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Wadsworth 2x state champ atop Greater Akron/Canton inaugural top 20 wrestlers rankings

brad bournival, akron beacon journal
·4 min read

The fallout from the Ironman has happened and man, were there some great individual performances.

With that in mind, here is your first installment of the Greater Akron/Canton top 20 wrestlers.

Keep in mind, this list will change throughout the season. It’s missing a national champions in Copley’s Javaan Yarbrough and state runner-up in Wadsworth’s Aaron Ries. Both started the season injured.

Without further ado, here’s the inaugural list:

Jaxon Joy of Wadsworth, right, wrestles Kollin Rath of Bethlehem Catholic in the 150-pound third-place match in the Ironman wrestling tournament at Walsh Jesuit, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023.
Jaxon Joy of Wadsworth, right, wrestles Kollin Rath of Bethlehem Catholic in the 150-pound third-place match in the Ironman wrestling tournament at Walsh Jesuit, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023.

1. Jaxon Joy, Wadsworth, 150 pounds

The two-time state champion and Cornell pledge beat two-time state champion Ty Wilson en route to his fourth-place finish at the Ironman. He is a three-time state finalist.

2. Eddie Neitenbach, Buckeye, 175 pounds

A bloodied Eddie Neitenbach of Buckeye attempts to take down Tyler Eise of Ponderosa in the 175-pound third-place match in the Ironman wrestling tournament at Walsh Jesuit, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023.
A bloodied Eddie Neitenbach of Buckeye attempts to take down Tyler Eise of Ponderosa in the 175-pound third-place match in the Ironman wrestling tournament at Walsh Jesuit, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023.

The two-time state placer and Wyoming recruit beat national champion Hudson Rogers of Meridian, Ida. and the second-ranked wrestler in the country in Tyler Eise of Ponderosa, Col. to finish third at the Ironman.

3. Aidan Fockler, Perry, 285 pounds

Perry's Aidan Fockler is ready to defend his state title in a loaded weight class.
Perry's Aidan Fockler is ready to defend his state title in a loaded weight class.

The state champion, three-time state placer and Central Michigan recruit finished fifth at the Ironman over the weekend for his second placing at the event.

Brecksville's Rylan Seacrist is coming off a weekend where he knocked off a world champion.
Brecksville's Rylan Seacrist is coming off a weekend where he knocked off a world champion.

4. Rylan Seacrist, Brecksville, 113 pounds

The reigning state runner-up beat previously undefeated state champion, World champion and Ironman champion Dom Munaretto of St. Charles, Ill. He finished sixth at the Ironman due to default injury.

5. Colyn Limbert, Buckeye, 120 pounds

Buckeye's Colyn Limbert is one of the most consistent wresters in the area.
Buckeye's Colyn Limbert is one of the most consistent wresters in the area.

The reigning state champion and Pitt commit lost in an ultimate tiebreaker in the blood round this season at the Ironman. He is a two-time state placer.

6. Kaden King, Buckeye, 157 pounds

Kaden King's meteoric rise continues this season for Buckeye.
Kaden King's meteoric rise continues this season for Buckeye.

The reigning state champion was two matches away from placing at the Ironman. He returns to the Mike Lewis Invitational where he is the reigning champion.

7. Keegan Sell, Garrettsville Garfield, 215 pounds

Keegan Sell looks to win back-to-back state titles for Garrettsville Garfield this season.
Keegan Sell looks to win back-to-back state titles for Garrettsville Garfield this season.

The returning state champion is a three-time state placer. He will open the season this weekend at the Solon Comet Classic where he is the defending champion.

8. Brayton Feister, Hoban, 215 pounds

Hoban's Brayton Feister (top step) should be one of the fastest rising stars this season.
Hoban's Brayton Feister (top step) should be one of the fastest rising stars this season.

The freshman is a three-time OAC state champion. He finished his eighth-grade season undefeated and will open his high school career at the Hudson Holiday Tournament. Expect him to be one of the fastest risers on this list.

9. Brandon Bickerton, Highland, 106 pounds

Highland's Brandon Bickerton is ready to break onto the high school scene this season.
Highland's Brandon Bickerton is ready to break onto the high school scene this season.

The three-time OAC state champion is also a 16U freestyle national champion and U.S. Open champion. He lost in the blood round at the Ironman.

10. Johnny Green, Aurora, 113 pounds

Aurora's Johnny Green continues to be a star for Aurora.
Aurora's Johnny Green continues to be a star for Aurora.

The two-time state placer is also a national freestyle All-American. He lost by a point in the blood round to world champ Dom Munaretto at the Ironman.

Perry's Charles Curtis has seen his wrestling go through the roof the last two seasons.
Perry's Charles Curtis has seen his wrestling go through the roof the last two seasons.

11. Charles Curtis, Perry, 138 pounds

It took the national No. 1 Bo Bassett, who later won his second Ironman, to knock Curtis down into the consolation brackets at the Ironman. Curtis is a two-time state placer.

12. Mason Rohr, Perry, 120 pounds

Perry's Mason Rohr is one of many shining stars once again.
Perry's Mason Rohr is one of many shining stars once again.

It took two state champions in Beric Jordan and Colyn Limbert to knock Rohr out of the Ironman. He is a returning state semifinalist and third-place finisher.

Aiden Mozden, right, looks ready to take that final step at the state tournament for Alliance.
Aiden Mozden, right, looks ready to take that final step at the state tournament for Alliance.

13. Aiden Mozden, Alliance, 215 pounds

Mozden finished third at last year’s Division II state tournament. He is a returning district champion and was part of the first brother/sister duo to compete at the state tournament in Columbus last season.

14. Israel Petite, Nordonia, 150 pounds

Nordonia's Israel Petite is used to success at the highest level.
Nordonia's Israel Petite is used to success at the highest level.

Petite is a two-time state placer and three-time state qualifier. He is coming off a championship at the North Coast Classic.

15. Emeric McBurney, Perry, 126 pounds

Perry's Emeric McBurney is keeping the tradition of his family name alive.
Perry's Emeric McBurney is keeping the tradition of his family name alive.

McBurney is a two-time state placer and finished third last season. He won the Grizzly Invitational last year and was third at the Brecksville Holiday Tournament.

16. Kolten Barker, Louisville, 126 pounds

Louisville's Kolten Barker should soar tis season for the Leopards.
Louisville's Kolten Barker should soar tis season for the Leopards.

He was a seventh-place finisher last season and will open the season this weekend at the Solon Comet Classic.

17. Luke Green, Aurora, 106 pounds

The returning state placer lost in the blood round of the Ironman. His losses were to the eventual sixth- and eighth-place finishers.

18. Blake Bartos, Buckeye, 113 pounds

Copley's Javaan Yarbrough, right, looks to score on Buckeye's Blake Bartos during his Medina Invitational Tournament championship match on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022.
Copley's Javaan Yarbrough, right, looks to score on Buckeye's Blake Bartos during his Medina Invitational Tournament championship match on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022.

Bartos was a fourth-place finisher last season and is coming off a championship at the Edison Invitational. He returns to the Mike Lewis Invitational to defend his title.

19. Robert Davis, Stow, 132 pounds

Stow's Robert Davis, left, won't sneak up on anyone after a phenomenal 2022-23 season.
Stow's Robert Davis, left, won't sneak up on anyone after a phenomenal 2022-23 season.

Davis finished fifth at state last season. He opens the season this weekend at the Solon Comet Classic.

Nordonia's Gino Perrine continues to be a force for the Knights.
Nordonia's Gino Perrine continues to be a force for the Knights.

20. Gino Perrine, Nordonia, 165 pounds

Perrine finished fourth at state last season. He finished third last week at the North Coast Classic. He returns to the Barnesville Doan Invitational this weekend where he was third.

Greater Akron/Canton area wrestlers on the cusp of the top 20

Preston Bello, Southeast; Austin Bickerton, Highland; Blaine Chrisman, Medina; Steven Duffy, Woodridge; Braden Dunlap, St. Vincent-St. Mary; Blake Frantz, Wadsworth; Marshall Geckler, Perry; Rylan Hurley, St. Vincent-St. Mary; Jake Lyons, Tuslaw; Cody Miller, Canton South; Camryn Mitchell, Marlington; Jackson Phillips, Barberton; Lincoln Rohr, Perry; Liston Siebert, Perry; Brett Stanley, Brecksville; Taggert Wade, St. Vincent-St. Mary

Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: OHSAA wrestling rankings: Top 20 Akron/Canton-area wrestlers | Dec. 14