), Andrew Tuitama (third, 76, 2-1, one), Gunnar Smith (fifth, 86, 3-1, three), Casey Pendlebury (sixth, 95, 2-1, two), Sawyer Miller (fifth, 105, 2-1, two), Fletcher Hawkins (sixth, 120, 2-1, two) and Easton Wagers (fourth, 205, 0-1).

Also advancing to districts with fourth-place finishes were Parker Martin (first, 49, 1-2, one), Taiven Kosier (fifth, 67, 2-2, two), Mason Hart (third, 70, 2-2, two) and Luke Willard (fifth, 175, 0-2). Making the cut with a fifth-place finish was Nash Conkle (second, 60, 1-2).

Kellen Rice (second, 56, 1-3, one) placed sixth, giving him a district alternate slot.