The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Elyria sends three to finals
Day 2 of the 81st annual state wrestling tournament saw career-making wins and heartbreaking losses for The Morning Journal coverage area. Elyria led the headlines, placing six of the seven wrestlers who qualified, and three broke through to the finals match March 10. Elyria sits in fourth place (77.5) heading into the final day.
Olmsted Falls had a big day, with the duo of seniors Michael Shaw (106) and Josh Jaeckin (145) guaranteeing state placements.
The trio of finalists for the Division I Pioneers are senior Brendon Fenton (120) and sophomores Mick Burnett (126) and Dylan Shawver (113), who qualified consecutively. Fenton, vying for his third state title, won a 4-1 decision over Jake Canitano (Solon) in the quarters before grinding out a 1-0 win over Cincinnati LaSalle’s Antoine Allen in the semifinals.
Fenton locks horns with No. 1-ranked Julian Tagg of Brecksville-Broadview Heights in the finals.
“It’s going to be great,” Fenton said. “I’m going to have a tough match and just lay it all out there tomorrow (March 10). It’s my final high school match and I could do it three times for the first time in Elyria history. And it’ll be up there with my coaches Erik (Burnett) and Scottie (Burnett). And I don’t know if we’ve ever had three straight weight classes come out into the state finals together and that’s great because we’ve been beating on each other all year and it’s good to see all of us up there together as a team.”
Burnett, set to face St. Edward’s Bryce Hepner in the finals, won over Micah Norwood (Lancaster) in a 4-1 quarterfinal decision before edging Brecksville’s Jimmy Carmany, 3-2 in the semis.
“It’s insane,” Burnett said. “We’ve been talking about it all year. Putting three straight guys in the finals is pretty rare. I think we’re going to get after it tomorrow (March 10) and win three titles for Elyria.”
Shawver beat Fairfield’s Moustapha Bal, 3-1, in the quarterfinals and then sparked the Pioneers taking a 5-1 decision over Mount Orab Western Brown’s Brandon Lucas in the semifinals.
Juniors Farouq Muhammed (152), Matt Zuckerman (138), and Josh Breeding (132) all guaranteed spots on the podium. Elyria freshman Jake Evans (160) was eliminated.
For the Bulldogs, Shaw and Jaeckin earned at least top six spots on the podium and can earn up to third place. The pair have etched their names among the best in a historically strong wrestling program.
Shaw major-decisioned Colin Roberts (AustintownFitch), 14-2, in the quarterfinals before getting pinned to Fairfield’s Zach Shupp in 5:11 in the semis. Nonetheless, it’s Shaw’s first state placement.
“Even though I lost in the semis, I’m pretty happy with the outcome this season,” Shaw said. “I’ve come close to placing too many times in my career, always falling one point short. And finally being able to get on that podium, it’s a great feeling. It means a lot to me to have my name up on the All-State board.”
Jaeckin got pinned in the quarterfinals, efeated Amar Thomas (Fairfield), 3-0, in the second round consolation and then beat Alexander Gore (Lewis Center Olentangy), 7-4, in the consolation quarterfinals. Jaeckin is a back-toback state placer.
“It means a lot,” Jaeckin said. “I can really just thank my teammates for that because they always push me in the room. I can’t help but thank them. I’m not satisfied with this and I have to try and get third place.”
Amherst senior heavyweight Matt Lee, pinned Dawson Shaw (Col. West) in 1:20 his quarterfinal match, but then got pinned by Jordan Earnest (Wadsworth) in 3:04 in the semifinals. Lee faces Cincinnati Elder’s Alec Moore-Nash in the consolation semifinals.
Division II
The Firelands program had a historical day, placing two guys in the same season for the first time with sophomore Payton Burgdorf (106) and senior Sean Lipscomb (285). Burgdorf, a returning state placer, lost his semifinal match to CVCA’s Jacob Decatur, the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the nation in a 14-5 major decision. Prior, he won a 13-5 major decision over East Liverpool’s Howard Williams in his D-II quarterfinals.
Lipscomb earned his first state placement. He got pinned in 4:37 against Uhrichsville Claymont’s Lyle Clark in his D-II quarterfinal match, but bounced back, pinning Alex White (Williamsport Westfall) in 1:26 in the second round consolation and then pinned Lima Shawnee’s Bobby Grothjan in 2:27 in the consolation quarterfinal. Lipscomb holds the school record with 50 wins in a season and 156 career total.
Lipscomb’s Achilles heel in the past was the “blood round,” something he conquered on this day.
“Five years in the making,” Lipscomb said. “Five long years spending with my coaches, teammates, family and community. This year I was warming up and telling myself that I’m not losing in the blood round again. It’s definitely good to add my name to the wall and hopefully I get my plaque up there with all my records before Payton breaks them (laughs).”
Bay junior Matthew Cover (195) won his quarterfinal match over Aurora’s Colin McNamara, 7-0, before losing a 5-2 decision to St. Paris Graham’s Gage Braun (No. 2-ranked) in the semis.
But Cover guaranteed a podium spot for the first time in his career and will wrestle for third place.