'I'm bringing it the same way every single time': Tuslaw's Lyons after another state bid
The wrestling season can be a grind, but Tuslaw's Jacob Lyons is taking it all in stride.
From cutting weight, to navigating through another tough schedule, the senior finds himself in a familiar spot as he leads a long list of locals at this weekend's Independence Division III District.
Lyons — an All-Ohioan last season — comes in as a favorite to compete for the 150-pound title but has made sure to have his mindset on the little things as opposed to the big picture of making a return trip to the state tournament.
“I've just been fighting a lot,” he said, after winning a school-record fourth sectional title last weekend. “I just want to accomplish my goals and get to the top of the state. Those extra hours practicing and getting extra workouts in have been helping a lot recently.
District Wrestling Facts: The when and where for every Wayne/Holmes team
“It's making me feel better on the mat and in general.”
That comfort has shown as Lyons comes in with a 35-5 mark on the season and is ranked sixth in the state — one of three ranked wrestlers in the 150 bracket along with Rootstown's Dominic Duvall (No. 10) and Crestwood's Drake Rennecker (No. 11).
But all the pain of the regular season is a build-up to these final weeks of the season, one that the local hopes ends in another podium finish in Columbus.
“I'm excited to be going back and I've been cutting a lot, so it's been a struggle sometimes, but staying confident has been my thing this year,” Lyons said. “I don't want to count myself out, because I know I'm have enough to be up there.
“Anyone is good at any time; anyone wins and anyone loses, there's no different between me wrestling the No. 1 kid in the state or wrestling an unranked kid,” he added. “I'm bringing it the same way every single time.”
Lyons won't be the only fighting for one of the four qualifying sports in each weight class for next weekend's state tournament.
Dalton senior Greyson Siders is a favorite to win the 165-pound title as the two-time state qualifier is the lone ranked wrestler in the field.
A handful of brackets have multiple locals with legitimate paths to a state berth. At 157, Waynedale's Robert McCrork should get through his side, setting a rematch with defending state champ Tristin Greene of Keystone, who he dropped a 14-10 decision to in last weekend's sectional title bout at Northwestern. Dalton's Bram McCourt is also expected to compete for one of those state spots up for grabs.
The 175-pound group is loaded with area guys as Neil Miller (Chippewa), Seth Ryder (Dalton), Payton Lance (Norwayne), Karsen Moore (Smithville) and Guhner Eberhard (Tuslaw) all are in the bracket. Both Miller and Ryder open with against familiar foes — Miller battling Eberhard and Ryder taking on Lance — and could be the among the top four, when the dust settles.
“I don't know what it will be like, but I can't wait,” Ryder said. “I'm looking forward to going against guys stronger than me; Neil Miller is a great wrestler and I hope to get an opportunity to face him.”
A possible rematch between Tuslaw's Kaden Lawson and Waynedale's Stephen Patterson could happen in the final at 113. Lawson defeated Patterson in double overtime last weekend for the section title, but both will have to contend with Lake Catholic's Tommy Slack — the highest-ranked wrestler in the bracket.
The Waynedale freshman grouping of Brock Beckler (106 pounds), Isaak Skelly (120) and Riley Greathouse (126) all have solid shots at state bids in the respective weight classes, along with fellow Golden Bears Caden Schmeltzer (132).
Schmeltzer, a two-time state qualifier, will have to contend with a potential tough semifinal against Nick Malek of Rootstown before an expected final versus Joey Romano of Lake Catholic.
But he's ready.
“I just have to focus and keep my mind on the end goal; that's being state champ,” Schmeltzer said. “We've already put in all the work. I just have to trust my coaches, trust the team and trust the process that we've been going through.
“The work is done, now I just need to do it.”
Both Rittman's Joey McGuire (138) and Justin Metheney (190) come into the weekend off of sectional championships and will look to punch their respective tickets to state. Look for Albert Moreno of Chippewa to also be a factor at 138, as well as Jack Waldron of Dalton to be in the mix at 190. Speaking of the Chipps, 113-pounder Ben Pierce will look to make a return trip to Columbus.
At 285, Dalton's Cohen Riggenbach will look to battle in a loaded field that includes the likes of Dallas McCracken of Hanoverton United and Scotty Edwards of Conneaut.
“There's a lot of really, really, really good wrestlers at districts,” Riggenbach said. “For me, the biggest thing I have to do right now, is to keep practicing really hard and getting pushed by Jack (Waldron) and Seth (Ryder). They push me hard and that's the best way to make sure I place, because there's a lot dudes (at districts); high-level wrestlers there.
“The secret it just to wrestle at practice hard and prepare for them.”
Div. I North Canton District
After surviving one of the toughest sectionals around, the Wooster trio of CJ Furlong (126), Dylan Hudson (157) and Evan Patton (215) will be tested once again.
Furlong will face a fellow unranked opponent in Aurora’s Cole Munn in the opening round, but fifth-ranked Ermeric McBurney of Massillon Perry will most likely await the winner. The other three ranked wrestlers are on the other side of the bracket — led by eighth-ranked Harrison Haffner of Brecksville — which would make for a challenging consolation round, if Furlong gets knocked down the bracket.
The path for Hudson and Patton will be even more challenging as both came in as the fourth seed from sectionals, pitting them against sectional champs. Walsh Jesuit’s Louis Geiger is Hudson’s opening-round bout, with a state-ranked foe in Aurora’s Cole Walton awaiting the winner, while Patton getting 10th-ranked Cody Fair of Massillon right away.
Div. II Gallia District
Louden Dixon is out for a return trip to state, but first will look to lock up a district championship. The sophomore 144-pounder has a path to do just that as only Gallia Academy’s Wyatt Webb provides a roadblock to what would be an epic potential final with No. 7 Dixon squaring off with No. 5 Cooper Smith of Steubenville. Dixon defeated Smith last week in overtime to advance to the sectional final.
Dixon won’t be alone as both Peyton Martin (113) and Grant Miller (215) are in solid positions to earn one of the state berths up for grabs. Martin would have a challenging potential quarterfinal with Carrollton’s Kail Snair but could have a favorable path wrestle his way back in the consolation bracket, while the heavyweight field is wide open as its loaded with unranked individuals eager to make names for themselves.
The remainder of the Knights district crop — Grady Toye (126), Hunter McCluggage (150), Cole Porter (175) and Dylan Sours (190) — have some challenging brackets, but could work their way to one of the final spots. The 126-pound field has four guys ranked in the top-eight of the state — led by No. 4 Levi Pidgeon of Carrollton — while 175 features the projected state runner-up in Vincent Warren’s Aden Stahler.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wrestling: Previewing the Wayne/Holmes districts
