STATE WRESTLING Day 1 news & notes

Notes from Thursday’s opening round of action at the Ohio High School Athletic Association state wrestling championships, held at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus.

Canfield’s Crawford keeping it in the family

Nick Crawford finished fifth a year ago at the OHSAA championships, and also watched proudly as his older brother David claimed a state crown at 182 pounds. And while the junior 195-pounder was happy with his effort last year and enjoyed watching his brother, he feels that he might be better off on his own after posting a tough 3-2 win in Thursday’s opening round.

“It feels amazing to get a win to get things started the right way here this year,” Crawford said. “The thing about last year is that as I looked at it, I’m not sure I was as serious about it as I needed to be. A little part of me was here for David and I probably wasn’t as focused as I should have been. This year, I have a different mindset and am going after that goal.”

Lisbon’s Ours is done patiently waiting

Beaver Local freshman Logan Ours may have been wrestling in his first state tournament match Thursday night, but he knew exactly what to expect after years of sitting in the stands watching other compete.

Ours stopped Anthony Trivisonno of Mentor Lake Catholic in just 80 seconds in a first-round romp at 120 pounds, starting his pinning combination with a barrel roll that turned into a victory move, allowing him to realize a dream that he has been harboring for a long time.

“I’ve been wrestling since I was five years old and I’ve been here watching the state tournament for five or six years,” Ours said. “I’ve been watching and waiting, thinking that I’d be here in a couple of years. Every season I told myself that I was one more year closer to getting down there on the floor.”

Whitehead trades the hardwood for the mat

Columbiana senior Nathan Whitehead has taken the unlikeliest path of any wrestler competing in this weekend’s state championships, and he lengthened that path Thursday night with a fierce 60-second pin of Liberty Union’s Casey Fleahman.

Because as much the 195-pound Whitehead certainly looks the part of a title-bound grappler when the whistle blows, he wasn’t competing for a wrestling championship a year ago. He was a part of the Clippers’ basketball team.

The senior returned to the mat this year to post a solid campaign, compiling a 32-5 mark and continuing his quest for a state title.

“There’s just something in wrestling that you don’t get in any other sport,” Whitehead said. “Not to say anything bad about basketball, but wrestling gives you something that I didn’t find anywhere else.

Rebounding in style

Ten local wrestlers shook off the sting of opening-round losses Thursday to advance into today’s action with consolation-round victories. The double-elimination format of the OHSAA tournament allows for athletes to come back from a loss and continue fighting for a place on the state podium.

Three of those advancing did so by pinning their opponents, including Austintown Fitch junior Zach Richards (132), East Liverpool junior Skylor Wooley (220) and Beaver Local’s Garrett Givens (220).

Also advancing into today’s action with Thursday consolation-round victories were South Range freshman Michael Markulin (120), Liberty senior Zion Matlock (160), Howland freshman Matthew Woomer (138), Beaver Local junior Skyler Lasure (145), Canfield senior David Reinhart (160), West Branch senior Neil Ginnetti (182) and West Branch sophomore Kenny Marra (195).

Brandt Virden (Columbiana), Trey Wonner (Crestview), Christian Wayt (West Branch), Beau Smith (Beaver Local), Daniel Wirth (Beaver Local) and Colin Roberts (Austintown Fitch) each lost their consolation matches and did not advance to today’s action.

—Eric Mauk, The Vindicator