The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Find how local wrestlers fared
The Patriot Athletic Conference is disbanding after this season, giving extra incentive for wrestlers to shine on Feb. 9 at Buckeye High School in the final installment of the PAC tournament. Lutheran West senior Parker Watson and Firelands junior Payton Burgdorf made sure to go out in style, each claiming their third PAC titles. Buckeye won the team title (168 points) while Fairview was runner-up (159). Watson helped lead the Longhorns to a third place finish (115), pinning Black River’s Hunter Yeaples in 3:34 at 138 pounds. “This is the last PAC ever and I’ve grown up in this conference,” Watson said. “My brothers all wrestled in this conference and to make my mark in it is special. On the way to school today, my dad asked if it’s really felt like four years. I said not at all. It’s gone by fast and it makes me appreciate it.” Along with Watson, teammate Donovan Palmer captured the 152-pound title by pinning Fairview’s Declan Jewitt in 3:34. Jewitt was a returning conference champion and Palmer got his first. “I definitely knew it would be a tough match going in,” Palmer said. “It’s always a good thing to get good competition and get somebody that will improve you. This title means a ton to be able to be the last 152-pound champion with a first-place next to my name.” Burgdorf (120) pinned Fairview’s Adam Samad in 3 minutes. He has dominated his conference opponents over three years and is ranked No. 5 in the state. “Obviously I wish I had better kids in my weight class especially with sectionals and districts coming up,” Burgdorf said. “I feel like if I had tougher guys it would have been better preparation but it’s still nice to get a win. I think about what I’ve accomplished sometimes but I haven’t achieved my final goal yet. I’m still looking at those goals.” Fairview was led by junior Matt Kaufmann (126), claiming his second PAC title. Kaufmann, ranked No. 17 in the state, topped Buckeye’s Anthony Ashley, ranked No. 21, in a 9-4 decision.
It’s not often two stateranked wrestlers clash in a PAC final, and Kaufmann avenged an early season loss to Ashley in the process. “I just know I can beat him now,” Kaufmann said. “I wasn’t sure before. I wrestled my match and I wrestled smarter. I want it more this year and I want to place at state. It’s cool to get the last PAC title.” Kaufmann’s teammate, Ian McClintock, won the 160-pound title. Keystone crowned two champions in Nick Hickman (195) and Luke Moore (285). Moore pinned Columbia’s Eli Caraballo in 5:22 and Hickman pinned Columbia’s Cole Schwartz in 45 seconds. Hickman started the season at heavyweight and has dropped to 195, ranking at No. 18 in the state. “It started off rough at heavyweight,” Hickman said. “I made it down to 220 quickly and it went well relatively quickly but I took four losses and I knew I wouldn’t go far. I dropped to 195 and it’s paid off. I’m undefeated so far and it feels so much easier. I took second last year and it feels so good to win this time.” Brookside’s Matt Thompson (182) pinned Lutheran West’s Cole Nicholas in 55 seconds to win the title. Wellington’s Gabe Gayheart (170) won a 14-3 major decision over Keystone’s Jose Moralez and teammate Mike Casella won the title at 220 pounds. “It was pretty fun,” Gayheart said. “Just coming in here and getting seeded first surprised me. It was just nice to wrestle. This means a lot to me and sectionals, districts and possibly state will be fun.”