Columbus Grove dominates Lincolnview Invitational

Dec. 17—MIDDLE POINT — The Columbus Grove wrestling team started off a little slow at Saturday's Lincolnview Invitational.

However, the Bulldogs picked up steam as the day went on, en route to notching the team title in convincing fashion.

Columbus Grove ended the day with 247.5 points. Crestview was a distant second with 181 points. Parkway (171.5), Lincolnview (153) and Tinora (143.5) rounded out the top five teams. There were 11 schools that figured into the team scoring.

"We had a little slow start, but I'm definitely happy on how we finished today," Columbus Grove assistant coach Jeff Meyer said. "We have to do more work. They're still not where we want them to be yet, but it's early in the season. The conditioning can always be better. But we have a long way until March (the state tournament)."

Columbus Grove head coach Eric "Ernie" Siefker was not at Saturday's Lincolnview Invite. Siefker was coaching his three female wrestlers at a girls invitational on Saturday. Meyer was a Division III state champion in the 285-pound weight class for Columbus Grove in 2021.

In Saturday's championship matches, there were seven Columbus Grove wrestlers that competed for titles. In the end, there were three Columbus Grove grapplers that had their hands raised in victory.

Boat Thompson (138-pound weight class), Wyatt Watt (175) and Kyle Lathrop (190) were the three Columbus Grove athletes who won championships on Saturday.

The most anticipated match on Saturday was the finals of the 190-pound weight class. Columbus Grove's Kyle Lathrop faced Spencerville's Maddox Jurek. Last season, Jurek was a Division III state qualifier for the Bearcats. On Saturday, Lathrop wrestled up a weight class.

Saturday's match between Lathrop and Jurek was a battle, early on. However, in the latter part of the match Lathrop managed to score several key points, en route to defeating Jurek, 11-5.

"It was a tough match," Meyer said about the match between Lathrop and Jurek. "He (Jurek) is a tough kid. I hope to see him again. Kyle put in a lot of work during the off-season. He did a lot of work at Team Stomp (in Lima). He kind of fell short of where he wanted to be last year. ... He's not coming up short this year. He has some goals, and he's going to get them."

Lathrop (7-0), a senior, is feeling optimistic about this season.

"I'm just thankful to God. He has blessed me," Lathrop said. "There was so much hard work (put in) this summer. ... It's paying off. All my hard training this summer has prepared me for this.

"I'm just thankful that I was able to hit those couple low singles and get to my attacks (in the finals). I'm thankful for my coaches for teaching me defense."

Last season, Lathrop placed sixth at the Division III district tournament, and did not qualify for the state tournament. The top four placers in each weight class at the district tournament qualifies for the state tournament. Lathrop wants to take it to the next level this season.

"That (qualifying for the state tournament) has been my goal, ever since I saw Jeff (Meyer) win a state title," Lathrop said. "I just want to give back to the community."

Boat Thompson was the first Columbus Grove wrestler to win a title on Saturday.

In his finals match, Thompson recorded an 11-3 major-decision over Lincolnview's Joey Sawyer. Thompson is now 5-0 on the season.

"Last year, I made it to districts," Thompson said. "I was two or three matches away from making it to state. So, this year I'm going big."

Columbus Grove's Wyatt Watt (5-0) pinned Parkway's Jaden Green late in his finals match at 175.

"I was hoping to win this," Watt said. "This morning started out a little rough. Our team had some technical difficulties. It was nice to end the day well and get a victory. That's one of the best things I could ask for."

ADA'S McCLAIN VOTED THE TOP WRESTLER

Ada senior Clayton McClain went 5-0 on Saturday and won the title in the 150-pound weight class.

McClain (10-0) was picked by the coaches as the most valuable wrestler at Saturday's Lincolnview Invite.

McClain, a Division III state qualifier last season, has set even higher goals for this season.

"I made it to state, but I didn't get the results that I wanted. I double-dipped (0-2) at state. I would like to place this year," McClain said. "I still have a lot of stuff to clean up and to work on. But, so far, I'm doing great. I just want that OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) medal around my neck on the podium at state."

Other wrestlers who won titles on Saturday included Antwerp's Kamren Johnson (132), Hicksville's Braeden Dix (120), Lincolnview's Cody Ricker (144), Parkway's Logan Green (157) and Logan Younker (165), Montpelier's Logan Pontious (215), Tinora's Deagan Johns (113), Van Buren's Brooks Hill (126), and Van Wert's Easton Lane (285).

The 106-pound weight class was voided on Saturday, due to having only two wrestlers at that weight. Those two wrestlers were inserted into the 113-pound weight class.

MATCHES FOR THE TOP FOUR PLACES

113 — First-Place Match: Deagan Johns (TIN) def. Silas Riblet (ADA), MD-17-6

Third-Place Match: LJ Tewksbury (PKWY) pinned Alex Fedderke (MON), :36

120 — First-Place Match: Braeden Dix (HIC) pinned Joaquin Estrada (VWE), :44

Third-Place Match: Josh Bishop (TIN) def. Briceton Sampson (DEF), MD-15-6

126 — First-Place Match: Brooks Hill (VB) def. Trevor Sabota (TIN), 5-0

Third-Place Match: Gavin Gruff (CREST) pinned Karson Crites (HIC), 2:01

132 — First-Place Match: Kamren Johnson (ANT) pinned Graden Maag (CG), 2:53

Third-Place Match: Ethan Lugabihl (CREST) pinned Logan Miller (DJ), 1:53

138 — First-Place Match: Boat Thompson (CG) def. Joey Sawyer (LV), md-11-3

Third-Place Match: Austin McMichael (SP) def. Carvelle Tracy (DEF), TF-19-4

144 — First-Place Match: Cody Ricker (LV) pinned Liam Vierra (ADA), :44

Third-Place Match: Blake Francis (VB) pinned Auston Welker (VWE), 4:12

150 — First-Place Match: Clayton McClain (ADA) pinned Levi Grace (CREST), 3:43

Third-Place Match: Skyler Octaviano (ANT) def. Levi Schroeder (CG)

157 — First-Place Match: Logan Green (PKWY) pinned Logan Merschman (CG), 3:24

Third-Place Match: Dominic Graziani (TIN) def. Zayden Martin (CREST), 4-3

165 — First-Place Match: Landon Younker (PKWY) def. Layton Blankmeyer (CG), 5-1

Third-Place Match: George Green (HIC) pinned Maddox Workman (VWE), :50

175 — First-Place Match: Wyatt Watt (CG) pinned Jaden Green (PKWY), 5:59

Third-Place Match: Alex Hefner (LV) pinned Blaze Young (SP), 4:05

190 — First-Place Match: Kyle Lathrop (CG) def. Maddox Jurek (SP), 11-5

Third-Place Match: Gavin Schroeder (CG) pinned Dominic Mills (TIN), 4:06

215 — First-Place Match: Logan Pontious (MON) pinned Ty Meyer (CG), 4:45

Third-Place Match: Evan Walls (CREST) def. Derrick Wagner (PKWY)

285 — First-Place Match: Easton Lane (VWE) pinned Adan Qintero (LV), 1:13

Third-Place Match: Carter Radzik (TIN) def. Brogan Pardon (LV), :35