That success very well could continue, as Mapleton has as many girls out for wrestling (six) as it does boys, with both Kramer and Hopstetter back in action.Hillsdale hasn’t had a state qualifier since 2014, but it had a district qualifier last season. And with continued assistance from former Ashland High School head coaches – […]
That success very well could continue, as Mapleton has as many girls out for wrestling (six) as it does boys, with both Kramer and Hopstetter back in action.Hillsdale hasn’t had a state qualifier since 2014, but it had a district qualifier last season. And with continued assistance from former Ashland High School head coaches – and longtime area wrestling staples – Gary Weisenstein and Jim Visintine, Mager remains confident the squad is on the rise.After that duo, the Mounties feature a quartet of freshmen, spearheaded by Lukus Jenkins. The heavyweight has placed at every tournament MHS has attended and his 12-6 record features 10 pins.
Both of them had more than 30 wins last season and both are among the ranked wrestlers in Division III this winter (Howard is 12th at 132 and Stephens is 15th at 175) for Crestview, which has competed in three events thus far.The Ashland area has the same amount of returning state-qualifying boys (three) as it does girls, which adds to the story lines this winter. The Redbirds graduated a talented senior duo in Isaac Wittel and Baylor Weiser – both of whom were state alternates with 40 wins a season ago.
Ashland girls
* Roster information for this year’s Loudonville team was taken from the KMAC website. Further details on the squad were not provided to the Source.Mager said the talent in Hillsdale’s middle school ranks is growing and the youth program has roughly 40 kids involved.Kline said all four freshmen have shown the type of coachability and work ethic that leads to success, and the Mounties will get tested this week at the J.C. Gorman Invitational.The Arrows have a trio of events in January before gearing up for their pre-regional tournament in late February.
Crestview
Sophomore returners include Jason McClure (120), who was a district alternate a year ago, as well as Colt McCoy (190) and Jase Plice (144).Loudonville’s lone league champ from last year’s squad returns in senior Tyler Reeder (138), who had over 30 wins. Meanwhile, juniors Brady Smith (150) and Trevor Dawson (175) both are back after taking third in the KMAC a season ago, and senior Jacob Baker (HWT) also has returned after nabbing fourth.It was a huge achievement for the Arrows, who bested runner-up Medina Buckeye – ranked third in Division II in Ohio at borofanohio.net – by five points in an event that had wrestlers from 53 different schools.The Mounties and returning head coach Carly Sue Stevens had a breakthrough season last year, sending both Taren Kramer and Skylar Hopstetter to Columbus for the state championships.The Mounties have had fluctuating roster numbers often through the years, and this one is no different, with just six on the mats this winter.The missing elephant in the room is graduated state-champion heavyweight Caleb Cunningham. But the Cougar boys have a returning state qualifier in sophomore Qwintin Howard (5-1 at 132 with a runner-up finish at Marion Elgin) and an eager junior in two-time district qualifier Jack Stephens (10-3 at 165, also second at Elgin).
Hillsdale
For the first time ever, the Arrows have a group of girls wrestlers, as the school features a team with club status this year that will be eligible to compete in the OHSAA’s girls wrestling postseason.
Ashland also features sophomore Gracen Brockett (130) and freshman Natalie Secrest (130). Aby Spotts represents the senior class, but an injury might keep her out the rest of the season, according to AHS head coach Tommy Bauer. He said the team is still accepting members, and anyone interested can reach out to the Ashland Wrestling Facebook page.Another duo Godsey pointed to as one to watch is sophomore Brayden Parrigan (138) and freshman Louscius Whitesel (175), while junior Dylan Burge also returns at 132 after a solid sophomore campaign.
Hopstetter (155), meanwhile, carries Mapleton’s record for most career pins as just a junior after notching 33 during a 35-17 sophomore campaign. She’s placed in 4-of-4 tournaments for MHS this winter, including a title at Brush, and was ranked No. 12 at 145 in the preseason.Adding to that trio are sophomores Sara Drake (130) and Maggie Bogner (125), and freshman Delaney Myer (140). Drake placed sixth Sunday at the 21-team Marion Harding Classic, where Hopstetter took third and Hunt was fifth.The Ashland boys were highlighted last week in another article by the Ashland Source, but glimpses at the rest of the area’s teams heading into 2025 – with a variety of returning standouts – are listed below.Stevens believes Hunt gives the Mounties three legitimate threats at the state tournament this season, when the team will be looking for its first wins in Columbus.
Loudonville
ASHLAND — As is annually the case, the Ashland area will carry plenty of promise into the new year when it comes to action on the high school wrestling mats.
On Sunday, the squad got a taste of success when sophomore Rowan Varnes (105 pounds) and junior Isla McFrederick (145) both placed fourth in their weight classes in an event at Marion Harding.Smith (runner-up) and Baker (sixth) both placed in early December at the Tom Ellis Classic.Also in action for the Mounties in their first varsity seasons are Landon Jenkins (157), Mason Spring (150) and Cooper Gaus (120).Kramer (145) put up a school-record 36 pins last year and has placed in three of the squad’s tournaments thus far. In the preseason rankings on americanwomenswrestling.com, she was listed No. 13 in Ohio at 140.
Mapleton boys
Then the Cougars feature sophomore Naomi Gearheart on the mats after she turned in a historic freshman season. She placed fifth at state a year ago with a 31-5 record, becoming the first CHS girl to make it to Columbus after winning five tournament titles.Mager said he’s excited to see what junior Landon Thomas (215) could do this winter after a pair of recent wins in an event at Loudonville. His classmate, heavyweight Garrett Furr, also finished last season with a record right around .500.Another senior, Mapleton’s Zoe Hunt is in her second season as a wrestler and has placed in three tournaments to this point at 110.
The Cougars aren’t all too far removed from winning four of five Firelands Conference titles from 2017 through 2021. After a third-place FC finish last season, second-year head coach Nate Godsey brings back five starters and is hoping for a return closer to the top.Gearheart is off to a 4-1 start this winter with three pins already and was listed No. 3 at 155 in the preseason rankings at americanwomenswrestling.com.The coach said the Falcons are largely sticking to smaller events and duals for now, and some of them are still getting into wrestling shape after the football team’s run to the state championship game.The Falcons had just a handful of wrestlers two years ago, but former head coach Dan Mager returned last season to help rejuvenate the program, which he said is still building its way back up.
Mapleton girls
Some freshmen regulars Mager noted include Tyler Coleman, Barrett Duncan, Reed Mager, Carter Barrett and Ethan Meyer, while the coach also said he sees promise in wrestling newcomers Landon Despot and Connor Nethero.But head coach Ryan Thatcher’s roster this season fills out nearly all the weight classes and has a few key members returning after LHS took third in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference Championships last year.But one thing Mapleton is never without is talent, and the team has it again. Despite the loss of two-time state runner-up Brock Durbin (already contributing to a nationally ranked squad at Ashland University), the Mounties and first-year head coach Grady Kline have watched senior twin brothers Mason and Chase Sword get out to great starts.
Mason Sword, meanwhile, carries a 14-4 mark at 132, and Kline said he’s been improving each week.Chase Sword collected more than 20 wins and a district qualification last season and is off to a 7-2 start at 126 this year despite working through an injury. He’s ranked 11th in Ohio at his weight among Division III matmen.The team highlight so far locally came Saturday when the Ashland boys captured the title at the 48th annual Medina Invitational Tournament for the first time. Last year’s three state-qualifying girls were the first ever in the sport for Crestview and Mapleton.
