Man on a mission: Elisha Baldridge dominates after semifinal loss to place third

COLUMBUS — Elisha Baldridge was a man on a mission.

On the heels of a devastating loss in the semifinals on Saturday, the West Holmes senior took his frustration out on his two opponents in Sunday’s morning session at the OHSAA State Championships en route to a third-place finish in Division II.

“I felt like I needed to prove myself,” Baldridge said. “On Saturday, I couldn't do that. We came in with a game plan that we wanted to come back and get third and I was able to do it.”

Baldridge, the projected state champ at 285 pounds according to multiple sources, dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker in the championship semis on Saturday to Trentt Fulgham of Circleville, but wouldn’t settle for anything less than third on the tournament’s final day.

He took his frustrations out on both Jonathan Alder’s Dom Kroninger, a pin in 1:29, and Claymont’s Wyatt Shaw, a 10-0 major decision to put the finishing touches on an All-Ohio finish just a year after going 1-2 in the event.

“It was really important to come out like that,” Baldridge said of staying on the attack. “My coaches said to come out with an attitude, and I did that. I just had to keep going and never give up.

“It feels good. Really good.”

Baldridge was one of eight locals in Sunday’s morning session competing in placement matches.

Chippewa sophomore Isabella Adams opened her day with an efficient 5-1 win over Olentangy Orange’s Lydia Henrich before dropping an 8-0 decision against East Liverpool’s Makyah Newlun — an opponent who pinned the local in last week’s regional tourney.

“I wrestled her last week (lost by pin) and, today, I was able to make it a closer match,” the two-time All-Ohioan said. “Being on bottom was tough, you just have work more to get back to your feet.”

Despite the result, Adams got to compete in front of a packed Jerome Schottenstein Center at Value City Arena, something the underclassman has dreamed about after making trips with her dad, Tavis, as a youngster.

“It was awesome,” said Adams, whose dad was a state champ at Mechanicsburg. “I used to come down here to watch Kaleb Romero for all four years, because my dad went to high school there, so it was special for him because Kaleb was the first four timer.

“This just made a dream come true for me; to get a chance to wrestle at the Schott, instead of a high school gym.”

Tuslaw’s Kaden Lawson (106 pounds) and Maxwell Cooper (144) each took part in fifth-place matches on Sunday, both finishing sixth overall.

Lawson, a freshman, dropped a 4-2 heartbreaker in his first bout of the day to Liberty Center’s Braedyn Tammarine before losing by pin to Troy Christian’s Kyle Schroer in the following match.

“It was fun being down here ... special,” Lawson said. “I'm definitely going to be back next year. I realized just how much you got to improve. It just comes down to conditioning.”

For Cooper, the experience was equally as special, as the senior won just one match in his first state appearance a year ago ends this season on the podium. He lost by decision to Crestview’s Hayden Kuhn and via pin to Milan Edison’s Marcus Medina.

Not too shabby for the Mount Union recruit who was projected to not even place in the event.

“I tried something that didn't work out,” Cooper said of his fifth-place bout with Medina. “He's a pretty good wrestler. But it happens, just have to move on. I'm going to college to wrestle and this was a good experience.

“I wasn't even supposed to place. It feels great but wish I could've gotten a little higher ... it is, what it is.”

Northwestern’s Trent Sigler (120) and Tuslaw’s Jacob Lyons (150) both finished their seasons with victories as each placed seventh overall, while Waynedale’s Stephen Patterson (106) and Loudonville’s Caleb Gregory (195) were eighth.

“It's nice to finish with a win, but I really was trying to place higher,” Sigler said, following his 9-3 win over North Union’s Trace Williams. “I felt like I could've done better, but I ended with a win and that's all I could do.

“It's awesome to place, though,” he added. One of my goals, ever since I can remember, was to place at state and then win state. It's nice to get one of those goals.”

Lyons, a two-time state qualifier, earned his first All-Ohio finish after a pin of McComb’s Montana Pierce at the 4:05 mark. The middle weight will go into next season with 120 career wins.

And it all nearly didn’t happen after the junior fell on his neck in the district title match at Perry.

“I wasn't even sure that I would be allowed, so I was happy that I was able to wrestle,” Lyons said. “I mean, I'm not happy with what I got, but I'm grateful for the opportunity.”

Patterson took an early lead against Johnathan Huntsman of Barnesville, before a 3-2 loss, but is more than ready to get back to training for a return trip to Columbus next winter.

“I just wasn't putting enough pressure on him,” the freshman said. “He was really tough on top, not letting me out.

“It feels good (to place), I just wanted more. I knew I could do it I knew I could get down here, just wanted a little more.”

One of more impressive stories on the postseason, Gregory’s all-state finish comes after the senior gave up on the sport five years ago, before deciding to give it try this season.

It was a good decision.

“I've been waiting for this moment all of my life,” said Gregory, following his loss to Plymouth’s Colton Sparks. “This year, I decided to come back and give it a shot. I always got discouraged in junior high, never making it to state, but I had nothing to lose. So, I came out her and just worked hard all season.

“I expected to go to state but definitely not placing at state, so this is a bonus.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wrestling: West Holmes' Baldridge places third at state