St. Ed sets points record in winning 23rd title
Posted by Pat Galbincea
Columbus — It’s looking more and more like the 1951 Cleveland West record of six individual state champions is a record not meant to be broken.
Sure, St. Edward wrapped up its 23rd big school state championship Saturday night in the 70th State Championships in front of 15,685 at Value City Arena with a record 229 points, and Eagles coach Greg Urbas surpassed his old mentor, Howard Ferguson, by claiming his record 12th title (Ferguson had 11 and Maple Heights coach Mike Milkovich Sr. 10). Cincinnati Moeller was second with 115 points, and Wadsworth was fourth with 56.
The Eagles were most coveting the 1951 Cleveland West record for state champs, and had to settle for four title winners in sophomore Collin Palmer (125 pounds), who won his second title; junior Brian Roddy (171); and seniors Sean Nemec (160), who became Ohio’s 41st three-time state champ, and Chris Honeycutt (189). In Division II, St. Paris Graham won only three of seven final bouts.
Roddy won the best match in finals by edging defending state champ Dustin Kilgore of Berea, 14-12, in overtime. He countered a Kilgore shot and slipped out of a whizzer to get his match-winning takedown. Kilgore beat Roddy in the finals last year, 11-4.
“(Our assistant coach Jon Heffernan) told the kids they are the hardest working team we’ve ever had, “Urbas said. “That brought goose bumps to my skin. They’re also great kids, on and off the mat.”
There were other historic moments in Division I last night besides St. Edward, which actually tied its state record of 210 points in the morning consolation session after senior Scott Elliott (152) pinned Tyler Mickley of Hilliard Davidson for fifth place. Elliott was one of a state record tying 13 place winners for the No. 1 ranked team in the nation.
Solon senior Kevin Hardy (145) became the Comets’ first three-time state champ despite a bad cold and cough by using his advantage in leverage to beat junior Jesse Dong of Westerville North, 9-4.
“I beat Dong, 5-0, at the Midwest Classic early in the season, “Hardy said, “but I was a lot healthier that match. This is the sickest I’ve been in my four years at state.”
Brad Squire (119) became Wadsworth’s first freshman state champ when the undefeated Grizzly (34-0) caught highly favored Ryan Fields of Lakota West with an ankle pick takedown with 12 seconds left in overtime to win, 2-0.
Squire was ridden out by Fields in the second period, but returned the favor in the final period as the match ended, 0-0, in regulation. Fields tried an upper body throw in overtime which Squire countered with his ankle pick takedown.
“I knew I wore him out in the third period, “Squire said. “Fields like to throw people, and I felt one coming, and when I picked his ankle, I knew the match was over.”
St. Ed’s chances to tie the Cleveland West record ended in their first bout as freshman Jamie Clark lost, 3-2, to Massillon Perry sophomore Sam White when the stronger White escaped with 16 seconds left in the overtime tiebreaker. Clark was unable to finish two deep takedown shots.
Palmer became the Eagles’ first state champ of the night by simply overpowering lanky senior Tyler Lambert of Stow, 12-4.
“I’ve been on fire ever since I lost at the (Walsh Jesuit) Ironman, “Palmer said. “I lost to a kid I’ve beaten many times before because I was overconfident. That won’t happen again. I’ve destroyed everyone I’ve wrestled since.”
“I tried to wrestle my match, “Lambert said. “But Palmer has a perfect stance, he makes no mistakes, and he’s pretty strong too.”
Honeycutt did a backflip after pinning Daniel Canfield of Lakota East in 1:28. “Who says big guys can’t do backflips? “he wryly said.
Northeast Ohio also had three runners-up in St. Ed freshman Nick Sulzer (112), Brunswick junior Richie Spicel (135), and Barberton junior Adam Cogar (215).
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