Season start date and duals

Other than a few dual meets this week, the action really begins this weekend.
Here’s my question?
Why does the OHSAA let basketball teams begin their seasons on Friday nights and wrestling starts on a Monday?
Wouldn’t it make more sense to start the season last Friday to give teams and spread these tournaments into an extra weekend? That’s just my two cents on the issue.
I would also love to see a true dual meet state tournament. Have sectionals, districts and have 8 teams from each division wrestle in the state dual meet tournament the weekend after the state tournament. I hate the current set up. It’s the best that we have right now since the OHSAA wants no part of a dual tournament.
Not sure how it would draw though.
Also missing a lot of results from last night specifically everything that was wrestled from the Northern Lakes League…

Missing in Action….
Anthony Wayne at Springfield, 6
Perrysburg at Bowling Green, 6
Montpelier & Swanton at Bryan, 6
Maumee at Sylvania Southview, 6
Rossford at Sylvania Northview, 6

Nothing in today’s Blade if anyone out there has these results I would happily post the,

Anyway I will post complete results from the Bill Hunter Duals at St. Wendelin and Findlay Duals as soon as I can over the weekend.

Look below for Thursday’s matches I did receive and NW Ohio News Stories….

NEWSWORTHY:
Columbus Grove pins loss on Cory-Rawson
UF Roughnecks enter dual meet portion of their schedule
Low numbers plague Fostoria, St. Wendelin
Shelby splits with Clear Fork, Loudonville
Ohio Cardinal Conference preview in the Mansfield News Journal
Weigh-loss story in the Elyria Chronicle
Dual Meet Summaries
Columbus Grove 30, Cory-Rawson 24
103 -- Double forfeit.
112 -- Double forfeit.
119 -- Double forfeit.
125 -- Double forfeit.
130 -- Cress (CG) won by forfeit.
135 -- Goedde (CG) won by forfeit.
140 -- Double forfeit.
145 -- Tussing (CG) won by forfeit.
152 -- Niese (C-R) pinned Tourjee, 1:59.
160 -- Falk (C-R) pinned Kuhlman, 1:01.
171 -- Amstutz (CG) won by forfeit.
189 -- K. Walter (C-R) pinned Windau, 1:45.
215 -- S. Walter (C-R) pinned Oney, 2:29.
275 -- Vorst (CG) won by forfeit.

Archbold 43, Hudson, Mich. 33
103 — Hilyard (H) won by forfeit
112 — Chamberlin (H) won by forfeit
119 — Vanderpool ()H) dec. Raines 8-4
125 — Marry (H) pinned Redd 5:43
130 — Meyer (A) tech. fall Byeonglik 17-2
135 — Bernath (A) pinned Benschoter 3:46
140 — Rufenacht (A) pinned Wolf :44
145 — Burris (A) pinned Walworth 3:35
152 — Short (A) pinned Butts 3:15
160 — Knipp (A) dec. El 12-7
171 — Hillard (H) pinned Beck 4:48
189 — Brittenriker (A) dec. Elliott 5-3
215 — Beaubein (H) pinned Yontz 3:08
275 — Bostelman (A) pinned Welton 1:47

Archbold 48, Liberty Center 30
103 — Kaiser (LC) won by forfeit
112 — Westhoven (LC) won by forfeit
119 — Biddle (LC) pinned Raines 3:11
125 — Redd (A) pinned Brown 2:58
130 — Meyer (A) pinned Peterson 4:30
135 — Bernath (A) dec. Wyckhouse 7-5
140 — Rufenacht (A) pinned Hill
145 — Burris (A) pinned Hessan 1:00
152 — Short (A) pinned Tammarine 5:32
160 — Wichers (LC) pinned Leininger 4:24
171 — Knipp (A) pinned Butter 5:37
189 — Slee (LC) pinned Yontz :32
215 — Britenriker (A) dec. McClory 4-3
275 — Bostelman (A) pinned Schwab 1:16

Delta 45, Patrick Henry 24
103 — Aranjo (D) pinned Gerschutz 1:42
112 — Lopez (PH) dec. Tolson 12-6
119 — Ry. Rayfield (D) pinned McCance 3:33
125 — Carrizales (D) dec. Almanza 10-5
135 — Stebbins (D) pinned Miller 1:15
140 — Reese (PH) dec. Re. Rayfield 10-8
145 — Rosebrook (PH) won by forfeit
152 — Howard (Del) pinned Buenger 1:08
160 — Lark (PH) won by forfeit
171 — Contreras (PH) won by forfeit
189 — Godsey (D) pinned Kuesel 3:40
215 — Thatcher (D) pinned Grobogge 3:32

Scores Only
Northmor 63, Delaware Hayes 12
Northmor 56, Marion Harding 14
Shelby 37, Clear Fork 31
Loudonville 42, Shelby 26

Favorite tag

OK I haven’t seen any of the other 5 Midland Athletic League schools yet.
But I did see Tiffin Calvert and I am officially giving them the favorite tag to win the Midland Athletic League this season.
I think Seneca East will be pretty good with returning state placer Alec Hughes leading the way and never count out Tony Patrizi’s Mohawk Warriors because once they get over some of their injury problems they are going to be very good too.
But the Senecas only lost three matches in their triangular with fellow MAL members Carey and North Baltimore. Barring injuries they’ll put a ful lineup on the mat and in the MAL that counts for a lot.
I was also impressed with North Baltimore’s Eric Phillips. He was 26-5 last season and is back at 119 pounds. He will be a name for Division III fans to remember come tournament time.
I’m looking forward to seeing Napoleon, Fostoria, Bluffton and Perkins this weekend at the Findlay Duals.

NOTEWORTHY:
INFO WANTED: If anyone has any links for NW Ohio High School team you would like to see put up just send ‘em to me and I’ll make sure they get on. Also if anyone has any quality wrestling photos from this season pass them along to me and I’ll try to put them up as well. You can email me at jamiebaker@thecourier.com

TROJAN SPLIT: Not a bad opener for the Findlay Trojans. Ben Kirian’s crew thumped Ashland and lost a narrow decision to Sandusky to start the season. The Trojans weren’t at full strength without their normal heavyweight John Bayliff and Division I district qualifier John Kapostasy in the lineup. I’m interested to see how they fare at the Trojan Duals this weekend.

JEFFIRE BACK: Among the teams competing at the Findlay Duals will be former University of Findlay coach John Jeffire and his team from Chippewa Valley, Mich. We’ll have a story about Jeffire and Olmsted Falls coach Bill McGrain on out Prep Extra Page Dec. 16.

ROUGHNECK WATCH: The University of Findlay opens it’s dual meet season at Illinois Saturday as they take on Central Missouri State and the 16th-ranked Fighting Illini in Champaign, Ill. For anyone interested Illinois will be broadcasting the meet live via the Internet at www.fightingillini.com

BERG WINS BATTLE: Heidelberg was an easy winner this week against Ohio Northern in a battle of Northwest Ohio’s NCAA Division III wrestling programs 27-6. The Berg is ranked fifth in the latest Division III coaches’ poll. It would be great to see The Berg and UF square off.
Here are the results from the match:

#5 Heidelberg 27, Ohio Northern 7
125 — Clemens Artman (HC) dec. David Penny, 2-1 (2ot)
133 — Jeff Penny (ONU) def. Matt Madigan, 11-5
141 — Nicholas Sanchez (HC) maj. dec. Cy Stephens, 10-2
149 — Zach Mizer (HC) dec. Lance Hassell, 11-4
157 — Ian Rammel (HC) dec. A. J. Coleman, 12-10 (ot)
165 — Aaron Johnhenry (HC) dec. Colin Swick, 14-11
174 — Ben Plowman (ONU) maj. dec. James DeLong, 20-8
184 — Kyle Rooney (HC) tech, fall. Stuart Fisher, 16-0; 5:30
197 — Ryan Fogliano (HC) dec. Dustin Poore, 6-2
285 — Ryan Bowers (HC) dec. Adam Kosch, 11-8
Junior Varsity
125 — Ken Krempel (HC) tech. fall Josh Hinojosa, 17-0; 1:49
157 — Clay Chapman (HC) dec. Lucas Jacomet, 10-3
165 — Jay Salge (ONU) dec. Brad Brooks, 8-6

High School Results
TIFFIN CALVERT 78, NORTH BALTIMORE 5
103 — Headrick (TC) won by forfeit.
112 — Williams (TC) pinned B. Phillips, 3:33.
119 — E. Phillips (NB) tech. fall Correll, 19-4.
125 — Keefe (TC) won by forfeit.
130 — D. Kwiat (TC) pinned Galbraith, 3:05.
135 — Jo. Scherger (TC) pinned Gillen, :36.
140 — Ja. Scherger (TC) won by forfeit.
145 — Mack (TC) pinned Dick, 3:05.
152 — K. Kwait (TC) pinned Hogan, 2:36.
160 — Bell (TC) won by forfeit.
171 — Turner (TC) won by forfeit.
189 — White (TC) won by forfeit.
215 — Hunt (TC) won by forfeit.
275 — Stover (TC) pinned Jones, :53.

CAREY 54, NORTH BALTIMORE 30
103 — Je. Walter (Car) won by forfeit
112 — B. Phillips (NB) won by forfeit.
119 — E. Phillips (NB) pinned Fredritz, 1:22
125 — L. Walter (Car) won by forfeit
130 — Jo. Walter (Car) pinned Galbraith, 1:29.
135 — Gillen (NB) pinned Regutti, 2:47.
140 — Kaufman (NB) won by forfeit
145 — Et. Eatherton (Car) pinned Dick, 1:21.
152 — Hunter (Car) pinned Hogan, 2:37.
160 — El. Eatherton (Car) won by forfeit.
171 — Wenner (Car) won by forfeit.
189 — Moore (Car) won by forfeit.
215 — Harrold (Car) won by forfeit.
275 — Jones (NB) won by forfeit.

TIFFIN CALVERT 69, CAREY 12
103 — Je. Walter (Car) won by forfeit.
112 — Williams (TC) won by forfeit.
119 — Correll (TC) pinned Fredritz, 4:39.
125 — Keefe (TC) pinned L. Walter, 5:48.
130 — D. Kwiat (TC) pinned Jo. Walter, 1:04.
135 — Jo. Scherger (TC) pinned Regutti, 1:01.
140 — Ja. Scherger (TC) won by forfeit.
145 — Et. Eatherton (Car) pinned Mack, 1:49.
152 — K. Kwait (TC) pinned Hunter, 1:45.
160 — Bell (TC) pinned El Eatherton, 4:49.
171 — Turner (TC) dec. Wenner, 11-8.
189 — White (TC) pinned Moore, 4:36.
215 — Hunt (TC) pinned Harrold, 2:31.
275 — Stover (TC) won by forfeit.

FINDLAY 63, ASHLAND 9
103 — Baker (F) won by forfeit.
112 — Stentz (A) pinned Jackson 2:45
119 — Powell (F) maj. dec. Loy 15-7.
125 — Castret (F) pinned Smith, 1:10.
130 — Miller (F) won by forfeit.
135 — Bursley (A) pinned Busick, 3:45.
140 — Perrone (F) dec. Hitchcock 9-4, OT.
145 — Arredondo (F) def. Dunn, 3:20.
152 — Beltz (F) pinned Smetzer, 1:24.
160 — Mi. Alexander (F) pinned Jarrell, 1:26.
171 — Miller (F) pinned Coy, :45.
189 — Ma. Alexander (F) won by forfeit.,
215 — Metzger (F) tech. fall Coy, 16-0.
275 — Hassell (F) def. Jarrell, 3-2.

SANDUSKY 37, FINDLAY 34
103 — Caston (S) pinned Baker, :19.
112 — Towner (S) dec. Jackson, 12-7.
119 — McLaughlin (S) tech. fall Powell, 21-6.
125 — Castret (F) pinned Kirksey, 3:36.
130 — Miller (F) won by forfeit.
135 — Holmes (S) pinned Busick, 4:46.
140 — Webb (S) maj. dec. Perrone, 21-11.
145 — Vallent (S) dec. Arredondo, 5-3.
152 — Beltz (F) pinned Bry. Warren, 3:37.
160 — Mi. Alexander (F) pinned Bro. Warren, 4:31.
171 — Spearman (S) maj. dec. Miller, 16-7.
189 — Ma. Alexander (F) maj. dec. Moore, 11-2.
215 — Metzger (F) pinned McDonald, 2:53.
275 — Purcell (S) pinned Hassell, 1:02.

Galion 69, Bucyrus 3
103 — Longstreth (G) won by forfeit
112 — Rumple (G) tech. fall Leibengood 18-2
119 — Hoffman (G) pinned Nicholson 1:18
125 — Mann (G) won by forfeit
130 — McClintock (G) pinned Copp 1:45
135 — Melde (G) won by forfeit
140 — Long (B) dec. Jewell, 1-0.
145 — Kohls (G) maj. dec. Piatt 18-6
152 — Wolfel (G) won by forfeit
160 — Kelly (G) won by forfeit
171 -- Booth (G) maj. dec. Downing 17-6
189 — Ulmer (G) dec. Kenny 13-7
215 — Clum (G) tech. fall Massey 25-10
275 — Toler (G) pinned Charlton 4:52

NEWSWORTHY
Findlay High School opens with a split
Ashland drops triangular in Visintine’s debut
Allen East hopes to repeat in Northwest Conference
Forfeits doom Bucyrus in 69-3 loss to Galion
Galion dominates Bucyrus on mats
Small schools in Mansfield area have big expectations
Sandusky area wrestlers ready for weekend tournaments
It’s Sandusky St. Mary coach Jude Roth’s Swan Song

Biddy wrestling and first set of results

Youth wrestling.

It’s undoubtedly a good thing. With so many kids inside watching TV or playing video games these days it’s good to keep them involved in sports to keep them in shape.

I’m not sure as many kids are playing sports today like I did when I was a kid. We’d go to the playground and play football and basketball, we’d play baseball in the backyard and the neighborhood kids would get together and even put together our own track and field events like the puddle jump, one block run and javelin throw with an old fencepost or broomstick.

But they key is, especially with first-year biddy wrestlers, to keep it fun and keep it light. You don’t want to do too much too soon. You want them to end practice wanting to come back for more the next day. You want the kids to be excited about coming to practice. Start getting serious in fifth or sixth grade to get them ready for school-sponsored wrestling in junior high and high school.

Talk it up…tell other parents you might know about what wrestling has done for your son or daughter. You might get some people involved that normally wouldn’t have thought about wrestling before.

Findlay is looking for a few more kids for the Junior Trojan Wrestling Program
Practice: Mondays and Thurdays beginning December 4th
Time: Grades K-2 6PM - 7 PM
Grade 3-6 6:30 PM - 8 PM
Location: University of Findlay Wrestling Room (located on the 2nd floor of the
Koehler
Center )
Contact: Steve Jolliff (419) 427-0526

They already have 86 kids involved and are looking to go to 100 for this year!

NOTEWORTHY:
NEW TRI-QUAD FORMAT AT ELMWOOD: Went to watch a new style triangular/quad at Elmwood and I have to say I enjoy this format much more than the A-B-C two mat format some schools use for triangulars. The ABC formats defeats the whole purpose of wrestling dual meets because it confuses, fans and coaches alike and takes the excitement out of the dual meet. The quad-triangular format, for lack of a better term, where there are two duals in the first round are wrestled and the winners wrestle each other on one mat and the loses take each other on on the other mat is the way to go. I hope all schools go to this format in the future. It’s like a mini 4-team dual tournament and is much less confusing, plus with 4 teams instead of 3 it draws more fans which equals more revenue for the schools.

MEMORIAL TOURNAMENTS: This is a big weekend for tournament’s memorializing people from NW Ohio who have impacted wrestling. The Springfield Duals are named in honor of Dick Hoover. A wonderful man I had the pleasure to meet on a few occasions who loved wrestling and was involved in the development of the sport through his work as an OHSAA board member.

The Northwood Invitational is the Jim Derr Invitational. I met Jim I think once and he was one of the most recognizable wrestling figures in the Toledo area.

At St. Wendelin, the Bill Hunter Duals takes place this weekend. Bill was a fixture at many tournaments in the Findlay area and was influential in developing youth wrestlers in the Fostoria area, myself included. He was a hard-working man and dedicated to promoting the sport of wrestling. He succumbed to Parkinson’s Disease a few years back.

This weekend at Coldwater is the Bob Sieleski Duals. I’m not sure if I have that spelled right but maybe. Coldwater coach Chuck Alig or a Coldwater fan can fill me in on his impact on their program.

NEWSWORTHY:
Ashland Times Gazette wrestling preview
Neilson is new Defiance wrestling coach
Defiance area wrestling capsules
Ayersville Wresting Preview
Tinora Wrestling Preview
Arcadia, Elmwood earn sweeps

5 Things To Watch This Wrestling Season From The Courier
Mansfield area wrestling preview focusing on the NOL

Dual Meet Summaries
Arcadia 40, Hopewell-Loudon 24
103 — Elchert (Arc) won by forfeit.
112 — Double forfeit.
119 — Dandurand (H-L) pinned Riedlinger, 3:22.
125 — Chapman (H-L) dec. Lewis, 15-9.
130 — Schumaker (Arc) pinned Kuzma, 3:34.
135 — Wickham (H-L) dec. Perry, 9-5.
140 — D. True (Arc) won by forfeit.
145 — Double forfeit.
152 — M. True (Arc) pinned Kapelka, 3:02.
160 — Lehman (Arc) maj. dec. Degollado, 16-2.
171 — Breidenbach (Arc) pinned Brickner, :28.
189 — Arbogast (H-L) pinned Bright, 1:44.
215 — Halcomb (H-L) pinned Conley, 5:36.
275 — Wiseman (Arc) won by forfeit.

Arcadia 56, Lakota 12
103 — Elchert (Arc) won by forfeit.
112 — Riedlinger (Arc) won by forfeit.
119 — Lewis (Arc) won by forfeit.
125 — Double forfeit.
130 — Schumaker (Arc) pinned Manns, 1:30.
135 — Perry (Arc) pinned Peeler, :54.
140 — D. True (Arc) won by forfeit.
145 — Anderson (Lak) won by forfeit.
152 — M. True (Arc) pinned C. Kleman, 3:07.
160 — Lehman (Arc) tech. fall Hemminger, 21-6.
171 — M. Kleman (Lak) dec. Lawrence, 5-2.
189 — Breitigam (Lak) dec. Bright, 9-4.
215 — Conley (Arc) pinned Morel, 2:55.
275 — Wiseman (Arc) pinned Steele, 8-6.

Hopewell-Loudon 37, Lakota 24
103 — Double forfeit.
112 — Double forfeit.
119 — Dandurand (H-L) won by forfeit.
125 — Chapman (H-L) won by forfeit.
130 — Kuzma (H-L) pinned Manns, 3:03.
135 — Wickham (H-L) pinned Peeler, 3:16.
140 — Double forfeit.
145 — Anderson (Lak) won by forfeit.
152 — C. Kleman (Lak) pinned Kapelka, 3:10.
160 — Degollado (H-L) maj. dec. Heminger, 12-4.
171 — M. Kleman (Lak) pinned Brickner, 1:49.
189 — Arbogast (H-L) dec. Breitigam, 8-6, OT.
215 — Halcomb (H-L) pinned Morel, :37.
275 — Steele (Lak) won by forfeit.

Van Buren 42, Cardinal Stritch 22
103 — Double forfeit.
112 — Potteiger (VB) pinned Bacon, 3:28.
119 — Beall (VB) won by forfeit.
125 — Rehus (VB) won by forfeit.
130 — Double forfeit.
135 — Frena (VB) won by forfeit.
140 — Reindel (CS) won by forfeit
145 — Double forfeit.
152 — Spieldenner (VB) pinned Gears, 3:18.
160 — Grine (VB) won by forfeit.
171 — Shattuck (CS) maj. dec. Eaton, 19-5.
189 — Cleveland (VB) pinned Hineline, 3:45.
215 — St. John (CS) pinned Fauber, 2:28.
275 — Bergman (CS) pinned Haug, 4:29.

Elmwood 48, Ontario 15
103 — Double forfeit.
112 — Double forfeit.
119 — Double forfeit.
125 — Paul (Elm) won by forfeit.
130 — Young (Elm) won by forfeit.
135 — Bonham (Elm) won by forfeit.
140 — N. Strausbaugh (Elm) won by forfeit.
145 — Lewallen (Elm) won by forfeit.
152 — Hernandez (Elm) pinned Row, 3:45.
160 — Rader (Ont) dec. A. Lee, 9-4.
171 — Williams (Ont) pinned Karns, :45.
189 — T. Strausbaugh (Elm) pinned Mullins, 5:42.
215 — Rickert (Ont) pinned Strickland, 3:49.
275 — Nutter (Elm) pinned Stivig, 1:21.

Elmwood 48, Van Buren 30
103 — Double forfeit.
112 — Double forfeit.
119 — Beall (VB) won by forfeit.
125 — Paul (Elm) pinned Rehus, 1:36.
130 — Young (Elm) won by forfeit.
135 — Bonham (Elm) pinned Frena, 1:31.
140 — N. Strausbaugh (Elm) won by forfeit.
145 — Lewallen (Elm) won by forfeit.
152 — Hernandez (Elm) won by forfeit.
160 — Grine (VB) pinned A. Lee, 2:47.
171 — Shaffer (Elm) pinned Yeater, 1:32.
189 — Cleveland (VB) pinned T. Strausbaugh, 1:57.
215 — Tr. Tahy (Elm) pinned Sullivan, 2:44.
275 — Haug (VB) pinned Nutter, :25.

Cardinal Stritch 36, Ontario 18
103 — Double Forfeit
112 — Ricky Bacon (CS) won by Forfeit
119 — Double Forfeit
125 — Double Forfeit
130 — Double Forfeit
135 — Double Forfeit
140 — Reindel (CS) won by Forfeit
145 — Gears (CS) won by Forfeit
152 — Row (O) won by Forfeit
160 — Rader (O) pinned Crozier 3:07
171 — Shattuck (CS) pinned Williams 4:36
189 — Hineline (CS) pinned Mullins 1:46
215 — Ricket (O) pinned St. John 2:32
285 — Bergman (CS) pinned Stiving 1:55

Upper Sandusky 34, Riverdale 20
103 — Yeater (Riv) pinned Young, :28
112 — double forfeit
119 — Lemaster (US) won by forfeit
125 — double forfeit
130 — Shearer (Riv) pinned Thornton 2:30
135 — Cavinder (Riv) maj. dec. Kenner 9-0
140 — Urbaugh (US) won by forfeit
145 — double forfeit
152 — Shaw (US) pinned A. Rodabaugh 1:33
160 — S. Rodabaugh (Riv) dec. Baaske 6-2
171 — Neely (US) maj. dec. Camper 18-10
189 — Webster (US) pinned Beck 1:52
215 — double forfeit
275 — double forfeit

Riverdale 35, Buckeye Central 34
103 — Fetterman (BC) maj. dec. Yeater 21-10
112 — Allen (BC) won by forfeit
119 — Utz (BC) won by forfeit
125 — Tussey (BC) won y forfeit
130 — Shearer (Riv) won by forfeit
135 — Cavinder (Riv) pinned Brookes :34
140 — Nye (BC) won by forfeit
145 — double forfeit
152 — A. Rodabaugh (Riv) won by forfeit
160 — J. Rodabaugh (Riv) pinned Stockmaster 1:34
171 — Camper (Rv) won by forfeit
189 — Book (Riv) won by forfeit
215 — Burch (BC) won by forfeit
275 — double forfeit

Scores Only
Upper Sandusky 36, Buckeye Central 27

An open letter to wrestling coaches

Dear Wrestling Coaches,

If you don’t care enough to call in your results to the local media, don’t bother complaining about a lack of coverage.

You should know most sports writers and editors don’t know a half nelson from a jelly doughnut. Most of them would rather watch a 28-21 girls basketball game than watch your team wrestle. It’s just a fact of life and a hurdle that will be tough to overcome. You have to lead a horse to water if you want him to even think about drinking.

If you report you results in a complete, timely fashion you will get better coverage. If you show no interest, neither will your media outlets. They have a lot of things to do and if you make their jobs easier, you will be rewarded in some shape or fashion. It only takes a minute to shove your results in a fax machine and send them off or type them up in an email. A call is even better…the personal touch. If you don’t want to report the results yourself, appoint a responsible assistant coach, statistician or even parent to do it.

If you have any story ideas for them, don‘t be shy give ‘em to them. They might not use every one of your story ideas but chances are they will use some of them and those stories will only promote your program. It will also help keep parents happy because they like to see their kids’ name in the newspaper.

What better way is there to promote your program than foster a good rapport with your local media? Report the results to ALL media who cover your school. Give them your varsity and junior varsity results and make your junior high coaches report their results too. Even tell them about your special events like when your biddy practices begin, senior nights, tournaments you are hosting, etc.

Who knows? Maybe better coverage will draw more attention to your program and get more kids involved. If you flood them with wrestling information and results you won’t be ignored. And you will draw more attention to the sport of wrestling…and we all win.

NOTE: I have been involved with wrestling at all levels since 1982. And have been a sports writer for 13 years.

NOTEWORTHY:
LIMA PUTNAM YMCA WRESTLING CLUB: The first practice for the Lima-Putnam YMCA Wrestling Club will be Dec.12 at 6 p.m. at the old gym in Pandora. The club is open to all first through eighth graders in Allen and Putnam Counties. For more information, contact Mike Maag at (419) 532-3308 or (419) 796-9790.

ANYONE WITH NEWS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE ADDED HERE EMAIL WITH THE INFO WE’LL TRY AND GET THE WORD OUT!

jamiebaker@thecourier.com

NEWSWORTHY:
Findlay wrestlers looking to take the next step
Crestview wrestlers lead way in preview
Lincolnview falls to West Liberty Salem, Van Wert
Weighing in
4 Overtime Matches Highlight All-Star Meet
Wapak wants to get back on top in WBL
Results from the Columbus dispatch

Why I love wrestling

Ahhh the first day of the wrestling season.

It’s a day I look forward to each and every year. Some of you know me….some of you don’t.

I’ll tell you a little about myself and why I love wrestling. This is a long post so get yourself a hot or cold beverage and read away.

I did wrestle as a youngster maybe 4th grade for the Fostoria YMCA. Unfortunately, I was too big for my age and never even got to wrestle a match that year because there were not other kids my age big enough. So that immediately sent me to the basketball team in 5th grade.

We had just got done with basketball practice early in my eighth grade year at Fostoria St. Wendelin. We were a pathetic basketball team. The coach, a current head coach who I like and respect today, was very intense and so mad at us he whipped basketballs at us in practice. The high school wrestling team was practicing on the mezzanine as I was walking by and going to the lockerroom that day.

Tom Clark the head wrestling coach grabbed me and told me he needed someone for his heavyweight to work with for a few minutes. I stepped on the mat and practiced for awhile. I immediately went home and told my mom I was quitting basketball and joining the wrestling team.

She was crushed. She even offered me $2.50 a game to keep playing, to an eighth grader back in 1981 that was a nice chunk of change. But I didn’t relent. I practiced all season even though all of our matches were cancelled because I was the only wrestler on our team that was able to stay academically eligible that year.

My mom got into the swing of the sport. She knew I had grown to love it and it was something I might be good at. She took me and a sixth grade friend of mine Craig Fournier to tournaments every weekend during the spring throughout Northwest Ohio. I had a pretty good head and arm that took me all the way to the AAU National Finals in Lincoln, Neb. that year in my first year in the sport.

I was hooked.

Went to heavyweight camp at Michigan and found out my freshman year of high school wrestling in the unlimited division that 250-pound freshman can’t head and arm a 330-pound senior.

But I worked hard in the offseason and was a match away from qualifying for state as a sophomore before becoming my school’s first state qualifier as a junior, placing fourth in Class A. The next year heavyweight was capped at 275 pounds so I slimmed down to about 225 or 230 and went 33-0 on my way to winning the Class A state title -- the first state title in any sport at our school.

Then it was on to college and I was lucky enough to get a scholarship to wrestle at Wright State University in Dayton. I knew I was starting over when in my first match at the Ohio Open Indiana’s Todd Balwinski, a two-time Big Ten placer for the Hoosiers, shoved me right into the scorer’s table.

Those four years taught me a lot. It was like starting over I had to deal with injuries, winning and losing wrestleoffs, having dual meets depend on me in the last match of the day and juggling wrestling with academics. I had an average career, never made it to the NCAA tournament, although I beat a few Division I qualifiers and some Division II and III All-Americans. But it gave me the opportunity to wrestle in all sorts of places and experience what it was like to wrestle guys like Olympians Bill Scherr and Mark Coleman and 6-time NCAA champion Carlton Haselrig, who won three NCAA crowns in Division II and Division I.

I graduated with honors and was better for my college wrestling experience although many times I hated it and wondered if it was really worth it.

But then I discovered coaching and teaching kids about the sport that I learned so much from and that had given me so many opportunities. I wanted to give something back to wrestling, which had given me so much.

Luckily I had a terrific mentor in coach Bob Whitman when I began coaching at St. Wendelin in 1992. We had good seasons and bad and happiness and disappointment while coaching. We saw wrestlers grow up from wide eyed freshmen to men ready to go out into the world and make their mark on the world. We helped turn St. Wendelin from a wrestling laughingstock to respectable all without much if any support from the school.

It was nice when we started going to the Catholic Invitational Tournament, we were by far the smallest school that competed there. One of our kids would beat someone from Cincinnati Elder or Columbus DeSales and someone from that school would come up to us and say who are you guys? You’re St. Who? From where? That’s St. Wendelin buddy.

But it’s not all about the kids you send to state or the records you break. For me it was about watching kids giving everything they’ve got on the mat each and everytime they go out there. And after four years, if they’ve learned something from their experiences and are better men for it…everything you’ve done as a coach is worth it.

Now that I think about it, that the day in 1981 when Tom Clark grabbed me and asked me to work out with his wrestlers, changed the course of my life. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have met so many wonderful people, developed some great friendships and had all of those wonderful experiences I ended up having as coach, a wrestler and a fan of the sport of wrestling.

Tom, I can't thank you enough.

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