Mason senior wins state title in dramatic fashion
State wrestling
By Frank DiRenna
Enquirer contributor
COLUMBUS – Mason senior Zachary Marshall and Middletown Madison senior Patrick Lanham brought home state wrestling titles from Ohio State on Saturday.
Marshall won his match against St. Edward’s Ben Kuhar in the 275-pound weight class with .02 seconds remaining for a Division I title; Lanham, the all-time win leader at Madison, earned the program’s second state title with a 1-0 victory over McComb’s Justin Hill in the Division III championship match at 140 pounds.
“Last week I was working toward a goal of placing, and as it got closer and closer, I finally got realistic that I can actually do this, “Lanham said. “It really caught me by surprise. I think it caught a few other guys by surprise, a few state champs.”
Greg Gephardt earned the program’s other title in 1983.
Hill (42-2) released Lanham to begin the second period for the match’s lone point. Lanham (50-1) controlled Hill throughout the third period for the dramatic win.
“I did exactly what I practiced, said Marshall. “Snap down and go for his leg. After the snap was there, I was able to get around just in time.”
Lakota West freshman Ryan Fields’ (35-4) quest for a title fell short in the Division I match at 103.
Fields dropped a 7-3 decision to Youngstown-Austintown-Fitch freshman Tony Jameson.
“His family will help, “Lakota West coach Scott Fetzer said of Fields’ disappointment. ” We’ll use this as a motivating force for next year.”
Trailing 3-0 in the second period, Fields closed to within 3-2 with a takedown but could not pull any closer.
Division I: The area featured several other place finishers, with Lakota East’s Kent Pierson and Sycamore’s Victer Crenshaw leading the way with third-place performances.
Pierson needed overtime to beat Greenville’s Jeremy Depoy 4-2 in the third-place match at 125. Crenshaw defeated Reynoldsburg’s Sean Stevenson 9-5 at 140.
Moeller, which qualified 11 wrestlers for the state meet, had seven place but no titles.
“I’m not too disappointed. We knew going in that we had a young team, “said Moeller coach Jeff Gaier. “I was pretty pleased with having seven place. Seven ties the record for us. We had seven placers in 2001.”
Coach Gaier is already looking ahead to next year.
“We’ve got nine of the 11 guys (who qualified) back next year. Four of them were placers, “he said.
Earning fourth-place finishes for the Crusaders were Alex Weaver (103) and Dean Gaier (145).
Eric Gobin (112) and Charles Quehl (215) were fifth, while Josh Newbanks (125) and Mike Mahon (152) placed seventh and Eric Cameron was eighth (171).
Other area place finishers were Hamilton’s Josh Steele (119, 5th), St. Xavier’s Alex Boerger (152, 5th) and Louis Miller (171, 7th), Elder’s Rob Nusekabel (160, 6th) and Sean Jameson (215, 8th), Glen Este’s Jake Porter (130, 8th), Harrison’s Tyler Adams (112, 6th), Lakota East’s Billy Baker (130, 6th) and Kody Pierson (119, 7th), La Salle’s Joe Kaake (119, 6th), Mason’s Dan Mizener (145, 7th), Oak Hills’ Eric Meyer (130, 7th) and Lakota West’s Nick Bohl (140, 8th).
Lakewood St. Edward continued its domination with its ninth consecutive title.
Division II: Indian Hill’s Zach Reckman and Ross’ Dylan Ray led the area’s contingent.
Reckman settled for fourth place after being pinned by Warren Howland’s Rob Holbert in the third-place match at 275 (2:40).
Ray took sixth after being edged by Orrville’s Jesse Cecil 3-2 in the fifth-place encounter at 145.
St. Paris Graham cruised to another team title.
Division III: Batavia’s Jacob Ison at 145 and Reading’s Derek Mages at 152 earned fourth-place finishes.
Sandusky St. Mary’s won the team title.
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