Medina wrestling loaded with experience, eyes GCC title run

Medina has had solid wrestling teams over the years. Few Bees squads, though, have had the promise that the 2025-26 version appears to have.

A year ago, Medina finished third in the Greater Cleveland Conference and third in the Avon Lake Division I sectional. The Bees had half their lineup earn all-conference honors and sent eight athletes to districts.

Of the group that accomplished all that, just two – 157-pounder Aiden Supers, a district qualifier, and 175-pounder Nick Kaplak, a state alternate – graduated. Medina has 11 returning letter winners boasting all sorts of accomplishments.

“The team is working hard,” 25th-year coach Chad Gilmore said. “In our first competition, they worked hard on implementing what we have been working on. There has been a lot of progress so far this year.

“I think if our guys keep their individual goals in mind and work to achieve those, we will be able to achieve all of our team goals.”

Leading the returnees are sophomore 113-pounder Dominic Difilippo, a sectional champion and state qualifier at 106 a year ago, and 285-pounder Cliff Nicholson, a state qualifier at that weight last season. Nicholson is a two-time state qualifier with 100 career pins.

Juniors Taegan Gilmore (132), a state alternate last year at 120, and Tyler Bradshaw (132), a state alternate last year at 126, also are back. Gilmore was a sectional champion, and Bradshaw was a sectional runner-up. Gilmore, also the owner of 100 career pins, will look to push his career win total to at least 150 this season.

Other returning district qualifiers include junior Cooper Kaplak (132), who made it to districts as a 113-pounder; junior Cooper Lavender (138), who was at 132 last year; and senior Michael Kessler (144), who qualified for districts at 138 last season.

Juniors Jack Storm (157) and Lazar Kovacevic (165) both were sectional placers a year ago, achieving that at 150 and 165, respectively. Juniors Jackson Herman (120) and Kingston McDowell (150) each lettered as sophomores.

As for Chad Gilmore, whose program has more than two dozen varsity wrestlers vying for mat time and giving the Bees plenty of practice pairings, spending a quarter-century at the helm is a product of passion.

“Wrestling is a family business,” he said. “I love the relationships it builds. I also love helping my wrestlers achieve goals they were quite sure they could achieve on all levels of the sport.

“I would love all of our guys, youth through high school, to develop a passion for wrestling where you are always looking to develop. If you focus on becoming the best wrestler you can become, the wins and losses will take care of themselves. You have to love to compete, not just love to win.”

Medina is competing in the GCC for the final season before heading to the Suburban League, where Wadsworth and Brecksville await. The Bees should be among the favorites to finish near the top.

The Bees will look to win their first GCC championship since 2021-22 and their second overall since joining the league.