OLIVESBURG – Critical late scoring and strength in numbers have the Crestview wrestling team back on the top of the Firelands Conference mountain.
Hosting the FC Championships on Saturday, the Cougars trailed Western Reserve by 9.5 points through the 165-pound weight class of the finals.
But Crestview and first-year head coach Trent Hovis still had some aces up their sleeves.
Senior Jack Stephens (175) and junior Bronson Rose (215) both won titles down the homestretch, pushing the Cougars past the Roughriders for their first outright FC title since 2020, 146.5-142.
It was the closest finish in the league championships since 2021, when Crestview and Plymouth tied for first.
“We had 14 weight classes filled and we have 14 wrestlers, so that shows the dedication of the individual wrestlers willing to give up weight and bumping around to fill out the lineup for the team,” Hovis said.
“We lost some matches earlier that we should not have … but Western is really tough in their lower weights and we have some better upper weights. Stephens at 175 and Rose at 215 really helped balance that out.”
Rounding out the team standings were St. Paul (111), South Central (90.5), New London (70.5), Plymouth (69.5), Monroeville (62.5) and Mapleton (46).
Looking for an FC repeat after beating CHS by 20 a year ago, Western Reserve finished the day with four individual champs, but Crestview was the league’s only squad to fill out all 14 weight classes, which proved to be crucial.
Stephens, a projected state placer, won his second consecutive FC crown behind an 11-2 major decision over New London’s Hunter Chandley, scoring a few key points late to boost the team tally.
Rose, an FC runner-up last year, logged a pin in 38 seconds before winning his finals match against South Central’s Alex Hamons, 6-1.
The Cougars also received second-place days from senior Dylan Burge (126), freshman Max Whitesel (132) and Brayden Parrigan (138).
Winning third-place matches for the hosts were junior Kenneth McGregor (113), sophomore Louscius Whitesel (157) and freshman Drake Foster (190).
Foster logged huge points after losing his opener, collecting two pins on his way to third.
The freshman started his season 0-7 but has gotten into a winning groove since then.
“Drake Foster has been working his butt off here the last couple months,” Hovis said. “He’s a freshman who is giving up a ton of weight – weighing about 170 and wrestling 190.
“He pulled off two big wins today, nothing bigger than the pin (to earn third place).”
Sixth-place Plymouth featured one FC champ in Ben Trimmer at 144. The senior notched a 20-3 technical fall before a 4-3 win over Western’s Landen Barnhart for the title.
The Big Red also had runner-up efforts from freshman Levi Foley (106) and junior Isaiah Miller (190) and a third-place outing from senior Thomas Winegardner (120).
Featuring all underclassmen in action, Mapleton received its top finish at heavyweight from Lukus Jenkins. The sophomore battled Monroeville’s projected state placer Brycen Dunlap (upperweight MVP of the tournament) to a 7-2 final score in their title bout.
The Mounties also received a pair of third-place wins from sophomores Cooper Gaus (144) and Landon Jenkins (165).
Western Reserve’s four FC champs included Colson Lutz (106), Chance Warthling (120), Anthony Lierenz (126) and Jaxson Davidson (138, lightweight MVP).
Additional league winners included South Central’s Wyatt Martin (113), Cole Frankart (150) and Greyson Fisher (157); Monroeville’s Owen Patchen (132); St. Paul’s Rafael Gross (165); and New London’s Oliver Harrison (190).
Hovis said it was an added bonus to be able to pull off the win on home mats.
“All of our parents, all the middle school coaches and the supporting staff … it was great to have them in the building and great to have it at home, especially picking up the win,” he said.
“We got (the title) back where it belongs.”