Perkins wrestlers dive into pool, state wrestling tournament

At the end of a long wrestling season, coaches look for ways to mix things up. Perkins' four state qualifiers warmed up for practice this week in the high school's swimming pool. "We're in the pool to have a little bit of fun before practice," Perkins coach Travis Crabtree said. "It's a better way to get them to condition than running. It saves their joints, plus the chlorine gets on their skin in case there's any skin funk, just to be safe this week." Perkins, Bellevue and Port Clinton are each sending four wrestlers to the mats at the Schottenstein Center on Friday, the first of three days of competition in Columbus. Twenty-two area boys and five area girls will compete. Wrestling begins at 1 p.m. Friday and concludes Sunday night after more than 1,300 matches. The top eight finishers in each weight class will earn All-Ohio honors. The popular event is the goal for every wrestler and coach. "There's only 16 kids left in the state in each weight class," Crabtree said. "To make it there is a special moment, but to actually get down on the floor at the Schott and participate is a great feeling. We always tell the kids, 'don't look up, stay focused.' The first thing they do is look up." Bellevue's Ben Jacobs is the area's lone district champion and is 48-5 this season. He won the 150-pound Division II district title by defeating Perkins' Braxden Martin in the finals last week. The area will send three district champions to Columbus: Edison's Cohen Reer (45-2 at 106 pounds), Monroeville's Owne Patchen (18-2 at 132) and St. Mary Central Catholic's Ben James (39-3 at 150). Clyde's Meredith Greenslade (45-2 at 120) is the lone area girls who won a district title last week. Perkins will send Martin (34-10 at 150), Law Davlin (47-4 at 165), Boden Ballinger (12-3 at 190) and DeShawn Harper (35-10 at 215). Martin placed fourth last year and sixth as a sophomore. "It's a full-circle moment for me," Martin said. "I've been going to that tournament ever since I was a little kid. I always dreamed of being there and competing. Actually being down there on the mat, taking a look at the whole arena, is a one-of-a-kind feeling." Crabtree, who has coached three state champions in his 25-year coaching career, says all four of his wrestlers have the potential to wrestle well this weekend. "You have to show up and actually wrestle and not be afraid of the big stage," he said. "Two of these guys — Law and Braxden — have been there before. It's another date on their schedule; they expect to be here. "Boden and DeShawn, it will be their first time. They'll show up and compete." Saturday's action begins at 9:30 a.m. The night session Saturday features the championship semifinals and the intense blood round — where wrestlers can clinch a podium finish. "We're probably gonna have all of our guys up at the same time because they're close in weight," Crabtree said. "There are 10 mats going so you have to your coaches organized, your kids prepared. "It's a special place and it's fun. Just on the mat is electric watching everybody. You get to watch all the local kids. Hopefully a local kid is on deck or on mat near where you can watch them. It's cool how everybody in the conference sticks together." Other area Division II state qualifiers include Bellevue's Thomas Reesman (103), Landen Lewis (126) and Owen Sterritt (138); Clyde's Heath Norris (120) and Michael Gessner (144); Norwalk's Gavin Lepley (165); and Vermilion's Aiden Kyser (157). Other area Division III state qualifiers include Port Clinton's Elliot Laird (144), Gavin Cornell (150), Jace Cornell (157) and Malakii Pinkelton (190); Edison's Brayden Barker (120); St. Paul's Rafael Gross (165); and Monroeville's Brycen Dunlap (285). Other area girls who will wrestle at state include Sandusky's Britoriah Rollinson, Port Clinton's Michaela Stork, Clyde's Avery Gaskalla and Vermilion's Cora Frederick. For many wrestlers, this weekend will mark their last time on the mat, a fact of which Crabtree is well aware. "When we were there in 2020 they canceled it (due to COVID) when everybody was there and the next year we had to wrestle at a high school," Crabtree said. "It just wasn't the same. To get back to the Schott (in 2022), you don't take it for granted."