ASHLAND – The present was already plenty bright for the Ashland High School wrestling program, but it’s looking like the future might just be aligning beautifully as well.
The Arrows sent four matmen to the Division I state tournament for just the second time in their history in early March. A few weeks later, Ashland landed six youth wrestlers in the Ohio Athletic Committee Grade School Wrestling State Championships in Youngstown.
The event is known as the biggest youth tournament in the state. By the time it was over, the Arrows had a state champion in sixth-grade standout Ayden Hudson (110-pound weight class in Division IV) and a third-place finisher in fourth-grader Nash Varnes (55-pound class in Division III).
The duo was joined at the tournament by Arrows Zayne Sweeney, McCoy Mager, Judah Brockett and Harry Reep.
Hudson was representing both Ashland and his club team out of Brecksville during the tournament. He also placed sixth at the OAC Junior High state championships in March (typically comprised of mostly seventh- and eighth-grade wrestlers).
Ashland varsity wrestling coach Tommy Bauer said he didn’t think any sixth-grade student from Ashland had ever placed at the junior high OAC state tournament, and added he was certain none had ever placed at both tournaments in the same year.
“As a coaching staff, we want to develop these kids to be ready for Division I in high school and the OAC really helps us do that,” Bauer said. “So if we can get as many guys to participate in the (OAC tournaments), it really provides the best experience to prepare you for high school.”
Hudson is a unique case in that, while he works out regularly with his Ashland teammates, he’s also tied into a club team in Brecksville led by former NCAA Division I wrestler Aaron Assad.
“He’s doing what he’s got to do to get the right training partners and he’s got good club coaches,” Bauer said. “… He’s out there chasing national tournaments and national-level kids and competition. That’s a credit to him; he’s talented and he’s able to do that.
“He’s getting great experience.”
Hudson, a 13-year-old who said he was keeping an eye on the varsity team this year while the Arrows tore through their season with Ohio Cardinal Conference and sectional tournament titles, said the state title was the biggest moment of his budding career on the mats.
“I love the feeling of being a champion,” Hudson said. “… I tried as hard as I could to win that state title.”
The Ashland Middle School student, who also plays football, said he’s been wrestling for about six years now and has been involved with Ashland’s youth JAWS wrestling program as he’s developed.
In the last four years or so, Hudson said he’s competed in national events as well. He’s got one coming up this week at West Virginia’s Tournament of Champions.
“I have a tournament at least every month, sometimes two,” said Hudson, who also placed at the OAC tournament last year.
Bauer said the OAC event, held at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, gives youth wrestlers a state tournament experience similar to the one they could experience at the varsity level if they advance to Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center as varsity grapplers.
He said it’s like a mini-arena version of the high school state championships, featuring 12 mats, bright lights, a bullpen and a tunnel into the arena.
The talent and competition there is a bigger test than the Northeast Ohio-based Ohio Youth Wrestling Association circuit the Ashland youth program typically competes in.
It was part of a huge March for Ashland wrestling overall.
On the high school level – after the state championships early in the month featured Mason Bauer (51-7 record, third place at 126), Guardian Miller (50-7, fourth at 144), Budda Martin (47-8 at 215) and Max Ohl (41-12 at 113) – the Arrows wrapped up March at the National High School Coaches Association National Championships in Virginia Beach.
Ashland had 12 total wrestlers compete and all of them collected wins. Bauer (fifth at 126) and Miller (seventh at 144) both earned All-American status.
Coach Bauer said he feels the Ashland wrestling program – from the youth levels through varsity – has a ton of momentum right now.
All the success after the regular high school season has helped continue that.
“The last few years, we’ve had state placers at all levels at our program,” Bauer said. “I don’t know the history of that, but I don’t think it’s a common thing to have multiple grade school state placers, have some junior high state placers … then get four state qualifiers and two state placers at the high school level.
“That’s the goal. At the end of the day, we want to get to our respective state tournaments and put guys on the podium. It’s exciting and we all do it together.”