Takats completes Perrysburg’s 4-for-4

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COLUMBUS — Perrysburg senior Myles Takats did not want to be the odd man out Sunday.

Takats found himself in a grinding, but fast developing match with Lakewood St. Edward sophomore Jarrel Miller in the 175-pound state championship at the Schottenstein Center Sunday

By the time they took to the stage, three of three Perrysburg wrestlers had already won their state championship matches, so Takats did not want to be the odd man out. The match looked like it could go either way heading into overtime.

Takats earned an escape in the second period, Miller countered with an escape in the third period, but there were no takedowns, and the match ended tied 1-1 at the end of regulation.

In overtime, it took Takats just 10 seconds to finally get a takedown, winning a state title, 3-1. Takats finishes the season 51-2, Miller closes at 31-7.

Perrysburg coach Scott Burnett and thousands of people at the Schottenstein Center witnessed Takats get after it in overtime, even though there was some confusion over whether a takedown was even called at first.

“(Miller) is a really good wrestler — he is big and he’s athletic, he’s tough and he’s confident,” Burnett said.

“He (Takats) ripped off that shot — he got in there and Myles just figured it out. He sat in the corner, turned, and threw the boot in there and threw him down to the mat and was awarded the takedown.

“That is a testament to his growth, athletically. He wasn’t always that athletic. We were just watching video of him as a freshman doing sprints at a summer camp and he said, ‘This is where it all started, coach,’” Burnett continued.

“I mean, it just gives me goosebumps. It really gets me in my heart because I really push my kids hard and for them to respond is cool and I’m just thankful. I get emotional when I talk about it.”

Takats added, “He’s (Miller) a great wrestler — a great man, great kid. In overtime, I knew he was going to be on his feet.

“I knew I had to get the two (points) any way I could. Once I had the boot in, I just kept the pressure on until the match would end.”

Takats said there was no way he was going to be the only Perrysburg state finalist to lose his championship match.

“All the practices we’ve been through, those dudes in there, we train hard together,” Takats said. “I’ve waited for this all my entire life, and just to do it with them is special, especially with my dudes and how hard we train — in the summers lifting, late night runs.

“It’s tremendous. It’s one of the greatest feelings you will ever feel. I love this right now. It’s amazing.”

Takats said the state title has been years in the making, especially after not getting his state championship as a junior.

“I’m real fired up. I went from not qualifying for state my freshman year to now being a state champion. That was my life goal right now,” Takats said.

“(Perrysburg assistant coach) taught me before at Iron Man, he taught me to bounce back, and that is all that was going through my mind, be like a rubber ball and bounce back after last year.

“It just motivated me to do things I’ve never done before, like late night runs, early morning lifts in the summer, not partying, and just going out and working hard.”

Perrysburg finished second to St. Edward for the second straight year in the team standings, but Takats said it was good he got a win over a St. Ed’s wrestler even though the Yellow Jackets were hoping for a team championship,

“It’s a little sweet,” Takats said. “We knew coming in here we were a little shorthanded. We kind of wanted to win it.

“I just wanted to win this match, going out there and performing for my community and it’s a great thing to perform for them. That’s all I went out there for was for my community.”

Takats won two of his preceding matches by fall, and one by major decision. He opened by pinning Reynoldsburg senior Chris Karr (32-6) in 3:36.

In the quarterfinal, Takats pinned Medina junior Blaine Chrisman (45-7) in 3:41, then handily defeated Nordonia senior Jeremy Olszko (44-6) by a 10-1 MD in the semifinal.

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