Richland 200: No days off for No. 4 Crestview's two-sport All-Ohioan Hayden Kuhn
OLIVESBURG — It was the day after he finished fourth at the Division III state wrestling meet.
Hayden Kuhn woke up early in the morning the day after his junior wrestling season had ended. He saw his record of 46-6 and decided that wasn't good enough. He looked at the medal he earned after picking up All-Ohio honors with his fourth-place finish and decided he wanted more.
So, he got back to work that day.
That is how the No. 4 athlete in the Richland 200 has lived his life. No days off.
"It comes from my family," Kuhn said. "We have been a competitive family since day one. My dad has always been pushing me and my older brothers and we have always been competitive growing up. That is where I get it from."
It is that relentless work ethic that helped him earn All-Ohio honors in two different sports during his junior season. In football, he was a third-team All-Ohio quarterback after he piloted the Cougars to a 10-0 regular season and the first back-to-back Firelands Conference championship in program history. He was a first team All-Northwest District and first team All-FC QB, completing 90-of-133 passes (67.7%) for 1,594 yards, 19 touchdowns and three interceptions.
In wrestling, he won the FC title at 132 pounds, was runner-up at sectionals and districts and took fourth at state to earn All-Ohio honors while finishing 46-6. Not bad for a year's work.
But Kuhn is far from satisfied. While he accomplished a lot, he still thinks back on two things that he knows he could have done better.
Finding motivation
First, it was his performance in the regional semifinal football game against eventual state champion Carey. Kuhn, who entered the game with one interception all season, threw two against the Blue Devils, including a pick-six right before halftime that changed the complexion of the game.
The other was a state semifinal wrestling match against eventual state champion Hunter Long of Wayne Trace in which Long picked up three points in the closing seconds to win 6-3.
Those two events have stuck with Kuhn all summer as he spent countless hours in the scorching hot weight room getting stronger and in the muggy wrestling room at the top of the gym working on his agility and moves. And it is those two events that kept him coming back for more day in and day out.
"I have fallen a little bit short of my goals the last couple of years," Kuhn said. "I fell short at state in wrestling and lost in the third round of the playoffs in football last year. I just work hard to accomplish those goals and that pushes everyone else to work just as hard."
It was also those two events that showed Kuhn's coach in both football and wrestling, Steve Haverdill, just what kind of an athlete he was working with. Instead of showing emotion and getting rattled, Kuhn showed poise in the worst moments of his season. And that is a sign of a true champion.
"He is Joe Cool," Haverdill said. "Nothing fazes him. He doesn't panic, he is very calm and he digests everything. He is very coachable, which is kind of surprising because, with a kid of his talent level, you don't always get the coachability part of it."
Coaching him in both sports, Haverdill also saw how much those two events lit a fire in the upcoming senior.
"He has had some letdowns that have motivated him," Haverdill said. "Last football season, he has one interception all year before throwing two against Carey. In wrestling, he was just seconds away from a state title match and we believed he could have won that. Those things still burn his fuel. He doesn't dwell or ponder it, but gets back in the room the next day and works on it. I can't get him to take a day off."
No days off
And if there is anyone who deserves a day off, it is Kuhn. With a deep playoff run and 12-1 record in football, a fourth-place finish at state in wrestling and a member of the track team, Kuhn is busy from July through June representing the Cougars. And with everything he has accomplished, there has to be some sense of satisfaction, right?
"Not really much satisfaction," Kuhn said. "Obviously, I was happy with how I did in every sport, but I was upset in the semifinals match at state and losing in the final seconds like I did, and that is never fun. I had a really good athletic season last year and all I want to do is build on that and improve this year."
Which leads him to his 2022-23 senior season. Kuhn has a long list of goals on his wall, and there isn't a single one that is unattainable. The Cougars bring back one of the most talented football rosters in program history and all three wrestlers who finished ahead of him at 132 pounds in Division III at last year's state tournament are gone. He comes in ranked No. 3 by borofan.net.
"I want to help the team win a conference title in football and hopefully make a deep run in the playoffs with the goal of playing in the state title game," Kuhn said. "In wrestling, I want that state title. I want to win as many matches as I can without losing. It is going to take hard work and daily improvement. The rest will take care of itself."
It is that competitive fire that has Haverdill counting his blessing for being able to coach Kuhn.
"He is very competitive," Haverdill said. "If I had 40 of those kids, we would win a state title every year."
jfurr@gannett.com
740-244-9934
Twitter: @JakeFurr11
2022 Richland 200 Ranked
200: Natalie Grove, Shelby
199: Trenton Weaver, Crestview
198: Oliver Cramer, Mansfield Christian
197: Trynity Wolfe, Lexington
196: Annie Mahek, Shelby
195: Leyna Gerich, Crestview
194: Alex Rose, Ontario
193: Vivian Lampert, Madison
192: Brooklyn Gwirtz, Shelby
191: Will Magers, Shelby
190: Channon Cundiff, Shelby
189: Andre Harrison, Mansfield Christian
188: Colin Cordrey, Ontario
187: Isaac Hillman, Mansfield Christian
186: Olivia Kreger, Ontario
185: Hunter Petit, Ontario
184: Drew Yetter, Ontario
183: Jaden Jones, Mansfield Senior
182: Caleb Porter, Plymouth
181: Ally Wigton, Madison
180: Cole Everrand, Mansfield Christian
179: Tristan Johnson, Mansfield Christian
178: Gracie Dinsmore, Crestview
177: Brody Miller, Shelby
176: Evie Hostetler, Lexington
175: Kyleah Jones, Mansfield Christian
174: Cameron Kuhn, Madison
173: Chesnie Patton, Crestview
172: Zach Hamman, Plymouth
171: Annaleise Norris, Mansfield Senior
170: Braxton Hall, Ontario
169: Anna Blackstone, Lexington
168: Jade Adkins, Lexington
167: Carson Brubaker, Shelby
166: Trevin Smith, Lexington
165: Hannah Smith, Lexington
164: Mary Wilkins, Shelby
163: Calah Rader, Mansfield Christian
162: Quinten DeBolt, Mansfield Senior
161: Jayden Goad, Madison
160: Trace McVey, Plymouth
159: Caden Cunningham, Crestview;
158: Carter Newman, Lexington;
157: Jace Hill, Crestview
156: Griffin Baker, Mansfield Christian
155: Egan Cavanaugh, St. Peter’s
154: Luke Zerby, Mansfield Christian
153: Camden DeBolt, Mansfield Senior
152: Nathan Haney, Mansfield Senior
151: Juleah Windham, Mansfield Senior
150: Marissa Caugherty, Lucas
149: Brayden Spitler, Lucas
148: Bobby Grover, Lucas
147: Alyssa Shay, Lucas
146: Terrance Corbin, Lexington
145: Skyler Winters, Shelby;
144: Bralen Boone, Ontario;
143: Gavin Cains, Crestview;
142: Luke Roberts, Lexington
141: Renee Anders, Clear Fork
140: Gavin Barker, Crestview;
139: Callie Cyrus, Madison
138: Jaylin Branham, Plymouth
137: Zian Rhodes, Lexington
136: Eden Howard, Ontario
135: Chloe Trine, Plymouth
134: Gavin Cates, Madison
133: Jaxson Husty, Lexington
132: Natalee Back, Madison
131: Chance Basilone, Lexington
130: Marshall Moore, Shelby
129: Trista Jewell, Ontario
128: Braden Mumaw, Lexington
127: Caleb Cunningham, Ashland Crestview;
126: Devin Holloway, Ashland Crestview;
125: Jaden Beachy, Clear Fork
124: Mylah Davis, Madison
123: Taylor Tucker, Madison
122: Brooklynn Adkins, Ontario
121: Maddie Haring, Lexington
120: Baylee Black, Ontario
119: Ethan Slone, Lexington
118: Ty Lehnhart, Lucas
117: Monetta Hilory, Mansfield Senior
116: Trey Nickoli, Lexington
115: Mitch Riegel, Lexington
114: Fred Proto, Clear Fork
113: Micheal Thomas, Madison
112: Landon Kennard, Shelby
111: Kendall Windsor, Clear Fork
110: Alyssa Carroll, St. Peter’s
109: Anna Sparks, Mansfield Christian
108: Noelle Beare, Mansfield Christian
107: Kenley Miller, Lexington
106: Chloe Sturts, Lucas
105: Feree Kent, St. Peter’s
104: Carter Weaver, Ontario
103: Kiyah Wentz, Mansfield Senior
102: Rachel Kocher, Lexington
101: Will Jamieson, Madison
100: Peyton Dzugan, Ontario
99: Demi Hipp, Shelby
98: Brayden Fogle, Lexington
97: Hope Barrett, Madison
96: Lilly Wortman, Clear Fork
95: Natalie Hunter, Lexington
94: Isaac Vance, Lexington
93: Joey Aquino, Lexington
92: Jarek Ringler, Crestview
91: Cameron Wagers, Plymouth
90: Justin Crall, Mansfield Senior
89: Marisah Atterholt, Madison
88: Kyleigh Rieter, Madison
87: Heath Kash, Crestview
86: Adison Reymer, Crestview;
85: James Stewart, Ontario
84: Kylie Snow, Ontario
83: Pacey Chrastina, Clear Fork
82: Davis Washinske, Mansfield Christian
81: Carmelo Smith, Mansfield Senior;
80: Mason Turnbaugh, Ontario
79: Noah Stuart, Ashland Crestview;
78: Connor Hauger, Clear Fork
77: Emily Nolan, Madison
76: Victor Skoog, Clear Fork;
75: Madi Basilone, Lexington
74: Owen Roth Lexington
73: Jordan Beireis, Lexington
72: Emma Aumend, Crestview
71: Makenzie Back, Plymouth
70: Alexis Rippel, Mansfield Christian
69: Hunter Church, Lucas
68: Troy Chapman, Lexington
67: Issaiah Ramsey, Shelby;
66: Luke Schlosser, Clear Fork
65: Mallary Gundrum, Shelby
64: Andrew Fanello, Lucas;
63: Marleigh Albert, Shelby
62: Dylan Catanese, Lexington
61: Jake Chilcote, Lexington
60: Ethan Remy, Lexington
59: Karl Etzel, Lexington
58: Taylor Mullins, Ontario
57: Annika Labaki, Clear Fork
56: Olivia Schulz, Madison
55: Kylie Galownia, Lexington
54: Elias Owens, Mansfield Senior
53: Sophie Durbin, Crestview
52: Joslynne Frazier, Ontario
51: Audi Albert, Shelby
50: Ricky Mills, Mansfield Senior
49: Alex Depperschmidt, Lexington
48: Leo Hess, Mansfield Senior
47: Kiersten Bradley, Mansfield Senior
46: Wade Bolin, Crestview
45: Corbin Toms, Lucas
44: Hudson Moore, Lexington
43: Kaylie Eichorn, Lexington
42: Bri Bowles, Madison
41: Chase Studer, Ontario
40: Andrew Smollen, Lucas;
39: Luke Dininger, Shelby
38: Huck Finnegan, Shelby
37: Peyton Bodnar, St. Peter’s
36: Emma Montgomery, Shelby
35: Elli Mayer, Shelby
34: Isaac McFadden, Lexington
33: Ivan Prykhodko, Lexington
32: Abby Little, Mansfield Christian
31: Matt Dwyer, Lexington
30: Sean Putt, Mansfield Senior
29: Shae Sparks, Plymouth
28: Aidan Culler, Lucas
27: Ahmaan Thomas, Mansfield Senior
26: Jayden Jeffries, Madison
25: Shawn Bailey, Crestview
24: Miles Miesse, Ontario
23: Kaden Riddle, Clear Fork
22: Caiden Allen, Plymouth
21: Keontez Bradley, Mansfield Senior;
20: Ja’Ontay O’Bryant, Mansfield Senior
19: Elyana Weaver, Lexington
18: Amarr Davis, Mansfield Christian
17: Autumn Taylor, Ontario
16: Jillian Morr, Lexington
15: Brie Trumpower, Ontario
14: Baden Forup, Lexington
13: Logan Toms, Lucas
12: Adi Turnbaugh, Ontario
11: Kayla Gonzales, Shelby
10: Emma Wise, Lexington
9: Hunter Hutcheson, Madison
8: Owen Barker, Crestview
7: Mason Ringler, Crestview
6: Alex Bruskotter, Shelby
5: Jacob Ohl, Ontario
4: Hayden Kuhn, Crestview
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Richland 200: Crestview's Hayden Kuhn earned All-Ohio honors in two sports