High School Wrestling Wrap Up 2/9 – 2/16
Antwerp Wrestlers Compete at Ada & Gibsonburg Invitationals
ADA – The Antwerp boys high school wrestling team competed at the Ada Invitational on Saturday, February 7, turning in several strong individual performances against a competitive field.
Keegan Gray-Wyckoff led the way for the Archers with a fifth-place finish, compiling a 4-2 record on the day. Gray-Wyckoff was dominant in his victories, recording four pins in the tournament. Landon Orozco battled through the bracket to earn an eighth-place finish, going 2-3 with one pin. Griffin Kosch also represented Antwerp and finished 0-2.
On Sunday, the Antwerp girls high school wrestling team traveled to the Gibsonburg Invitational and came away with two individual champions. Camryn McAlexander captured first place in her weight class with a perfect 3-0 record, securing all three wins by pin. Maddilan Doster also stood atop the podium, going 4-0 with four pins to claim her championship.
Kaira Jones placed sixth with a 1-3 record, earning one pin during the tournament. Haylee Lingenfelter and Aleta Sorrell each went 0-2, while Teagen Eaton also finished 0-2.
The weekend provided valuable mat experience for Antwerp as both the boys and girls teams continue preparing for postseason competition.
Panthers Dominate County Wrestling Meet at The Jungle
PAULDING – The Jungle was the site of a busy night of high school wrestling on Thursday, February 12, as Paulding hosted the county meet featuring Antwerp and Wayne Trace. The Panthers put together a dominant showing on their home mats, while individual wrestlers from all three schools turned in strong performances.
Paulding’s boys’ and girls’ varsity squads earned convincing dual victories, defeating Wayne Trace 66-18 and Antwerp 60-21. Several Panthers went undefeated on the night, highlighted by Jezaih Seba Fuentes, who finished a perfect 4-0. Civil Pumphrey, Nico Moreno, Landon Shartzer, Leonel Reyes, Adan Zacarias, Landon Dasher, and Miguel Martinez each posted 2-0 records. Stroker Etter, Jimmy Gonzales, Ivan Martinez, and Izaac Couts also remained unbeaten in limited matches.
On the girls’ side for Wayne Trace, the Lady Raiders claimed a 20-12 win over Antwerp and an 18-12 victory over Paulding. Karysn Troth recorded a pin against Antwerp, while Katelynn Bauer and MaKenna Schilt each earned wins in both duals. Bauer secured pins in both matches, and Schilt added a pin against Paulding after earning an 11-6 decision earlier in the evening. Aries Ricker also contributed a pin in Wayne Trace’s win over Paulding. In junior high action, Zoey Schnipke captured a technical fall victory over Paulding.
Paulding’s individual results included Camryn McAlexander (2-0, 1 pin), Teagen Eaton (2-0), Braxton Peters (2-0), Zac Salas (2-0, 1 pin), Landon Orozco (2-0), and Keegan Gray-Wyckoff (2-0, 1 pin). Kaira Jones went 1-1 with a pin. Haylee Lingenfelter, Aleta Sorrell, Griffin Kosch, and Gage Clevinger competed hard despite falling short in their matches.
With strong performances across the board, the county meet showcased the depth of wrestling talent in Paulding County, as teams continue to build momentum heading into the postseason.
Wayne Trace Lady Wrestlers Compete at 4th Annual Golden Bear Hammer Tournament
The Wayne Trace Lady Wrestlers traveled to Gibsonburg on February 8 to compete in the 4th Annual Golden Bear Hammer Tournament, bringing three varsity athletes and one junior high competitor.
Junior High Division
Zoey Schnipke captured the championship in the 142‑pound weight class. With low numbers in the 134‑pound division, Schnipke bumped up and dominated at 142. After receiving a first‑round bye, she pinned Mast of Defiance in just 1:15. She secured the title with another pin, defeating Zenor of Arcadia in 2:09.
Varsity Division
135 Pounds – Katelynn Bauer advanced out of the first round via forfeit from Rankin of Ayersville. She continued her momentum in the quarterfinals, pinning Gosche of Calvert in 1:22. Bauer fell in the semifinals to Sardina of River Valley but rebounded with a strong consolation semi-final win, pinning LeTang of Lima Senior in 1:59. She finished the day in fourth place after a tough match against Martin of Avon Lake.
140 Pounds – Makenna Schilt opened her bracket with a loss to McAlexander of Antwerp and was later defeated by Scherger of Woodmore by pin in 2:34. She battled back in the placement round, pinning Brown of Montpelier in 4:02 to earn a fifth‑place finish.
155 Pounds – Aries Ricker dropped her opening match to Rollison of Sandusky by pin in 53 seconds. She advanced through the consolation bracket with a 1:23 pin over Escobar of Upper Sandusky. In the consolation semifinals, Ricker fell to Roldan of Sandusky by pin in 2:39 and later to Schaffer of River Valley in 4:05, finishing in sixth place.
A strong showing overall for the Wayne Trace Lady Wrestlers as they continue their season.
Raider Wrestlers Earn Two Placements at LCC Thunderbird Invitational
The Raider wrestling team delivered a solid performance at the Lima Central Catholic Thunderbird Invitational on January 30–31, with two athletes finishing inside the top eight. Junior Colton Kimmel led the way at 120 pounds, opening his tournament with a bye before pinning Adney Pasma of Elgin in 5:05. After a quarterfinal loss to Waynedale’s Brock Beckler, Kimmel battled back with a dominant 19–2 tech fall over Aidyen Moxley of West Liberty‑Salem. He closed out his day by pinning Cory‑Rawson’s Hayden Walters in 4:46 to secure a seventh‑place finish.
Freshman Brandon Hire also earned a placement, finishing eighth at 113 pounds. Hire began with a bye before being pinned by Sam Million of Preble Shawnee in the championship bracket. He responded with determination in the consolation rounds, defeating Donovan Bastian of Carlisle 12–2 and edging Crestview’s Grant Grubb in a triple‑overtime thriller, 4–3. Hire later fell to Kenneth McGregor of Ashland Crestview and to Bryce Ruch of Woodmore in the placement match.
Several additional Raiders contributed competitive efforts throughout the tournament. Ben Gurney went 2–2 at 132 pounds, while Seth Rosswurm finished 0–2 at 138. Nathan Benschneider posted a 1–2 record at 150 pounds, and Waylon McCord added a 1–2 mark at 190. The team continues to show growth and resilience as the season progresses, and the Raiders look ahead with confidence as competition continues.
Three Raiders Place at Carey Classic
The Wayne Trace varsity wrestling team traveled to Carey High School on February 7, 2026, to compete in the annual Carey Classic. Of the seven Raiders who took the mat, three earned spots on the podium.
Freshman Brandon Hire turned in an impressive performance in the 113‑pound weight class, finishing as tournament Runner‑Up. Hire opened his day with a dominant tech fall over Smith (Lakota), 19‑3. After a bye, he repeated the feat with another 19‑3 tech fall against Schank (Calvert). In the semifinals, Hire edged Henney (Columbian) in a tight 6‑5 decision. He ultimately fell in the championship bout to Fabrizio (Calvert), finishing second overall.
Junior Colton Kimmel also claimed a Runner‑Up finish, competing in the 120‑pound division. Kimmel started fast, pinning Holly (Gibsonburg) in just 1:05. He dropped a close overtime match to Brubaker (Findlay), 3‑0, but battled back with a pair of quick pins—Jacobus (Calvert) in 43 seconds and Giesige (Patrick Henry) in 1:56. Kimmel advanced to the finals, where he fell to Montgomery (Carey), 17‑0, securing second place.
Sophomore Dylan Hershberger earned a 4th‑place finish at 165 pounds. After being pinned by Koch (New London) in 2:28, Hershberger rebounded with a pin over Atkins (Carey) in 3:52. He was later pinned by Baker (Findlay) in 1:38 but responded with another fall, pinning James (Patrick Henry) in 3:53. In the placement match, Hershberger dropped a bout to Trice (Findlay) by pin in 2:23.
Other Wayne Trace competitors included Benjamin Gurney (2‑3), Camden Kimmel (1‑3), Evan Benschneider (0‑5), and Seth Rosswurm (1‑3).
The Raiders return to action at the GMC Championships on February 21.