Four trips, one goal: Gregory chasing state wrestling championship

Mavrik Gregory has entered a rarefied status in the Mount Vernon wrestling world.

Gregory became just the fourth wrestler in school history to qualify for the state tournament all four years of his high school career Saturday when he finished second in the Div. I district tournament at Hilliard Darby.

“It feels awesome. Obviously, it’s a privilege and something to think about, but it’s not anywhere near where my focus is. I’m really dialed in on that state championship. I want to chase it and get it,” Gregory said. “(I’ve) always (dreamed of this opportunity) when you’re a young kid and I had older brothers that were coming up through the program, as well. Seeing my brother, Wyatt, here (at district) and not being able to make it to state. This gives me pride. Even my younger self looking at it and seeing myself do this, would be very proud. I think I’m pretty happy with how it’s going.”

“He’s dedicated a lot of his life to the sport. So, it’s super rewarding to see it pay off for him each and every year,” said Mount Vernon wrestling coach Corey Firebaugh. “He trains year round. He puts the work in, in the weight room, in the room in the off-season, during the season he’s one of the hardest workers on the team. Super happy for him.”

Gregory, who wrestles at 157 pounds, joined an elite club which includes Travis Popham (2003-06), Michael Lybarger (2004-07) and Lane Hinkle (2013-16) as a four-time state qualifier. Popham and Lybarger are both two-time state runners-up, while Hinkle placed third his junior season.

“I think it speaks to the tradition of the program. Year in and year out, we try to get guys to the state tournament and see if we can get them on the podium. For only four people to be able to do it over the 50-some years, it’s pretty special for sure. It puts him in rare company,” Firebaugh said. “He’s a great kid. I can’t speak enough about how he works really hard, loves the sport. He just loves wrestling. Doesn’t matter if it’s practice or lifting or anything that has to do with wrestling, he loves it and it shows.”

Gregory has yet to crack a spot on the state podium but has finished just one match win away from placing both of the last two years. He’s looking forward to ending that drought this year.

Always known as a hard worker, Gregory raised the bar even higher this year, hoping to finish on top of the state podium. The senior, along with Alex Taylor and Tye Thomas, were in the weight room with coach Matt Lybarger every morning by 7 a.m. during the off-season. Every Friday, they ran, sometimes for miles, up and down the bleachers at Mount Vernon’s football stadium.

“I did a lot this year. I’ve changed up a lot. I’ve always been a hard worker, but this year we ramped it up 100 percent,” Gregory said. “I would say with all of that work we’ve put in and our mindset, it gives us more confidence because we know we’ve put the work in.”

He began wrestling very young and has spent 13 years of his life getting to this point. Gregory wrestled with the Mount Vernon Little Stingers and Killer Bees programs, as well as throughout the Midwest circuit. He’s wrestled in tournaments in Pennsylvania and Iowa, as well as Ohio, through clubs like the Mount Vernon Wrestling Club and Ohio Crazy Goats out of Columbus. He plans to wrestle this summer in some of those same tournaments, hoping to qualify for the USA Wrestling Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota.

Following that, he will enroll at Wheeling (W.Va.) University and wrestle with his best friend and former teammate Jake Taylor for the Cardinals. He plans on rooming with Luke Mullins, his current teammate at MVHS, who has also committed to Wheeling.

Jake Taylor’s first collegiate season ended recently, and he’s been in the wrestling room at Mount Vernon, sharing tips with Gregory and the rest of the Yellow Jacket wrestlers. Gregory has been soaking up that knowledge and hopes to put it to good use this week at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center. His first match will be Friday at 12:10 p.m. against Kolten Hmel of St. Edward.

“Jake’s been in the room this week, drilling with me and showing me the ropes. Things he’s learned at college and telling me how to manage my matches. Jake is very helpful. He’s one of the smartest when it comes to wrestling knowledge. You could ask him any wrestler in the state or nation, and he’ll know them,” Gregory said. “This is my dream. This is what I’m chasing, so I had to set my priorities straight, tell myself it’s time to go, time to lock in.”