Last season the Aurora Greenmen wrestling team underwent a transitional phase, adjusting to competing in Division I for the first time since the 2016-17 season and having a new coach. According to Coach Jeremy Johnson, the sky is the limit for an Aurora team hoping to finish in the top 10 as a team at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I state meet and defend their Suburban League American Conference title.
“We put in a great offseason and a great preseason and have a group that is very motivated to get down to the state tournament,” Johnson told The Weekly Villager. “The goal and the objective is to exceed that and chase a top-10 finish in Division I.”
Never in school history has Aurora recorded a top-10 finish in the Division I state tournament, but the second-year coach said that this year’s squad is ready to make history.
“I think we have some very tough wrestlers in some weights that got close last year they want to taste that feeling of success,” he added. “They were super close last year and I think the motivation for them in the offseason was that they fell short and they want to get there and they want to see their teammates do it.”
Gone is the core that helped pace Aurora to finish as the Division II state-runners up during the 2021-22 campaign and as dual state team runners-up in 2021 and 2022, but Johnson said that last year’s sophomores return this year as juniors with an edge.
Aurora returns nine varsity starters including the only two state qualifiers from last season, junior twins Johnny and Luke Green.
Johnny finished in fifth place in the 113-pound bracket in his second consecutive season as a state qualifier and Luke finished as a state placer in his first time at the state meet, taking eighth place in the 106-pound weight class.
Johnson said that Johnny is ready to capture that elusive individual state title in his quest to become a three-time state qualifier.
“He is definitely one who has really wanted that state title the last two years and this summer he was an All-American down at Fargo, North Dakota,” I think becoming an All-American out there gave him huge confidence going into this year and he has got his calendar circled for the end of the year. He wants to be wrestling on Day 3 at the end of the night at The Schottenstein Center.”
After making his mark in the 106-pound weight class last year, Johnson said Luke also aspires to finish higher at the state tournament this year.
“Placing eighth last year proved he was in the conversation to be higher up on the podium,” he noted. “Luke is a good wrestler and when you place top eight in the State of Ohio, you are a dang good wrestler.”
Sophomore Nick Turba will grapple in the 120-pound weight class after spending most of last season as Luke’s back-up in the 113-pound bracket.
“He put in a lot of time in the offseason, and he was also one who competed down in Fargo,” Johnson said. “Even though he was a back-up last year he placed in some pretty quality tournaments like at Top Gun and won the Kenston invitational tournament, so he definitely has the experience under his belt.”
Junior Cole Munn will look for redemption this season after having his season end last year right before the postseason because of a concussion and will battle in the 126-pound weight class.
Sophomore Michael Kennedy will return in the 138-pound class after finishing only two victories shy of becoming a state qualifier at last year’s district tournament.
“I am really excited to see what he can do for us in his sophomore year,” Johnson said. “He is also one who put in a lot of time in the offseason, and he wrestled in over twenty matches in freestyle and Greco over this summer.”
Sophomore Drake Brasiel is projected to be the starter at 150 pounds after only wrestling for half a season and having it end early due to injury.
Junior Cole Walton is another wrestler who has unfinished business, being just one victory away from making it to the blood round last year and will move up to the 165-pound weight class to earn a state berth.
In addition to chasing more individual state berths this season, Aurora will also contend with the other teams looking to take the SLAC crown.
“The Suburban League Conference is the toughest wrestling conference in the State of Ohio,” Johnson said. “We have some powerhouse teams in Brecksville, Wadsworth and Medina Highland. We are always competing, and it sets us up for the end of the year. The classic quote is iron sharpens iron and I think it sets us up for success at the end of the year.”
The Greenmen will begin their season when they compete at the Walsh Ironman wrestling tournament on Dec. 8 at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls.
