The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Columbia’s Schulke, Fairview’s Elmore advance
Holding a 6-1 lead in the final seconds of his quarterfinal match at the Division III state wrestling tournament, Columbia’s Cole Schulke stayed aggressive trying for a takedown.
His coach, Dan Juliani, immediately screamed for Schulke to circle instead of shoot with less than ten seconds in the match and a 6-1 lead.
“I was on cloud nine,” Schulke said. “I looked at the score and just knew I had to wrestle smart, because I know he likes to do some funky stuff.”
Juliani surely forgives Schulke, who is now guaranteed to place in the top eight in his first trip to the state tournament.
Schulke won his first match — which also happened to be the first match of the tournament— pinning Versailles’ Lance Bergman 1:44 into the first period.
He opened his second match with another aggressive start, grabbing a pair of takedowns in the opening period. After two he led 4-1 over the state’s seventh ranked wrestler at 106 lbs, Trevor Wilcox of Otsego.
“I knew right away that I could take him down,” Schulke said. “If I just kept my foot on the pedal I knew that I could do what I needed to do. I think I might have shot and he blocked it, and then I took him down. Then my turns weren’t working but I got the tilt and knew I could get (a takedown) first try. So I really hipped into it and got him over, and then I knew I had the match.
In the 126 lb bracket, Fairveiw’s Jack Elmore advanced to the March 14 session guaranteeing himself a top eight finish.
Elmore won his first match over River Valley’s Andrew Huck with a 6-3 decision. In his quarterfinal bout Elmore ran into the third ranked wrestler in the state, Trey Allen of Mechanicsberg, falling 5-1.
Elmore then secured a spot on the podium with a 6-4 win in the second round of the consolation bracket over Troy Christian’s, Troy Kennedy. Formerly a student at St. Edward, Elmore is happy that he’s now a state placer in the city he grew up in, Fairview.
“It feels great, I feel like I finally got what I deserved. I’ve been working at this for so long,” Elmore said. “It just feels like I’m home again. This year didn’t feel harsh, it felt fun and that’s what I’ve been missing, with this sport you’ve got to have fun.”a
After jumping out to a 6-2 lead late in the second period,Elmore had to grind it out in the final two minutes.
The area’s third state qualifier in D-III, Wellington’s Jeremiah McKee split his first two contests, winning 17-4 in the first round of the consolation bracket after being pinned in his first round matchup.
McKee then fell in the second consolation round, 12-7, to Hunter Long of Wayne Trace.
Schulke and Elmore will return to Marion Harding High School on March 14 with the opening matches of the day starting at 10 a.m..