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Fairless' Max Kirby, West Holmes' Mason Taylor and Garaway's Kyle Miller state wrestling runners-up

times-reporter staff report
·4 min read
Fairless' Max Kirby is dejected after a loss in the state championship Division II 165 pound match to Tyler Lillard of Aurora High School.
Fairless' Max Kirby is dejected after a loss in the state championship Division II 165 pound match to Tyler Lillard of Aurora High School.

COLUMBUS -- Fairless senior Max Kirby, West Holmes junior Mason Taylor and Garaway senior Kyle Miller finished as state runners-up at the Ohio High School Athletic Association 2022 Individual State Wrestling Championships which concluded at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University on Sunday.

All told, 11 area wrestlers earned All-Ohio honors as they finished in the top eight.

Kirby faced senior Tyler Lillard of Aurora in the Division II 165-pound finals and came up short 8-4.

Scoreless after one period, each wrestler scored twice in the second period and the match was tied 2-2 going to the third period.

Fairless' Max KIrby works to take down Tyler Lillard of Aurora in their Division II 165 pound state championship match.
Fairless' Max KIrby works to take down Tyler Lillard of Aurora in their Division II 165 pound state championship match.

Lillard scored a reversal for 4-2 lead and Kirby had an escape to make it 4-3. Lillard came back with a takedown and took a 6-4 lead with 30 seconds left and tacked on two more points to complete the win.

Kirby, who finished sixth last season, was the fourth Fairless wrestler to reach the finals. The last was Kyle Huss in 2004.

In the semifinals Saturday, a reversal with less than 10 seconds in second period gave Kirby a 3-2 lead going into third period and the Falcon held on for a decision over Dylan Newsome of Columbus Hartley to secure his Division II title bid.

Fairless' Max Kirby celebrates his semifinal win over Dylan Newsome of Hartley in their 165-pound match at the OHSAA State Tournament in Columbus Saturday.
Fairless' Max Kirby celebrates his semifinal win over Dylan Newsome of Hartley in their 165-pound match at the OHSAA State Tournament in Columbus Saturday.

Kirby recorded a dominant 18-0 technical fall over Thad Stuckey of Wilmington in the 165 quarterfinals to make the semis.

Taylor fell to Graham Local's Brogan Tucker 7-1 for the Division II 113-pound title.

Taylor decisoned Joey Romano from Mentor Lake Catholic 11-5 in the semifinals Saturday for his state title berth. He was the first Knight to make the finals since 2019 as Cael Woods finished second.

Taylor
Taylor

Taylor attempted to become the Knights third state champion in school history, joining West Holmes wrestling legend Colt Sponseller (2005, 2006, 2007) and Tyler Hawkins (2008).

Taylor decisoned Kolten Barker of Louisville 7-4 in the quarterfinals at 113 for his semifinal berth.

Miller was pinned by junior Max Hermes of Milan Edison at 1:24 for the 113-pound title in Division III.

Miller
Miller

The Garaway senior, making his first state appearance since he was a freshman, defeated Miami East's Cooper Shore by default in his semifinal to make the 113-pound final. He was the first Pirate from Garaway to make the championship match in wrestling and first state placer since heavyweight Ben Sexton in 2014. Sexton was fourth in 2013.

He decisoned Mogadore's Brady Funk 9-2 to reach the semifinals.

Division II

Dover senior Brandon Kiser finished fifth at 175 pounds as the Crimson Tornadoes standout recorded a forfeit win over Zack Burroughs of Graham Local.

Kiser, taking part in his third state tournament, was pinned by Kylan Knapp of Miami Trace at 2:48 in the consolation semifinals Sunday.

Noah Peterson of Louisville has control of Dover's Brandon Kiser in their 175 pound quarterfinal match at the OHSAA State Tournament in Columbus Saturday.
Noah Peterson of Louisville has control of Dover's Brandon Kiser in their 175 pound quarterfinal match at the OHSAA State Tournament in Columbus Saturday.

Andrew Murphy was the last Dover wrestler to place as he was sixth in 2017.

New Philadelphia senior Charlie Gibbs finished seventh at 150 after a 4-1 decision over Sam Partain of Chagrin Falls.

It is the first time in 16 years a Quaker has placed at the state tournament.

Ironically, his head coach Cory Swinderman was the last to do in 2006 with a fourth-place showing.

Carrollton sophomore Josh Carman finished sixth at 126 after being decisoned 5-3 by Cameron Deiter of Bowling Green. Carman was a 3-1 sudden victory winner over Orange's Te'Andre Allen in the consolation semeifinals.

Carrollton's Josh Carman left, wrestles Orange's Te'Andre Allen in the 126 pound weight class during Sundays consolation semifinals at the OHSAA State Wrestling tournament.
Carrollton's Josh Carman left, wrestles Orange's Te'Andre Allen in the 126 pound weight class during Sundays consolation semifinals at the OHSAA State Wrestling tournament.

West Holmes senior Brady Smith finished seventh at 106 pounds in Division III after a second period pin of Logan Dean of Bethel-Tate at 1:57, while West Holmes senior teammate Dylan Strouse finished eighth at 138 pounds after falling to Jack Sparent of West Geauga 7-2 and fellow Knight senior Tucker Kaufman finished eighth at 144 pounds to Cade Cass Cloverleaf 7-6.

Division III

Harrison Central sophomore Lucas Thomas finished sixth at 215 pounds after being decisoned 4-3 by Jacob Thompson of Milan Edison. Thomas was decisoned 6-3 by Zakary Dobson in the consolation semifinals.

Sandy Valley senior Wyatt Moyer finished seventh at 215 pounds as he defeated Bronson Stacy of Brookville by default and becomes the third two-time state placer in Cardinals history matching Sam Groff and Francesco Borsellino.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Fairless' Max Kirby, West Holmes' Mason Taylor and Garaway's Kyle Miller state wrestling runners-up