The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Columbia’s Schulke takes third in Division III
MARION >> For Morning Journal area wrestlers, the 2021 Division III state wrestling meet offered different opportunities.
For Columbia’s Cole Schulke, the state meet offered an opportunity to establish himself as one of the state’s top wrestlers at 106 pounds as a sophomore.
For Fairview’s Jack Elmore, the mats at Marion Harding High School offered an opportunity to earn what he had worked his entire high school career so hard for, a medal and a spot on the podium at the last meet of the season.
Both wrestlers seized those opportunities, finishing third and fifth, respectively.
“I thought to myself after losing that last one, I don’t want to be in that position again next year,” Schulke said. “I’m just going to work and work to try to get on top next year. I’m going to be focused more on one goal next year and that’s winning state.”
Schulke went 2-0 on Day 1, continuing his unbeaten run in the postseason. That came to an end in his first match of Day 2, falling to the second-ranked wrestler in the state at 106 pounds, Eli Campbell of Legacy Christian Academy.
The Columbia sophomore battled to a 2-1 deficit after the opening period, before Campbell made his move in the second. Schulke fell 10-1, dropping to the consolation bracket, where he defeated Miami East’s Olivia Shore.
Shore became the first girl in OHSAA history to place at the state meet, finishing eighth at 106 pounds.
Schulke then lost 41 seconds into the second period of his third-place match with Nathan Parks of Seneca East. Again, Schulke fought to a scoreless tie through one, before being pinned by Parks.
It was a successful postseason for Schulke, who became the Raiders first district champion since 1995 winning the Garfield Heights District. Schulke followed that up by becoming the first state placer for Columbia since 2012 and the highest placer in 21
years.
At 126 pounds, Elmore became the first Warrior to place at the state tournament in 13 years. He had been to the state several
times before with St. Edward, but had never placed.
“It’s been what I’ve been working for since I was a little kid,” Elmore said. “I’ve been to state multiple times, but being a state placer, was the next level and I finally got to accomplish that. It’s my senior year and it was my last chance to do it and I feel like I accomplished my dream.”
He made sure he had a spot on the podium this time around, winning his first match 3-1, guaranteeing himself a top-six finish. Elmore then lost his next match 6-1, before a war with Michael Markulin of South Range in his fifth-place match that ultimately ended in a 9-8 loss.
Elmore pulled within a point in the final seconds with a reversal, but ran out of time finishing in sixth place. Elmore’s first loss of the tournament came to the eventual state runner-up at 126 pounds, Trey Allen of Mechanicsberg.
Campbell, Schulke’s first loss of the tournament, also finished as state runner up.
“I’m just going to work and work to try to get on top next year. I’m going to be focused more on one goal next year and that’s winning state.” — Columbia’s Cole Schulke