2023-24 Dispatch All-Metro: Who are the best high school boys wrestlers in central Ohio?
Five state champions and six runners-up highlight the 12 honorees on the 2023-24 Dispatch All-Metro boys wrestling team.
The Athlete of the Year in each sport – 30 in all – will be announced at the Central Ohio High School Sports Awards on June 20 at Mershon Auditorium. Each member of the All-Metro boys wrestling team will receive a free ticket to that live event, where nine premier awards also will be announced, including boys and girls overall athletes of the year, boys and girls overall coaches of the year, boys and girls overall teams of the year, courage award, school spirit award and lifetime achievement award.
All-Metro Coach of the Year: Chance Van Gundy guides Dublin Coffman to another banner season
Omar Ayoub, Dublin Coffman
The senior 144-pounder finished second at state in Division I despite suffering ACL, MCL and meniscus injuries to his left knee during a 10-3 win over Perrysburg’s Diego Chavez in a quarterfinal. Ayoub lost to Lakewood St. Edward’s Ryan Bennett 1-0 in the final to finish 39-3. Ayoub, who underwent surgery March 29, won district and sectional titles. The Nebraska commit won state championships as a junior (138) and sophomore (126) and finished second (113) as a freshman.
e'Than Birden, Dublin Coffman
An Ohio State commit, this senior captured his second consecutive Division I state title, beating Massillon Perry’s Landen Johnson 4-3 in the 165 final to finish 47-2. He also finished first at district and sectional. Birden won the state title at 157 as a junior after finishing second (144) as a sophomore and fifth (132) as a freshman.
Michael Boyle, Watterson
Boyle won the Division II state championship at 165 as a freshman, beating St. Paris Graham’s Bryce Kohler 5-1 in the final to finish 43-4. He finished first at district and second at sectional.
Tyler Deericks, Olentangy Liberty
Competing in his second Division I state tournament, this senior finished second at 157, losing to Cincinnati Sycamore’s Eugene Harney 5-3 in the final to finish 37-9. Deericks finished first at sectional and second at district. The Cleveland State commit went 1-2 at state at 150 as a junior.
Marius Garcia, Bexley
The junior capped an unbeaten season by defeating Ontario’s Aiden Ohl 5-4 in the Division II state final at 106. Garcia finished 51-0, with district and sectional championships, after going 0-2 at state at 106 as a sophomore.
Cael Gilmore, Highland
The sophomore advanced to the Division II state final at 144, losing to Graham’s Brogan Tucker 8-3 to finish 48-5. Gilmore finished first at sectional and second at district. He placed eighth at state at 138 as a freshman.
Aiden King, Hartley
The junior won his first state title, beating Warren Howland’s Adam Heckman 11-7 in the Division II final at 132 to finish 39-6. He also finished first at district and sectional. King finished second at state at 132 as a sophomore and eighth at 120 as a freshman.
James Lindsay, Watterson
The sophomore reached the Division II state final at 138, dropping a 5-3 decision to Graham senior Hayden Hughes. Lindsay, who finished 34-5, won district and sectional titles. He finished fourth at state at 132 as a freshman.
Chris Marshall, Centerburg
Competing in his second Division III state tournament, the junior reached the final at 138, losing 8-1 to Norwood’s Wyatt Hinton to finish 44-7. Marshall finished first at sectional and third at district. He went 0-2 at state last year at 126.
Lincoln Shulaw, DeSales
A three-time state qualifier, the junior finished second at 190, dropping a 17-8 decision to Medina Buckeye’s Eddie Neitenbach in the final to finish 39-9. Shulaw won district and sectional championships. He finished second at 175 at state as a sophomore and seventh at 165 as a freshman.
Max Shulaw, DeSales
A senior and Lincoln's brother, Shulaw captured his second state title, pinning Wapakoneta’s Jace Knous in the Division II final at 215 (3:08) to finish 49-1. He also won district and sectional titles. Shulaw won the state title last year at 215 and was named The Dispatch’s All-Metro Boys Wrestler of the Year. The Virginia signee finished second at 215 as a sophomore and fourth at 195 as a freshman.
Ty Wilson, Dublin Scioto
A four-year state placer, the senior finished third at 150 in Division I to close the season 36-5. He won district and sectional titles. A Northwestern signee, Wilson won state championships as a sophomore (132) and freshman (113) and finished third (144) as a junior.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 2023-24 Dispatch All-Metro high school boys wrestling team
