Five Chagrin Valley Conference wrestlers kept alive their state championship dreams by opening the 2023 OHSAA state tournament with a win on Friday at the Schottenstein Center.
Winning first-round bouts were Beachwood’s Joshua Greenwood and Uzonna Nzekwe, Berkshire’s Colin Hering, and Perry’s Brock Christian and Ryan Brubaker, all in the Division III tournament.
Hering, who improved to 34-8, defeated Port Clinton’s Joshua Cornell, 6-5. He’ll wrestle Shenandoah’s Tristen Rossiter (29-10) in Saturday’s quarterfinal round.
“I feel great getting out there and getting the first one out of the way and getting a win doing so,” Hering said. “It’s really exciting being out there on the mat in front of all those people.”
Christian, who placed third at the state tournament last season and seventh as a sophomore, improved 45-9 with his 15-5 major decision over Delta’s Landon Lintermoot at 132 pounds. He’ll face Covington’s Chase Vanderhorst (39-3) in the quarterfinals.
Greenwood (41-8), a state alternate last winter, used a 6-1 decision over Waynesville’s Levi Collins to advance to the 150-pound quarterfinals, where he’ll face West Muskingum’s Konnor Samson.
Brubaker (34-13) stunned No. 1 seed Brendan Sheehan of Newark Catholic with a 31-second pin at 165 pounds. He’ll square off against Lakota’s Braxton Quaintance (38-9) in the quarterfinals in his second straight state tournament appearance.
“I had a pretty tough district,” Brubaker said. “I wrestled the best of the best there. I was 0-2 here at state last year, so this feels pretty good. I’m ready to keep going.”
Nzekwe flattened Pleasant’s Julien Griffth, who placed fourth at the state tournament last season, in 1:47 at 215. He’ll put his 45-3 record on the line against Liberty-Benton’s Gavin Gillig (39-4) in the quarterfinals.
Perry’s Riley Rowan, Crestwood’s J.P. Wrobel, and Berkshire’s Johny Heiden dropped their state tournament openers but bounced back with a win in the first round of consolation wrestling. He’ll face the loser of the quarterfinal bout between Miami East’s Cooper Shore and North Union’s Trace Williams. Shore placed third at the state tournament last season and second the year before.
Rowan opened the tournament with a 14-4 loss to Legacy Christian Academy’s Nathan Attisano and then bounced back with a 3-2 win over Liberty Center’s Drew Matthews in a 120-pound consolation bout.
Wrobel, who improved to 44-4, lost by pin in a sudden victory overtime in the first round then pinned Middletown Madison’s Matthew Wheeler in 2:35 to advance to Saturday’s second round of consolation wrestling. He awaits the loser of the quarterfinal bout between Mapleton’s Brock Durbin (39-1) and Troy Christian’s Jason Shaffer (41-9).
Johnstown Northridge’s Michael Fister pinned Heiden in 57 seconds in a 138-pound preliminary match. Heiden then rode out Covington’s Caleb Ryman in the third period to win a 1-0 consolation bout. Next up for Heiden is the loser of the quarterfinal bout between Liberty Center’s Jackson Bartels and Conneaut’s Amari Bowers.
“I feel pretty good after that win,” Heiden said. “My first match, I came out and he kind of got the best of me. This is my last ride, my last weekend, and I just want to make it worth it and go as far as I can.”
Kirtland’s Louka Babic and Berkshire’s Josh Brown both went 0-2 in Division III and bowed out of the tournament.
West Geauga’s Brian Denamen, Edgewood’s Zeke Lucas, and Orange’s Terrance Davis suffered the same fate in Division II.
Johnny Heiden of @BERKHSWrestling is all smiles after a 1-0 consi win in the state tournament with a third period ride out. pic.twitter.com/wFSdb42KK1
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) March 11, 2023
Coach Jimmy Greenwood and son Josh Greenwood talk about a first round state tourney win and the emotions of it. @wrestlebison pic.twitter.com/0Uw2e7gh44
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) March 10, 2023
Collin Hering of @BERKHSWrestling is ultra confident after a first round win. pic.twitter.com/DO92RnfWla
— News-Herald preps (@NHPreps) March 10, 2023
