Bulldogs repeat as SWC champions

Some question marks surrounded the Olmsted Falls wrestling team coming into the season. After losing five conference champions from last year, some wondered how they would fare.

But the Bulldogs never doubted, and they proved once again they are the class of the Southwestern Conference, winning the tournament title with 237 points on Feb. 18 at Avon Lake. Midview followed with 175.5 points, while Amherst placed third (152.5) and Avon fourth (131).

The title was Olmsted Falls’ second in a row and they crowned two champions in the process in juniors Michael Shaw (106) and Josh Jaeckin (145).

“A lot of people thought we’d be down this year after graduating such a talented class,” Olmsted Falls coach Bryce Burkhard said. “I don’t know many people outside of our room knew the type of team we were. We constantly had to keep proving it. It’s a

total team sport and all of our guys through the lineup really made me proud today the way they wrestled.”

Shaw won his finals match due to a forfeit, and before that topped Amherst’s Alex Reyes in an 8-0 major decision in the semifinals.

“I was kind of expecting it, not to sound cocky or anything,” Shaw said. “It is what it is. A forfeit is still a win and it helps put the team ahead more. It’s a big accomplishment for me to get it two years in a row. No one in my family has done this. It’s big. Not many people can say they are twotime conference champions. Heading into sectionals, I’m going in there with as much confidence as I did coming into here.”

Jaeckin pinned his way

to a title. He pinned Avon’s Kyle Burgess in 1:31 in the finals, then in the semis, Jaeckin pinned Lakewood’s Donovan Williams and Avon Lake’s Adham Abushukar in the opening match.

“Being a champ and representing my school, it’s fun doing two times,” Jaeckin said. “I’m hoping to keep on winning. Our team has battled all season and pushed each other and it shows on the mat.”

Nic Kuntz (113), Alex Kho (120), Jihad Salti (126), Brady Stang (138), Nick Dailey (152), Noah Broski (160) and Jaden Mendeluk (182) all finished as runner-ups for the Bulldogs, who also went undefeated in the dual portion of the SWC schedule, going 9-0.

“Our kids feed each other,” Burkhard added. “One kid gets a pin, and the next one is going to go right off that and get a pin. It makes it a lot of fun. Our goal from the start was to

win the conference and we always expected it. You always have to expect it. We set our standards very high.”

The Middies crowned three champions: Trever Begin (152), Seth Frambach (182) and Spencer Berthold (220). Begin won a tough 2-1 decision over Olmsted Falls’ Nick Dailey, while Frambach topped the Bulldogs’ Jaden Mendeluk, 3-1, and Berthold pinned Westlake’s Mo Mustafa in 35 seconds. It’s Begin’s first SWC title.

“I had a pretty good brawl with Dailey last time I faced him,” Begin said. “These are the kind of matches we need to get ready for sectionals and districts. We practice all year with conference, sectionals, districts and state as our goals. It’s definitely a big accomplishment.”

Amherst had a strong showing, which was capped off with a SWC title from heavyweight Matt Lee. Lee

pinned Midview’s Evan Keyse in 1:35 to capture his first title.

“Being a runner-up the past two years definitely sucked,” Lee said. “So besides going to state and placing, this goal of mine was right up there.

“I should have pinned even quicker, but I got it done and am happy. The heavyweights in the SWC are all pretty tough — they fight and never give up.”

Avon, wrestling without state qualifier Tate Zeman (120), had two champions in Tommy Sear (132) and Max Borque (138). Sear won a 10-4 decision over Westlake’s Liam Kruger and it’s his second career title.

“I worked really hard in the offseason so I can get ahead of everyone,” Sear said.

“I tried to lift a lot because I was a little weak last year, so that helped. It feels good to win two in a row.”

His teammate, Borque,

pinned Olmsted Falls’ Brady Stang in 1:22 in the finals. In the semis, he pulled off a huge upset, pinning the No. 1 seed Kevin Kelly (North Olmsted), winning his second conference title.

“I wrestled Kelly before and lost both times,” Borque said. “I worked him. When you wrestle a guy like him, you just learn how to wrestle more and you know what to do, how to be in a better stance and be more offensive.”

Westlake, which finished sixth overall (91.5), saw senior Mo Zayed (170) pull of an upset in the semifinals over Midview state qualifier Alec Forrer, winning, 5-2. Zayed then topped Avon Lake’s Tristen Olivencia in an 11-2 major decision in the finals.

“Last year I didn’t even place at all, so this is just awesome,” Zayed said. “I wrestled Forrer nine days ago and lost, 8-4. He hit me off a lucky throw. So I

just kind of got revenge. But the next three weeks will be even more important.”

Avon Lake’s Alec Negron (120) won a title topping the No. 1 seed Alex Kho (Olmsted Falls), 2-0, in sudden overtime and beat the No. 1 seeded Adam Lough (Amherst) in the semifinals, 5-2.

“It feels a lot better winning at home,” Negron said. “I’ve beaten both of these guys before and it couldn’t have gotten any better.”

North Ridgeville had a champion at 195 pounds as Brandon Henderson upended Midview’s Jacob Snider in a 6-3 decision. Henderson didn’t place last year and believes a win like this can put him on the map.

“I really wanted to get this,” Henderson said. “I feel like I’m a lot faster and stronger this year.

“Next week should be another tough one but I should pull out another first place win.”