I had the pleasure of being at my first Ohio State Tournament. One of the best finals I've ever seen. I'm surprised there isn't a recap here at all, so I'll try to do my best. All of the matches are up now on FloWrestling and GOhioCasts. The GOhioCasts page is a little easier to navigate right now, with all of the links on the right side after you click the OHSAA Finals icon on the homepage.




103: Dean Heil dec. Jack Young 9-3: Young was one of the best stories of the tournament (adopted from a Russian orphanage), and pinned his way to finals, but had no answer for Heil. Heil led 9-1 in the third, but gave up a late reversal to wash away the major decision. In a team race that close, I thought that may cost them in the end. As it turned out, the lead was a little more (although if Buzzelli had lost in overtime, that reversal would have been the difference in the team tournament). Heil is just a freshman, so on pace to win 4 state titles. Ed's has some awesome freshman and sophomores.

112: Korey Mines dec. Mitch Newhouse 7-0: This one was the difference between a senior and a sophomore. Mines had a serious strength and experience advantage and it showed. Mines scored a takedown early, and tilted Newhouse twice for backpoints. I'd love to see a statistic on how back points translate to winning percentage in matches. Newhouse won a thriller in semis, and I'd have to imagine this isn't the last we've heard from him. But this was Mines night.

119: Jerome Robinson dec. Kagan Squire 8-3: Again, the difference between a senior and a sophomore. I didn't realize how tiny Robinson was. At the parade of champions, he was noticeably smaller than Mines. But he's a dynamo on his feet. Squire is really good, but didn't have an answer for Robinson. Robinson repeats as champion. This one also had team title implications, as Wadsworth didn't match the Ed's win at 103.

125: Gus Sako dec. Jake McCombs 3-1: This one was closer than I thought it would be. Sako had been an ass kicker all weekend. But I guess I underestimated the undefeated McCombs. He's so tough to score on, and even though Sako controlled the bout, he didn't have much to show for it. It's also nice being able to climb the mountain again after being defeated last season in finals.

130: Jamie Clark dec. Kodie Egnor 3-0: Clark caps off a fabulous career with a 3-0 win. It's a shame he's been hurt for so much of the year, because he's obviously a mega talent. He'll do well at the next level. Again, despite the close score, Clark was never really tested in this one. The back to back wins gave Ed's a 7.5 point cushion going into the head to head bouts.

135: Louden Gordon fall Mike Martin 5:59: Oh my word. This was the match of the night in my opinion. Gordon was one of my favorite wrestlers to watch during the tournament, and he did not disappoint here. Martin scored the first takedown, but with 15 seconds left, Gordon hit a granby for a reversal to knot things at 2. Gordon is super athletic. Gordon then scored in a funk situation to take a 4-3 lead later in the match. With things getting desparate late, Martin trailed 5-4, kind of forced a shot, Gordon threw him by and dropped him to his back, then stuck him as the buzzer sounded. That was one of the loudest roars I've heard from a wrestling crowd. All the momentum was in Wadsworth's corner after that one. I'll actually post the link to this one directly, it was that good:

140: Randy Languis dec. Shane Foster 5-4: I felt awful for Foster in this one. After getting outwrestled for most of the match, he trailed 3-2 late, when he hit a high crotch and scored with 20 seconds to go. It looked like he just had to ride him out to win a state title. But I don't think he realized he had his 2, and kept his hands locked, gets banged for the technical violation, then Languis escaped to win 5-4. Heartbreaking to see a kid lose that way, but Languis wrestled really well and definitely earned this title.

145: Brad Squire dec. Anthony Salupo 3-2: One of the most exciting 3-2 matches I've seen. Lots of action for both sides, great counter wrestling, both kids were so tough to score on. The difference came in the 3rd when Salupo got himself over extended on a shot and Squire countered to win a state title. Probably was the best match up of wrestlers in the finals. We'll be hearing a lot more from these kids. This gave Wadsworth their lead back and pretty much sealed the team title.

152: Waquiem Comar dec. David Habet 8-6: After this match, Comar's coach told me that he'll probably never wrestle again. Which is a shame, because he was awesome. Comar also is an All State football player and a nationally ranked hurdler who will run track in college. But I can't imagine how could he could be if you get him in a wrestling room with college coaching and good workout partners. So quick, super athletic, took Habet down three times, including one off of a low single that I think he shot from mat 3. I had never heard of this kid, but was uber-impressed. Although Habet made things interesting with a late takedown, but Comar offense was too much.

160: Nick Sulzer fall Josh Linden 0:31: Double, cradle, over. I guess Sulzer didn't feel like wrestling much. I didn't even get to introduce the wrestlers and it was over. Sulzer also won the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. The pin gave St. Ed's a 3.5 point lead, but Sulzer was their last finalist. Wadsworth had 3 left.

171: Josh Demas dec. Samuel Wheeler 9-3: Josh Demas is going to blow up in college. He's so quick, so explosive. He hit two ridiculous ankle picks off the whistle. Just a human highlight film. Like Comar, you get him in a room with college coaching and good workout partners, he could be off the charts good. I also was told Bobby Douglas called him the best freestyle prospect we have in high school. I could totally see that.

189: Nick Miller dec. Caleb Busson 8-5: Miller was able to hold off Busson's funk. Busson scored his first takedown in a scramble situation. But in his next two attempts to scramble, Miller completely bulled him for takedowns of his own. But what was even better was the aftermath. Miller was clearly overcome by the moment after getting his hand raised, starts to tear up, sprints up into the stands to hug his family directly after leaving the mat. I think a lot of the arena was choked up after this one. I love celebrations anyway, but that one was extra sweet to watch because how how organic the whole moment was. Something I'll never forget from this tournament.

215: Nick Tavenello dec. Kyle Rose 5-3: Well, this is the one that clinched it. It was appropriately dramatic, as Tavenello scored late in the 3rd to win the 215 title as just a sophomore and give Wadsworth a 1/2 point lead going into the last bout. Incredible team race, and it got an appropriately great finish. I thought Rose had the advantage if they went to overtime, and he is really good from top for a big man. The Wadsworth crowd went appropriately crazy after this one. Both of these wrestlers will be back next season as Rose is a junior and Tavenello is only a sophomore.

285: Ben Buzzelli dec. Billy Vaughen 4-1 2OT: Fittingly, the last match of such a great set of finals was our only overtime match of the night. Buzzelli is about the nicest kid in the world, and I was very happy to see him win the title. Vaughen is a great story, was a 3 year back up to a state champion before breaking into the lineup as a senior and going all the way to finals. Buzzelli tried to ride out a 1-0 lead for a win in the 3rd, but gave up an escape in the final seconds to tie the score at 1. He then rode Vaughen out for the entire first overtime, then escaped and scored his own takedown to win the tournament. It was a fitting cap to a great touranment by Wadsworth.

Overall, a spectacular tournament, I'm glad I got to be there. Actually, I'll post the link for all of the finals in case people want to watch them, but don't feel like hunting for them yourself, things are still kind of cluttered on the sidebar.