Too close to call? Battle for MOAC wrestling title should be a doozy

MANSFIELD – This winter’s title chase on Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference wrestling mats could be tighter than tight.

Last year, by any measure, was tight.

Ontario, led by first year coach Wes Turnbaugh, won its first league championship in 11 years behind four weight class champions and 13 placers in 14 divisions. The Warriors amassed 253 points to outlast Highland (237), Pleasant (229) and Galion (221.5).

This year could be even tighter.

Ontario graduated 2001 state runner-up and four-time MOAC champ Ethan Turnbaugh, but returns two league champs in state runner-up and projected 2023 state champ Jacob Ohl (120 pounds) and Mason Turnbaugh (138), Ethan’s younger brother.

The Warriors also have a third state-ranked wrestler, joining those two, in Aiden Ohl (106). He’s Jacob’s younger brother and has a shot at becoming the first freshman state medalist in program history. He’s that good.

Galion, on paper, could be even stronger. The Tigers return MOAC champs in juniors Landon Campbell (215), a state medalist, and Alex Griffith (285), a projected state finalist. They are among five ranked Tigers in the most recent poll posted by statewide analyst Billy Schaefer on his borofanohio.net site.

Schaefer has ranked coach Brent Tyrrell’s Tigers as high as sixth among Division II team contenders. For all of the success Galion has had through the years – starting with legendary former head coach and current assistant Jim Wegesin – the program has never made the big board as a top 10 team at the state meet or sent more than three wrestlers to Columbus.

This could be a breakthrough year on both counts.

Not to be dismissed is Clear Fork, just two years removed from winning the MOAC title under coach Nick Allerding. The Colts have a returning champ in Fred Proto (215) and two top 20-ranked competitors in Jaxon Swank (132) and Luke Schlosser (165).

Clear Fork flashed some of its potential in the recent all-star preview meet at Galion, going 5-2-1 in its matches, including four shutouts and two major decisions.

Highland has three ranked wrestlers in Konner Blaney (106), Remington Baker (157) and Landon Pedigo (285), and watch out for Pleasant. The lone Division III program among last year’s top four MOAC teams, the Spartans boast five state-ranked wrestlers, led by junior Julien Griffith, the projected state champ at 215. Also cracking the rankings are returning MOAC runners-up in Skyler Wolf (138) and Daxton Chase (144), along with Sam Mentzer (157) and Brendan Mulvaine (165).

Pleasant is another team with a chance to reside among the top 10 at the state meet. Right now, borofanohio projects the Spartans to finish 11th.

Information about Shelby, the area’s other MOAC outfit, was not available, but the Whippets are under new leadership in co-coaches Gavin Speelman and Jeremiah Howe. Fans might remember them as mainstays in the lineup at Madison and Northmor, respectively. They presumably have a rebuild on their hands, with the Whippets looking to improve on last year’s last-place finish in the league.

Here’s a closer look at the area’s three MOAC contenders:

Galion

Coach Brent Tyrrell said it was only coincidence that Galion agreed to host this year’s North Central Ohio Wrestling Officials Association all-star preview meet. But optimism for a wrestling season has never been higher for a team that gladly embraces any chance it gets to showcase its talent.

Considered a top 10 team in Division II, the Tigers believe they will be title contenders practically every time they compete in a tournament this season.

They seemingly have the perfect blend of veteran experience and youthful potential. It starts with two juniors, returning state medalist Landon Campbell (215) and two-time state qualifier Alex Griffith (285).

The first freshman in program history to qualify for state, Griffith comes into the season as a projected state finalist while Campbell is No. 3 in the borofanohio.net rankings. Griffith was 38-9 last season and Campbell was 44-5, three of his losses tight battles with Madison’s Hunter Hutcheson, this year’s projected state champ at 190.

In all, five Tigers are ranked, including junior state alternate Aydan Reyes (9th at 138), who was 36-10 last season, and senior Brodyn Butcher (19th at 150), coming off a 28-12 campaign.

Also in the mix are seniors Kiddren Clark (126), Ryder McCabe (157-165) and Jaden Scott (165-715), along with sophomore Arius Swaim (144) and five really good freshmen.

Most of the buzz centers around 120-pounder Gradey Harding, who has a shot at becoming the first ninth-grader to reach the state podium in program history. He’s ranked No. 6 in the state and could very well be better than that.

Other frosh hoping to make the same kind of impact on the program are Ryder Alberty (106-113), Sam Evans (132), Davon Trukovich (144) and Trey Fricke (132).

“The strength of our team is we have a room full of talented wrestlers that will transfer to our young and inexperienced wrestlers,” Tyrrell said. “Our group is also full of great young men that will do what they have to do to achieve their goals through hard work and sacrifice. We are excited about the potential of this group, but we still have a lot of work to do.”

The Tigers were fourth in last year’s MOAC tournament, but finished just 31.5 points behind champion Ontario. The next week at sectionals, Galion finished 40 points ahead of Warriors. And the Tigers are only getting better.

“Individually, we’ve had a lot of optimism in the past, but not as a team like this year,” Tyrrell said. “I think we legit have four or five state placers in our lineup.”

Ontario

“Defending Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference champs” has a nice ring to it for the Ontario Warriors, especially since before last season they hadn’t won any kind of league title in 11 years, when they were members of the old North Central Conference.

Now that they have their grip on league supremacy, the Warriors don’t plan to let go. No matter that Galion and Pleasant each have a handful of state-ranked wrestlers to throw at them.

Or that second-year coach Wes Turnbaugh has graduated his son Ethan, a four-time MOAC champ and 2021 state runner-up.

One reason confidence is high is the return of junior Jacob Ohl, the projected state champ at 120 pounds after taking runner-up honors last season. His only loss in a 36-1 season came in the 106 state finals.

Another reason is that Jacob’s younger brother, Aiden, has joined the varsity ranks and is already billed as one of the top freshmen in Ohio with his No. 6 ranking at 106.

And a third reason is that there is still another Turnbaugh on board. That would be Mason Turnbaugh, ranked No 10 at 138 and an MOAC champ en route to a 41-10 finish last year as a freshman.

“It’s hard to lose that one kid who dominates every time he steps on the mat, but Jacob steps up now and takes that role, along with the addition of Jacob’s brother and Mason coming back,” coach Turnbaugh said. “We have a lot of starters coming back, so we’re still going to be tough.”

The veterans include junior Carson Barnes (126), who was 24-5 last season, junior Cole Dille (165), coming off an injury-plagued season, and senior Bralen Boone (215), who flashed his potential in the preseason all-star preview meet with a last-second win over Ashland state qualifier Cayden Spotts.

Others being counted on are sophomores Owen Reamsnider (132) and Landon Sowards (190), juniors Tyler Flenoury (150), Dylan Floyd (175) and Grayson Bias (285), senior Drew Barnes (157) and freshmen Julian McGinty (138).

“In the league, I believe we are the team to beat,” coach Turnbaugh said. “We have two returning league champs (his son and Jacob Ohl) and multiple league placers. You could keep your eye on our whole lineup.

“We had a good run last year and I expect some of the kids to be hungry for a run at a state berth or placement.”

Clear Fork

Four district qualifiers and a league champ lead the way for the Colts, who were 2021 MOAC champs.

Senior Jaxon Swank is ranked 20th at 132 and junior Luke Schlosser is 17th at 165. They both advanced to districts last season along with junior Peyton Hoskins (126) and senior heavyweight Eric Hicks.

Fred Proto (190) is back for his senior season after pinning his way to an MOAC crown last winter. The lineup also includes freshmen Colton Wenger (106) and Hezekiah Molina (106), junior Walker Kirkpatrick (113), sophomore Damon Hoskins (120), junior Champ DeLancy (138), senior Cody Jackson (144) and sophomore Blake Schlosser (157).

“Our core guys are a year older and they developed and improved last season,” coach NIck Allerding said. “We have a large freshman class and a few of them will have an immediate impact on our season.

“I think we should be in the mix to contend for a league title. Our focus will be to control the controllables and put our best lineup out there. If we focus internally, we have the capability to put out a very good lineup.”

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Too close to call? Battle for MOAC wrestling title should be a doozy