ASHLAND — The state wrestling tournament had a strong Ashland County flavor to it this past weekend.
That type of success was reflected Thursday when the All-Source wrestling team was announced. Six Ashland County wrestlers dominated the squad that encompassed the tri-county region of Ashland, Richland and Crawford counties.
Here’s a closer look at the squad, starting with our Wrestler of the Year, Ontario’s Jacob Ohl.
Even in defeat, Ohl’s resolve was never more steely.
The 106-pounder may have lost in the state finals, but he doesn’t plan on doing so again.
The newly-crowned Richland Source Wrestler of the Year, Ohl was a man on a mission all weekend at the 85th state tournament. He thundered into the finals with a major decision and a pair of pins before running into defending state champ Beric Jordan of St. Paris Graham.
Jordan pinned Ohl as the second period expired and by the time Ohl reached the interview room afterward, he had already begun planning his assault on the top of the state podium in 2023.
“There’s no reason to come this far and not win it. That’s what’s going to make me strive and get better in the (practice) room,” Ohl said Sunday night. “I’m not going to get second next year. I’m not working the whole year just to get second.”
Ontario coach Wes Turnbaugh noticed an even more determined Ohl after Saturday’s championship semifinals. Ohl pinned Copley’s Javaan Yarbrough to reach the championship match.
“I’ve had multiple people text me and call me and say Jacob in on a roll. He’s on fire right now,” Turnbaugh said. “He’s peaking right now.”
Ohl will have two years to join his father, Monty, and uncle, Perry, as Ontario state champs. Monty Ohl, who won a 135-pound state crown in 1990, is an Ontario assistant and was in his son’s corner Sunday night.
“It could have went a lot better, but we’ll learn from it and move forward,” Monty Ohl said. “After the initial sting wears off, he’ll enjoy the accomplishment. Knowing that he didn’t do his best will give him fuel for the next couple of years.”
106 pounds
Jacob Ohl, Ontario: While the loss to Jordan in the finals stung, Ohl’s win over Yarbrough in the Division II state semifinals was spectacular. He controlled the match from the start before pinning Yarbrough, the fifth-place finisher at 106 last year, in the third period. Ohl finished a spectacular sophomore season with a 36-1 record.
113 pounds
Nick Roberts, Plymouth: A senior, Roberts capped his career with an appearance at the Division III state tournament. He was 1-2 in Columbus to finish his season at 39-12. Roberts was the runner-up to eventual state champ Max Hermes of Edison at the Plymouth sectional and placed fourth at the Rossford district.
120 pounds
Brock Durbin, Mapleton: A sophomore, Durbin placed sixth at the Division III state meet and came within a point of taking fifth. He was the Northwestern sectional champ and dropped a 4-3 decision to eventual state runner-up Landen Duncan of Chalker in the Garfield Heights district final. Durbin was 3-3 at the state meet, finishing his season with a 37-7 mark.
126 pounds
Andrew Miller, Plymouth: A junior, Miller was a state alternate after placing fifth at the Division III Rossford district tournament. He was runner-up at the Plymouth sectional. Miller was 36-12 on the season.
132 pounds
Hayden Kuhn, Crestview: A junior, Kuhn is a two-time Division III state podium finisher. He placed fourth this year after taking third at 126 last year. Kuhn was runner-up at the Rossford district and at the Plymouth sectional. He was 3-2 in Columbus, running his season record to 49-8.
138 pounds
Andrew Sas, Mapleton: A senior, Sas placed eighth at the Division III state tournament after going 2-3 on the weekend to finish the season with a record of 41-9. He won a sectional championship at Northwestern and a district title at Garfield Heights.
144 pounds
Sam Wegesin, Galion: A senior, Wegesin won a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference and picked up his 100th career victory while finishing third at the Clyde sectional before encountering trouble at the rugged Norwalk District. Wegesin was 1-2 at Norwalk and finished the year with a 36-9 mark.
150 pounds
Ethan Turnbaugh, Ontario: A season’s worth of injuries finally caught up to Turnbaugh, a state runner-up last year. He pinned his way to a sectional title at Clyde and won his opener by pin at the Norwalk District before being defaulting out of the quarterfinals. He finished his senior season with a 24-3 record.
157 pounds
Jon Metzger, Ashland: The junior took the most difficult route to the Division II state podium after dropping his opening-round match of the tournament. Metzger battled his way through the consolation bracket, avenging a district finals loss to Bowling Green’s Mike Kinzel along the way. He capped the weekend with a 4-2 win over Louisville’s Brenden Severs in the fifth-place match. Metzger was 4-2 on the weekend to finish the season at 50-10.
165 pounds
Leo Hess, Mansfield Senior: A junior, Hess was a state alternate after placing fifth at the Norwalk District. He beat Ashland’s Angelo Seitz in the fifth-place match after falling Wauseon’s Connor Nagel in the consolation semifinals. Hess was a runner-up at the Clyde district and finished the year at 31-6.
175 pounds
Brady Welch, Ashland: He was a projected state finalist and Welch didn’t disappoint. He reached the championship finals before falling to Tiffin Columbian’s Brody Conley. Welch was runner-up to the unbeaten Conley at both the Clyde sectional and Norwalk District. Welch finished the season at 42-6.
190 pounds
Hunter Hutcheson, Madison: Nobody had more distractions at the state tournament than Hutcheson after the school van he was traveling in was struck by a bullet on its way to the Schottenstein Center on Friday. A junior, Hutcheson reached the consolation finals before falling to Louisville’s Blake Schaffer in the third-place match. Hutcheson won a sectional title at Sandusky and a district title at Norwalk. He was 39-6 on the season.
215 pounds
Mekhi Bradley, Mansfield Senior: Another of the area’s talented juniors, Bradley placed seventh at the state tournament after a 3-0 win over West Branch’s Steven Marra. Bradley placed third at the Clyde sectional and was runner-up at the Norwalk District. He posted a 3-2 record in Columbus and finished the season with a 39-8 mark.
285 pounds
Joe Shoup, Mapleton: A senior, Shoup was the third of three Mapleton wrestlers to reach the Division III state tournament podium. He placed sixth in Columbus, going 2-2 on the weekend and finishing the season with a 39-11 record. Shoup won a sectional championship at Northwestern and was the Garfield Heights District runner-up. He capped his season with a 39-11 mark.
