In only the second year since rejoining Division I, the Aurora Greenmen wrestling team has already improved. Aurora qualified four wrestlers to compete in the Ohio High School Division I State Tournament from the Division I North Canton Hoover District meet last weekend in Canton.
“We are excited about the four guys who qualified,” Coach Jeremy Johnson said. “They obviously competed at a high level. The North Canton Hoover district is extremely competitive, so our guys rose to the challenge and were able to place four to get out.”
The Greenmen wrestlers will begin their competition at the state meet at The Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center in Columbus on Friday at 1 p.m.
106-pound junior Luke Green was Aurora’s first state qualifier by finishing as the runner-up with a 3-1 record, earning his second consecutive bid.
On Friday, Luke dominated the field by pinning Hudson freshman Caden Havens with 19 seconds remaining in the first period of the first round and advanced to the semifinal bout when he overpowered junior Dillon Kuehn of Canton McKinley to win by a 17-0 technical fall.
On Saturday, Luke earned a championship berth by beating Solon freshman Carmello Kolb 6-0.
“On Friday, Luke got off to a great start and really executed his attacks and got to where he is good at and then on Saturday, he wrestled a kid from Solon in the semis who he had previously wrestled a couple of times in the year and he was able to get the job done,” noted Aurora’s second-year coach.
Luke’s bid to become a district champion was foiled when he lost 10-3 to freshman Lincoln Rohr of Massillon Perry.
Luke will face off against Suburban League American Conference rival freshman Brandon Bickerton from Medina Highland in the first round of the state meet.
113-pound junior Johnny Green earned his third straight state berth when he went 4-1 to take third place.
Johnny was also dominant on Friday, pinning Stow-Munroe Falls’ freshman Will McCloud with 38 seconds remaining in the first period of the first round then advanced to the semifinal by pinning sophomore Nathan Hale from Valley Forge with 48 seconds remaining in the first period of the quarterfinal.
On Saturday, Johnny was ousted from the championship bracket when he lost 10-4 to Massillon Perry sophomore Liston Seibert, but bounced back to capture a state bid when he dominated senior Zachary Silkon from Canton McKinley to win by a 15-0 technical fall in the consolation semifinals.
The West Point Academy commit wrapped up third place in the consolation championship when he defeated Massillon Jackson junior Ethan Dimos 6-1.
“Johnny ran into a tough competitor from Massillon Perry in the semifinal and it did not go the way we thought it was going to go,” noted Johnson. “That is how postseason wrestling is. We were able to make adjustments and the next time we wrestle, we will be in good shape.”
Johnny will face off against Mount Vernon senior Brock Blankenhorn in the first round of the state meet.
150-pound sophomore Drake Brasiel clinched his first state berth by going 3-2 to take fourth place.
On Friday, Brasiel was in control, beating Massillon Jackson junior Zak Saleh by a 15-0 technical fall and defeated sophomore Chase McKenna from Walsh Jesuit 7-0 in the quarterfinal match.
On Saturday, Brasiel was defeated by an 8-5 decision against sophomore Brennan Warwick from Massillon Perry but earned a state bid when he defeated Canton McKinley junior Benjamin Brownfield 13-6 in the consolation semifinal. He then fell 5-2 to freshman Zack Aquila from Brecksville-Broadview Heights in the consolation championship.
“At the end of the day he fought hard and was able to come back and get that consolation semifinal win to punch his ticket, but I am just proud of him,” noted Johnson. “It was a learning experience especially with him being in his first district tournament.”
Brasiel will compete against St. Edward senior Lucas O’Brien in the first round of the state tournament.
Aurora’s final state qualifier was junior 157-pounder Cole Walton, who posted a 4-1 record to take third place to earn his first career state bid.
On Friday, Walton cruised to the semifinal by winning his first match against senior King Wright from Lakeside 17-2 and then pinned Wooster senior Dylan Hudson with 29 seconds left in the first period of his quarterfinal.
On Saturday, Walton lost 3-1 to senior Matthew Hammad from Nordonia but rebounded in the consolation semifinal when he dominated Stow-Munroe Falls senior Tommy Reed to win by a 14-2 major decision, becoming a state qualifier and concluded his tournament by beating junior Ben Hegler from Brecksville-Broadview Heights by a 9-0 major decision in the consolation championship.
“Cole was able to put the past behind him and go get a pretty decisive win to go to the state tournament and then for third and fourth place, he was able to beat the Brecksville kid who beat him in the sectional final last week,” said Johnson. “I know Cole walked out of that gym feeling more confident than when he walked out of the Austintown-Fitch gym last week.”
Walton will grapple against Perrysburg senior Jake Wood in the first round of the state tournament.
