Time to hand out some awards.
The winter sports seasons in Ohio are extremely long when compared with some of the fall and spring sports.
It’s a grind for prep wrestlers they have to deal with making weight, injuries, improved competition and parent and coaches that are always on their case for them to continue to work hard and get better.
Any way to wrap up the prep season here are my selections for award winners from the Northwest District . These opinions are mine and mine alone. And if there’s some one you’d like to nominate…feedback is always appreciated.
On to the awards!
Division IIIOUSTANDING WRESTLER: Patrick Harrington (Sandusky St. Mary’s). 63-0 2-time state champ that’s enough for me. Genoa’s Nick Purdue and Ashland Crestview’s Hunter Reed would be the secondary picks as both had dominating seasons too.
MOST IMPROVED: Alec Romick (Huron) & Stuart Miller (Delphos Jefferson). A first-year varsity wrestler Romick got better and better as the tournament progressed and ended up 8th at 285 pounds. Goes to show if you have a heavyweight who is a decent athlete and wants to learn he can go a long way in a short amount of time. I also added Miller to the list. Just sophomore, he is Delphos Jefferson’s first state placer he should do very well the next couple of years and could win the school’s first state title.
NEWCOMER AWARD: Logan Stieber (Monroeville) & Peyton Oney (South Central). What a dominating tournament performance Stieber had this season. The No.2 ranked 103-pounder in the country…Enough said. But Oney becoming his school’s first state qualifier was big too and he definitely has a bright future.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jude Roth, Sandusky St. Mary’s & Mike Steyer, Tiffin Calvert. Two guys who are very deserving. Jude has accomplished so much in his tenure at SMCC and is retiring after this season. Steyer and his other coach Matt Coleman has brought Calvert back from the brink of extinction to becoming one of the top programs in the NW District.
TEAM OF THE YEAR: Delta. Jeff Wolford’s Panthers were young but were still able to walk away as district champs. Never underestimate Delta, their kids and their coaches. If you do they’ll jump up and bite ya.
Division IIOUSTANDING WRESTLER: Matt Clum (Galion). Again lots of great candidates for this award like Eastwood’s Eric Cubberly who had a dominating season, Rossford’s Jeremy Espinoza who went unbeaten up until the state final and who can forget Oak Harbor’s Cody Magrum. But I like Clum’s style and give him the nod after a 45-0 season could he end up at the University of Findlay?
MOST IMPROVED: Doug Donna (Tiffin Columbian). No wrestler I’ve followed over the last year has improved more than Columbian’s big strong heavyweight Doug Donna. He’ll be a threat to win a state title next season with a little offseason work.
NEWCOMER AWARD: Drew Stone (Oak Harbor). One of two freshman to qualify for state in Division II this season from the NW District. Defiance’s B.J. Miller was the other.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jason Seiler (Napoleon) Brent Rastetter (Lexington). Both schools had outstanding seasons and these coaches deserve plenty of credit as they’ve raised the bar for their programs. The two teams only combined for one state qualifier though so they still have some work to do to catch up to the Oak Harbors, Bellevues and Eastwoods though but they are on their way.
TEAM OF THE YEAR: Oak Harbor. The crème de la crème. The best of an outstanding group of Division II teams from the NW District and they proved it on the mat.
Division IOUSTANDING WRESTLER: Scott Fuller (Toledo Waite). Hey you gotta give this award to the highest state placer in Division I and Fuller fit’s the bill with a fourth place effort in Columbus. Hopefully next season we’ll get to root on a Division I kid from the NW in a championship match.
MOST IMPROVED: Darnell Williams (Toledo Woodward). You have to give props to a kid coming from a City League school for qualifying. I watched him and he is a raw talent. With some work in the offseason I think he can earn a spot on the awards stand next season.
NEWCOMER AWARD: Garrett Manley (Springfield). Manley was 33-4 and just missed qualifying from the Mentor meatgrinder by finishing fifth at 103 pounds. He’ll be one to watch next season.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tony Geha (Sylvania Southview). A great year for the Cougars three state qualifiers, a state placer and fourth place finish at districts which had to be the school’s highest finish. A program on the rise?
TEAM OF THE YEAR: Toledo Waite. The best in the NW District in Division I. Nearly walked away with the runner-up trophy at districts. The Indians are well-coached, have an excellent feeder program and are one of the best year in and year out.
NEWSWORTHY:Tears prevail on OHSAA Tourney trailEastwood’s Cubberly wins state titleMemorial’s Cisco finishes seventhDelphos Jefferson’s Miller finishes fourthShelby’s Worthington drops 2 Friday matches at stateCisco is seventh in Columbus
