The 2020-2021 Wayne Trace Wrestling Team broke yet another school record. Coach Clemens recalls telling this team at the beginning of the season, “You guys have the potential to be the best wrestling team thus far in Wayne Trace history.” These wrestlers are quite possibly proving Coach Clemens correct. Earlier this season the Raider wrestling team set a school record by having 4 individuals capture a milestone victory by recording their 100th individual varsity win. Then to finish the regular season the Raiders captured the GMC Title for only the second time in school history. This time the Raiders will be representing Paulding County with 9 District Qualifiers. In years past, the Raiders have twice been able to qualify 8 wrestlers for the district tournament. During the 2005-2006 season the Raiders sent John Coyne, Jake Reuille, Jared Hogans, Colton White, Lucas Jacomet, Trevor Wilson, Robert Kennedy and Corbin Griffiths. Then in 2013-2014 the Raiders again were able to duplicate 8 district qualifiers, this time including George Clemens IV, Tyler Showalter, Dustin Taylor, Ruger Goeltzenleuchter, Matt Baxter, Jacob Dingus, Justin Pierce and Riley Moore. This year marks the first time in school history for the Raiders to be sending 9 wrestlers on to the District Tournament. Qualifying for the Raiders were; 120# Sectional Champ Senior Gabe Sutton, 126# Sectional Champ Junior Jarrett Hornish, 132# Sectional Champ Junior Hunter Long, 138# 3rd Place Freshman Graiden Troth, 145# Sectional Champ Senior Seth Meggison, 152# Runner-up Sophomore Sam Moore, 160# Runner-up Senior Eli Moore, 182# 4th Place Freshman Nate Osborn and 285# 4th Place Senior Jake Graham.
120# Senior Gabe Sutton had a bye his first round, pinned Evan Pitts from Columbus Grove :34 seconds in the championship quarterfinals match. Sutton then pinned Colton Biederman from Ada in the championship semi-finals in 3:41. Gabe had a strong finish in the championship finals where he won by major decision 12-2 over Nick Kline from Coldwater.
126# Junior Jarrett Hornish also had a bye in the first round, then Jarrett pinned Aaron Modd from Kenton in 1:25 in the championship quarterfinals. In Hornish’s championship semi-final match he pinned Mason Klosterman from Coldwater in :21 seconds. Hornish pinned his way through the sectional tournament with a pin in the championship finals over Antonio Petitt from Ada in 2:12.
132# Junior Hunter Long also received a bye in round one. Long then pinned Marxen Bolinger from Spencerville in :52 seconds in the championship quarterfinals. Hunter continued his pin streak in the championship semi-finals by pinning Ethan Heitkamp from Coldwater in 1:15. In the championship finals Long recorded yet another pin over Anthony Hunt from Kenton in 2:12.
#138 Freshman Graiden Troth won round one with a bye. Troth opened his wrestling action in the championship quarterfinals where he met Jason Dues from Spencerville. Troth, who had lost to Dues earlier this season, was able to overcome the previous loss and recorded a 5-1 decision. In the championship semi-finals Troth lost by pin to eventual champ Kade Wireman from Allen East. Troth was then able to pick up a pin over Parker Mihm from Parkway in 1:30 in his consolation semi-finals match to punch his ticket to districts. In his consolation 3rd/4th place match Troth major decisioned Anthony Bodine from Delphos Jefferson 10-2.
#145 Senior Seth Meggison had a bye first round, Meggison then pinned Alejandro Adams from Spencerville in :36 seconds in his championship quarterfinals match. Meggison then ran into Logan Green from Parkway in his championship semi-finals match where he won by pin in 3:29. Seth then beat Coldwater’s Grant Heuing for the title by decision 6-1 in the finals.
#152 Sophomore Sam Moore opened up his tournament in round one by pinning the #2 seed Damian Diaz from Kenton in 3:44. Sam then pinned Cameron Bober from Ada in 5:25 in his championship quarterfinals match. Moore kept his hot streak going and pinned Joey Dailey from Delphos Jefferson in 3:32 in the championship semi-finals which solidified his spot to go to districts. Sam lost in the finals to Trenton Gatchell from Allen East by a 12-7 decision.
160# Senior Eli Moore had a bye in the first round. Eli opened up the day by pinning Eli Tobe from Coldwater in 1:24 in the championship quarterfinals. Eli then ran into the 3rd seeded wrestler in his bracket Mason Vonderwell from Delphos St. Johns in the championship semi-finals where he won by major decision 10-2. Unfortunately Moore lost in the finals to first seed Chase Miller from Allen East by decision 8-3.
182# Freshman Nathan Osborn started the day with a bye in round one. Osborn then pulled off a thrilling upset of the number 3 seed Tanner Blankemeyer from Columbus Grove pinning him in 4:23 in the championship quarterfinals. Nathan then lost by pin to second seeded Shane Ontrop from Coldwater in the championship semi-finals. Osborn punched his ticket to the district tournament in the consolation semi-finals by pinning Carson Roberts from Spencerville in 2:59. In his 3rd/4th place consolation finals match Osborn lost to Nolan Deppe from Bath by a fall at the 4:50 mark.
285# Senior Jake Graham started the tournament with a bye in round one. Jake then opened up his live action in the championship quarterfinals by pinning Gaige Horton from Delphos St. John’s in :16 seconds. Graham then lost by a fall to second seed Eli Criblez from Allen East. Jake then moved into the consolation semi-finals needing a win to move on to districts where he pinned Wil Fox from Coldwater in :25 seconds. In his 3rd/4th place match Graham lost by a major decision 7-16 to Brandon Dues from Spencerville.
Clemens added, “I am proud of what this team has accomplished up to this point in the season and I hope that the potential I believed in at the beginning of the season continues to motivate them this week at Districts.”
The 9 remaining Raiders will travel to Troy, Ohio to the Hobart Arena where they will compete Friday and Saturday to try and punch that final ticket to the State Tournament. Good Luck Wayne Trace Wrestlers….Raider Nation is PROUD!!!!
