Experienced Mount Vernon wrestlers aim for big team, individual milestones

The Mount Vernon boys’ wrestling team had a historic moment for an individual last season. This season, it is looking for some team history.

MV’s Alex Taylor became the first boy wrestler in school history to win a state title, grabbing the crown in the heavyweight division last winter. With Taylor, two other state qualifiers and nine total seniors returning this winter, the team is looking at making some history as a squad.

“I think the goal is usually the same about every year — you want to win the conference title, get as many district and state qualifiers that we can. Once we get to the state tournament, how many can we get on the podium,” Mount Vernon coach Corey Firebaugh said. “I think we were 10th in the state last year. One of my goals is to beat that. The goal is to get another banner in here; you know, in the top five or whatever of the state. This team has a lot of potential. It has a lot of goals that could be reached that haven't been done in a while.”

Taylor, who recently signed to attend the University of Oklahoma next fall, leads that talented pack. The senior heavyweight won state, district and sectional championships, only losing one match — in the Ironman event at Walsh Jesuit that invites the top wrestlers from around the state and nation.

After winning the state title, Taylor went on to qualify and wrestle in the Pan American Games (in Brazil) and the World Championships (in Greece) this summer. He hopes to take the lessons he learned on the largest stages in the world and repeat as the Ohio state champion, while also showing the younger wrestlers what can be accomplished in this sport.

“It shows the younger kids in here that it is possible for someone from our program and from our school and our community to get to that level and but again it's gonna take hard work to do it. It takes a lot of hours a lot of sweat, but him showing those younger kids some of that technique and just showing them that it is possible to be within our community to accomplish something like that is incredible,” Firebaugh said. “It's been great just having that experience for him and then for all the other teammates to be able to see him experience that and know that it is obtainable.

“When we sit down at the end of the year and kind of calculate to not just season stats and accolades, over the four-year career he'll probably have a lot of those things (records) up there with his name on it for sure. It's been pretty special to watch.”

The Jackets return plenty of talented veterans ready to make their own mark.

Mavrik Gregory and Luke Mullins both return after qualifying and just missing the podium at state a year ago. The two-time state qualifiers are ready to make the jump and bring home some hardware this winter.

“I think they're working hard. Luke is obviously a really good football player too, but they all did the offseason stuff. I know (Mavrik’s) goal is to be to be a state champ which I think we think he can do and he's been working super super hard,” Firebaugh said. “They'll stay and you know do some extra stuff as well. Just doing the extra stuff as an upperclassman shows those younger ones what it takes to get to the state tournament. Their goal is to be on the podium this year.”

The Jackets also return seniors Tye Thomas (district qualifier), Josiah Colon, Noah Crowthers, Preston Hempfield, Jude Kirk and Landon Schlosser. Also back are junior Gabe Thomas (sixth at district), and sophomores Gabe Kiser and Keagan Leasure. Firebaugh is also excited to see what freshmen Trevor Jones and Wyatt Laymon will bring to the squad, as they both wrestled in the state middle school tournament a year ago.

With a solid mix of veterans and some talented underclassmen, the Jackets are setting their goals high this winter — repeat as Licking County League champions, qualify as many individuals as possible for district and state tournaments, and win some regular-season tournaments, including their own John Brown Memorial, which kicks off the season on Saturday.