The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Olmsted Falls Mendeluk gets 100th victory
Olmsted Falls wrestler Jaden Medeluk, right, gets his 100th career win in the state dual tournament against John Marshall. Plus, wrestling statistical leaders.
A high school wrestler picking up 100 wins has become more common, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still significant. A milestone is still a milestone.
Olmsted Falls had a pair of 100-win wrestlers coming into the season with seniors Michael Shaw (106 pounds) and Josh Jaeckin (152 pounds). A couple of weeks ago during the state wrestling dual tournament against John Marshall, senior Jaden Mendeluk (182 pounds) joined the club.
Mendeluk is now 105-36 in his career with 50 pins.
“It meant a lot,” Mendeluk said. “Having all of my friends and family behind me — everybody made posters and made it special. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. Being in the century club and having my name hung up on the wall, it’s really meaningful knowing all the support I have behind me.”
Mendeluk was a state alternate last season, but that won’t be enough for him this time around. The senior is quietly having a stellar season for the Bulldogs with a 30-4 record and 11 pins — ranked No. 11 in the state — and is poised to earn a top four spot in the Division I district tournament to punch his ticket to Columbus.
“I’ve worked a lot harder,” Mendeluk said. “In the offseason, I couldn’t wrestle freestyle because I broke my ankle right after wrestling season last year, which was a big disappointment. And then going through football and falling short of a final four, and I’ve realized that I want to do everything I can to make this senior year memorable and special. I hope to place on podium at the state tournament and I hope we can get as many guys on the podium as possible.”
Mendeluk’s father and uncle founded the Olmsted Falls youth team, and Mendeluk jumped in the sport when he was 4 years old. He has been around wrestling his whole life.
“My dad wrestled in high school, and I grew up in the (wrestling) family, making all new friends and getting close with all my coaches,” Mendeluk added. “I just picture myself staying around Olmsted Falls being in the wrestling family the rest of my life.”
The Southwestern Conference tournament is Feb. 17 at Avon Lake High School, and the Bulldogs look to claim a third straight conference title.
Shaw is 29-3, Jaeckin 30-3 and senior Jihad Salti (138) is 27-6 — all returning state qualifiers — and Mendeluk said the four of them push one another in practice each day.
“We’re all best friends,” Mendeluk said. “We always know that we’re the ones that are the leaders and we’re the ones that push each other and need to help everyone else out in the room and outside the room.”
That hasn’t gone unnoticed from Bulldogs coach Bryce Burkhard.
“They are our four captains,” Burkhard said earlier this season. “They are doing what we expected them to do and are setting the tone in the room and it’s carrying on the mat.
“So we’re just going to keep working and hopefully we’ll be ready at the SWC tournament. I think we’ve got as a good a shot as anyone. It’s going to be a really fun day of wrestling for fans, kids — and it’s really what the conference (tournament) should be.”
Mendeluk will most likely face familiar foe No. 4-ranked Trever Begin of Midview in the finals on Saturday.
“I’m looking to win it this year. I fell short last year taking second,” Mendeluk said. “I know it’s going to be a good match against Begin. We wrestled earlier in a dual. Both of us wrestling each other again is going to be a good match.”
Begin won their previous match in a second period tech fall.
No matter the result of their upcoming match, Mendeluk is primed for a deep postseason run.
Highlights
• Firelands sophomore Payton Burgdorf (106) remains the only undefeated wrestler in the area at 36-0. Burgdorf clinched his second straight Patriot Athletic Conference title Feb. 10.
• Elyria sophomore Mick Burnett (126) is 27-6. Burnett is ranked No. 1 in the state and is known for his offensive prowess. He only has two pins, but nine techs falls, six major decisions and 80 takedowns.
• Midview senior Trever Begin (182) is 33-3 and ranked No. 4 in the state. Teammate Seth Frambach is 26-4 and ranked No. 14.
• Avon freshman Cael Saxton (106) is 29-8 overall and is ranked No. 15 in the state in Division I. Teammate Jake Roesch (220) is 25-6 and ranked No. 9.