Everything has come full circle for Streetsboro Rockets’ 106-pound Jarreau Walker. The Rockets’ sophomore went 4-0 in his first stint at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II wrestling tournament to wrap up the state title last weekend at The Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center in Columbus.
“It took a lot,” Walker said. “Last year I got disqualified at the district tournament. It was my freshman year and I really wanted to win it but I ended up doing it in my sophomore year which is still pretty good.”
The Rockets have not had a state wrestling champion since the 2004 season when Steve Blunk was crowned the Division II 135-pound state champion.
According to Walker, when he was disqualified from the postseason last year after winning the district title, it only enhanced his desire to return the following season and take care of unfinished business.
“It made me want to come back harder, stronger, train more and practice more,” he added.
On Sunday, Walker completed his season of redemption when he beat sophomore Rayce Watson from Jonathan Alder 11-3 to win the state title.
Walker was in control at the start of the match, scoring three points on a takedown then put Watson on his back and added four more points to his lead on a near fall, giving him a 7-0 cushion after the first period.
Coach Mark Skonieczny said that having an early advantage gave Walker all of the momentum.
“That was our gameplan to try and come in and strike early, build a lead then wrestle smart from there and not take any dangerous chances and don’t go across our back to score points,” he noted. “Once we got that lead in the biggest match of his life, we were just trying to prevent that one big mistake.”
Walker surrendered a point on an escape before the end of the first period and was penalized twice for stalling during the match, but Watson could never gain any leverage to pin Walker to the mat.
Walker acknowledged that Watson displayed impressive strength to avoid putting himself in a position to get pinned.
“It just made me have to think and think about what I should do and if I should go after him or stay back because I am up,” he said.
On Friday, Walker won his first career state match when he defeated senior Vince Coleman from Zanesville by a 19-3 technical fall.
It was a unique match for Walker as his opponent, Coleman, has no legs.
Although Walker seemed to have the advantage, he acknowledged that Coleman was incredibly agile and tough to nail down.
“He was super-fast,” he said after winning his first round bout. “I don’t know how he was moving with having no legs.”
On Saturday, Walker earned a semifinal bid when he overpowered Granville freshman Anthony Bergeron to win by a 13-2 major decision.
Walker returned to that mat later that evening and clinched a championship berth when he dominated Beaver Local senior Justuce Fisher by a 21-8 major decision.
The second-year coach said that what stood out to him the most was the composure Walker was demonstrating in his first experience at the state meet.
“It’s like this was his 10th state tournament,” the first-year coach said. “He slept like a rock. He was calm the whole time. His warm-ups were mellow, he took off his stuff and snapped on his head gear and went to work. I was more of a wreck the whole tournament than he was.”
In addition to becoming Streetsboro’s first state champion in 21 years, Skonieczny said that Walker is ready to represent the program in the next two years.
“Now he has to stay there,” he said. “It is time for Jarreau to go to the Iron Man. He is ranked number five in the country at 106. It is time to build off of that. He has his title, now let’s build on our national ranking for him.”
Walker said that he is aware that the target on his back now looms large but is ready to defend his title for the next two years. If he does repeat as a state champion, it will not be in the 106-pound weight class as he is preparing to move up several weight classes.
“I am just excited to get out there with bigger guys, different guys and some guys I know,” he said.
As Walker prepares to become the hunted, he will do so as the face of a younger Streetsboro squad, as the team is in line to receive a wealth of talent from the middle school level.
As far as Walker is concerned, he is looking forward to helping usher in some new talent as a leader.
“The kids on the team do love him and do respect him,” Skonieczny said. “Next year I am expecting him to step up and take Cohen Klimak’s spot as one of those team leaders.”
