COLUMBUS — This year’s state wrestling tournament was a success for area wrestlers.
Eighteen local grapplers combined for 44 wins, with 12 wrestlers cracking the podium.
Bowling Green’s Max Fausnaugh and Eastwood’s Gavin Owens went as far anyone in the state competing into
Saturday evening’s finals.
It’s not over for the duo, either.
“Look out next year,” BG coach John Pickens said. “Because now that (Fausnaugh) sees what he has to do
and the work he’s gotta put in, he’ll do it next year.”
Fausnaugh, a junior for the Bobcats, swept his way through the 220-pound championship bracket before
losing to back-to-back state champion, Canfield’s Tyler Stein in the Division II title match.
The appearance at state was the first for Fausnaugh.
“He was exactly what I expected. Strong, he was fast, I didn’t do what I had to do,” Fausnaugh said. “But
I’m fortunate I’m a junior, so I’ll be able to come back next year and get the job done.
“I know now how much work I have to put in to get to where I want to go.”
Fausnaugh finishes his season at 44-5.
Owens was also competing in his first state appearance. The Eagles’ star can still earn three more
chances in Columbus.
The 106-pound freshman swept his way through the Division III championship bracket before losing to Delta
sophomore Zack Mattin — a state-placer as a freshman.
“I think it was a great experience for him … getting a taste of the state tournament should help him in
the future,” Eastwood coach Joe Wyant said.
“We were hoping he’d finish in the top-four, that was our goal coming in. And when he upset, at the time,
the No. 1 guy, that was probably the best part of the tournament.”
In the championship quarterfinals, Owens won a 7-1 decision over Covington sophomore Kellan Anderson —
who was a perfect 49-0 entering the tournament.
Owens pinned Sugarcreek Garaway’s Kyle Miller in 1:19 to open the tournament, topped Anderson and earned
a 6-3 decision over Milan Edison’s Alec Homan. Owens finished his season 47-3, including a pair of
losses to Mattin.
“I think basically he needs to get a little stronger. Only guys that beat ‘em were probably guys that
were stronger than him this year,” Wyant said. “But he only lost three times.”
Fausnaugh won his preliminary match with a 15-6 major decision over Hunter Miller (Carlton South). The
junior pinned Bellefontaine’s Bruno Pattison in 49 seconds and won his semifinal match with a 6-4
decision over Kole Aubiel from Uhrichsville Claymont.
“To come in here, first time making it to state, makes it to the finals and is competitive,” Pickens
said. “Just super proud of this kid. Hardest worker in the room, best attitude, one of the best
all-around kids.”
Perrysburg’s Blake Saito (132) and Otsego’s Jake Manley (113) both won their third-place matches, in
Division I and II respectively.
Saito, who has now placed at state for the third straight season, finished his junior season — but first
as a Yellow Jacket after moving in from Olentangy Liberty — at 49-6. He tallied a pin and won three
decisions by a combined score of 13-1.
Manley’s 3-2 loss to Cuyahoga Falls’ Jacob Decatur — now a three-time state champion including his title
this season — was just his second loss of the season. The Knights’ junior won all four matches by
decision, including a pair of major decisions in the prelims and consolation semifinals, to finish the
year 44-2.
Manley edged Jake Hamulak (Chardon) 4-1 in the third-place finals.
The Elmwood duo of Will Bechstein (220) and Kain Brossia (285), as well as Eastwood’s Brandon Hahn (120),
each placed fourth.
Bechstein racked up 32 points in his three tournament wins, including an 11-3 major decision over North
Union’s Dylan Thompson in the consolation semifinals.
Brossia lost his preliminary match to Columbus Grove’s Jeff Meyer, but rallied with four straight wins —
including a 3-1 decision over Meyer — to earn a spot in the third-place finals.
Hahn, a sophomore, tallied four wins, but lost twice to Camron Lacure from Legacy Christian Academy.
“Brandon’s had a real good sophomore year. Other than the state champion beating him four times this
year, and the guy who took third beat him twice, he’s had a great year,” Wyant said.
Genoa’s Oscar Sanchez, a junior who has been in the state finals in each of his first three seasons, beat
Hahn in conference play.
Elmwood’s Garrett Wright pinned Devin Oligee (Middletown Madison) in 2:09 to win his 170 fifth-place
match.
Antonio Lecki (Lake) won three 126 matches and placed sixth. The Flyers’ junior becomes the third
wrestler in school history to place twice at the state tournament.
Perrysburg had a duo each place sixth. Freshman Noah Ewen (152) and senior Drew Newton (160) were two of
an area-high six wrestlers competing from the same team.
August Eschedor, a BG senior, won a pair of decisions and placed eighth.
Other area wrestlers to compete at the state tournament were Otsego junior Jesse Wright, Eastwood
sophomore Bryce Maynard and Rossford junior Carlton Roberts. Perrysburg’s Alex Garee (soph.), Ethan
Garee (sr.) and Sam Sawaya (jr.) also wrestled.