WRESTLING: Chargers among best in state

MILAN TWP. — Four state champions on one team? Edison returns one state champ and three other standouts who have legitimate shots to stand atop the podium at the state wrestling championship in March. Abe Hermes, who finished first in Division III at 113 pounds last spring, is back for his junior season. Kohen Horvath and Luke James, who walked out of the Schottenstein Center with third-place finishes, and Marcus Medina, who placed fifth, also will suit up for the Chargers. "We have the horses we need to compete in big tournaments," Edison coach Davy Hermes said. "We have four guys with aspirations of competing for a state championship. "The bigger the tournament, the better we're going to be." All four of the decorated Chargers are bumping up in their respective weight classes. Hermes is moving up to 126 (he'll wrestle at 132 in Saturday's Edison Invitational) and starts the season ranked No. 3 after going 29-1 as a sophomore. Coach Hermes said his son came out of football weighing 150. "He's bigger now and looks really good," Hermes said. "I want him to be happy and compete at a weight he feels healthy at rather than feel like he has to cut a bunch of weight." Abe Hermes won a state championship at 113 last season, holding off Legacy Christian's Eli Campbell, 2-1. Moments later, older brother Max Hermes won it all at 120. Abe finished fourth at 106 as a freshman. "I think we should have four state champions," Abe Hermes said. "I'm the low man on the totem pole. I'm kind of the practice dummy; they all get to beat up on me. I think it makes me better. "All four guys have different styles. Marcus is fast and quick. Kohen is more lethargic and super strong and Luke is a little bit of both. He's big and good." Abe benefits from practicing against Medina, who moves up to 157 after finishing fifth at state at 144. He went 43-9 last season and is ranked No. 3 in OhioBoroFan.com's preseason rankings. Medina's only losses at state came by 1 and 2 points. "You get in those 50-50 matches, you're gonna win some and lose some," Davy Hermes said. "He's as athletically gifted as anyone we've had in the program. "He's gonna give people fits. He's bigger now. You put his athleticism at a weight like 157 and he'll be tough to handle." Medina said the close losses motivate him. So does drilling against talented teammates in practice. "I'm wrestling top three guys in their weight class every day," Medina said. "Some days it's frustrating when you can't get a takedown. But you get off the mat and realize that kid could probably win a state title right now. It's a big mental aspect but it's gonna help in every way possible." Senior Kohen Horvath, who lost in overtime in the semifinals at 150 last season, moves up to 165 and is ranked No. 1 in the state. "He was a state champion in my eyes last year. We had a stalling call that didn't go our way at the end of the match," Davy Hermes said. "It was what it was. We need to put the match away earlier and he knows that." Horvath finished 46-5 last season. "I feel nice and healthy. I don't have to cut weight this year," he said. "It motivates me a lot, coming that close (at state). It makes me want to get it even more." Coach Hermes is expecting another banner year from Horvath. "Super strong and technically very good at what he does," Hermes said. "The two or three things he does he does well and can hit them on anybody. He's really good on the mat. Gets off the bottom. It's hard to match his strength. He's a bull." James is a new addition to the Edison room. The junior went to school in the Edison district through eighth grade before open enrolling at national powerhouse Graham for two years. He finished fifth and third in Division II at state as a freshman and sophomore. "Great kid, hard worker. He's obviously coming to us very, very talented," Hermes said. "If he's healthy and everything is clicking he'll be tough to beat." James wrestled at 157 last season and will be at 175 this season. Like Horvath, he is ranked No. 1 this week. The Chargers have two other ranked wrestlers — freshman Mason Hermes (No. 9 at 106) and sophomore Xander Gfell-King (No. 19 at 113), who finished sixth at the district tourney last spring while battling injuries. The wild card in the Edison room is junior Cy Finnen, who will wrestle at 190. The football star has been injured the last two wrestling seasons, but he's ready to go. "Cy's never stepped foot on a high school wrestling mat. He's been out with season-ending injuries the last two years," Hermes said. "The last time he stepped on a mat was eighth grade. He doesn't look like that now. He's a big, athletic kid who hates to lose. He's gonna open some eyes." "He's not ranked but he will be. It won't take long." Edison will test its roster early and often. The Chargers get started with Saturday's Edison Invitational — which features 15 schools and 50-plus ranked wrestlers. "We're gonna wrestle 17 or 18 matches in seven days (starting Saturday)," Hermes said. "It'll be a rough stretch, especially making weight four times in seven days. "We front-load our schedule and take our lumps early if we're gonna take them and start rolling on the back end." --- Edison Invitationalmarks 60th year The area wrestling season begins Saturday and the mats at Edison High School will feature plenty of top-notch talent. More than 50 state-ranked wrestlers from 15 schools will compete in the 60th annual Edison Invitational, which begins at 10 a.m. "It should be the best this tournament's ever been," Edison coach Davy Hermes said. "There will be some good weights." Area schools participating include Edison, Perkins, Clyde, Monroeville, Margaretta, Port Clinton and New London and Western Reserve.