West Holmes wrestling takes third at state

The West Holmes High School wrestling team came away from the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association Division II State Dual Championships with a school-best third-place finish Feb. 14 at Bishop Watterson High School.

The Knights hung on to down New Lexington 34-33 in the third-place dual as Colton Garver (freshman, 113 pounds) won the dual for West Holmes despite losing the match.

Heading into the final match — the dual started at 120 — the Knights held a slim 34-29 lead over the Panthers. Garver could not give up a fall (New Lexington wins by one point) or a tech fall (would tie the team score and send the team decision to criteria). Garver did his job, surrendering an 11-3 major decision to give the Knights the win and third-place team finish.

“What a day,” ninth-year West Holmes coach Scott Vaughn said. “Our coaching staff did a lot of scouting this week, and we knew that we had a real shot against anyone today. It was going to take basically a perfect dual to beat the top three seeded teams (Bishop Watterson, St. Francis DeSales and New Lexington). Man, did the boys show up today.”

Liam Angle (sophomore, 120) started the dual against New Lexington with a 15-0 tech fall win. Peyton Martin (senior, 126) with an 8-1 decision win and a 17-2 tech fall from Gabe Umstead (senior, 132) pushed the Knights to an early 13-0 advantage. New Lexington came back with four wins in the next five matches to lead 23-18. The lone West Holmes win in those five matches was Louden Dixon’s (senior, 157) 16-1 tech fall.

Lincoln Goans (junior, 175) scored a 17-5 major decision victory, and Camden McCluggage (senior, 190) snared a fall win at 4:33 to put West Holmes back in front 28-23. Dylan Sours (senior, heavyweight) was the only winner in the next three matches, a fall win at 1:08, to give the Knights a five-point advantage, 34-29, heading into Garver’s third-place-clinching match.

The fifth-seeded Knights’ only loss on the day was the championship semifinals dual against No. 1 Bishop Watterson. The two teams traded wins through the first six matches. West Holmes led the Eagles 18-15, but from that point forward, it was Bishop Watterson, which won seven matches in a row to put away the Knights, who closed out the dual with a forfeit win for the final score of 46-21.

In the first dual of the day, the Knights opened up a 31-0 lead over No. 4 Perkins in the championship quarterfinals, ending with a 39-34 victory.

Vaughn and his coaching staff felt the Knight of the Week winner needed to go to the whole team.

“For the team's performance, I am naming the entire team the Knight of the Week for taking third place in the OHSWCA state duals,” Vaughn said. “They bust their butts. They are good kids, and they are coachable. The heart that this team showed was tremendous. They went from being the No. 7 seed in regionals, No. 5 seed in state duals to third place in the state. I had several coaches come up to me and compliment the team's performance today. They should all be very proud of themselves.”

St. Francis DeSales, the No. 2 seed, defeated Bishop Watterson 42-27 for the state team dual title.

The Knights finished the dual meet season with a 12-5 mark.

West Holmes sent seniors Martin, Umstead, Dixon, McCluggage, Grady Hawkins and Sours in their final home appearance inside The Dungeon at West Holmes High School to a pair of dual wins Feb. 11. The Knights handled John Glenn in their first dual by a 65-13 count, then capped the night with a 68-12 victory over Ashland on Senior Night.

The Knights dominated both the Muskies and Arrows, winning 12 of the 17 matches contested while receiving 11 forfeit wins — six from John Glenn and five from Ashland.

For the six seniors, their final home meet was not only two wins for the team, but also all six seniors scored wins on the night.

Martin (126/132) picked up two forfeit wins, Umstead (132/138) was a forfeit winner and a fall winner, Dixon (157) won by fall twice, McCluggage (190) won by fall and posted a 16-1 tech fall victory, Hawkins posted a fall win, and heavyweight Sours was a double forfeit winner.

“We had a lot of really good individual performances tonight, but the coaches got together and decided to make the seniors the Knights of the Night,” Vaughn said. “Peyton, Gabe, Louden, Cam, Grady and Dylan have certainly earned their flowers, and we will gladly give it to them. This was a great night in The Dungeon for our seniors' last event at home. I can't say enough positive things about what this group has done, not only the last four years, but their careers for this program. They are all great kids and great leaders. They are guys that when we ask them to get something done, you know that they are going to do it and do it well — not to mention off the mat.

"We love being around all six of our seniors. They work hard when it's time, and they are a blast to be around when it's time to have fun. This group has set the bar pretty high for the upcoming classes.”

Also picking up wins for the Knights against John Glenn were Wyatt Crabb (junior, 106) with a fall, Noah Grassbaugh (sophomore, 144) with a 15-0 tech fall and Oliver Hiller (sophomore, 150) with a fall. Forfeit winners included Garver (113), Angle (120) and Finnigan McClintock (freshman, 165).

Aiding the cause against Ashland were Angle with a fall, Hiller with a 16-10 decision victory and McClintock with a fall. Picking up forfeit wins were Crabb, Garver and Goans (175).

Attack Team

Holmes Area Wrestling Club Elementary Attack Team member Chansen Hart earned Ohio Youth Wrestling Association state runner-up honors at the OYWA State Championship Tournament Feb. 15 at GlenOak High School.

Hart (sixth grade, 110) finished his state tournament 3-1 with three falls. With his runner-up finish, Hart is now a two-time OYWA state placer after placing third at last year’s state competition.

“Chansen did what, well, Chansen does,” Attack Team coach Jarret Mathie said, “steamrolling everyone in his path, right to the state finals. This may be biased and a bit cliché to say, but I am going to because he deserves the credit. Chansen was, in my opinion, the best wrestler in his weight class hands down. However, in the finals his opponent was the better wrestler for that match. Hats off to his opponent for a great accomplishment.

"I know Chansen was upset. His goal was to be on that top step. Without question he will use this as fuel to come back even stronger. We as coaches were talking. When this young man figures out what he is truly capable of, it's going to be terrifying. I'm just glad he will be doing so in a Knights singlet.”

Hart also was honored as the Attack Team Wrestler of the Week.

Dawson Miller (sixth, 79, 2-2, two falls) came up one win shy of earning a podium finish after falling in the consolation quarterfinals.

Finishing 1-2 were Jordan Vaughn (fourth, 73, one fall) and Fletcher Hawkins (sixth, 120). Austin Spreng (second, 52), Mason Hart (third, 70), Silas Larimore (sixth, 82) and Everett Tuitama (sixth, 90) finished 0-2.