By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

It has been an exciting high school wrestling season and league tournaments, as well as the postseason are both just around the corner.

Here is a peek around Portage County:

CRESTWOOD

• The Red Devils finished second overall in the Chagrin Division of the Chagrin Valley Conference, finishing behind only West Geauga. At the league tournament, the Red Devils placed fifth overall (out of 25 teams).
• JP Wrobel recently won his 150th career match to become the 27th wrestler in Portage County history to reach the wins milestone. He is now second all-time in Crestwood wrestling history for career wins, trailing only Dylan Kager’s 165 wins.
• At the CVC Tournament, Wrobel took home an individual championship at 126 pounds, with Drake Renneker winning the title at 150 pounds. It was the second league crown for both wrestlers.
• Crestwood had three other place-winners at the CVC Tournament, including Rocco Wrobel, Tye Berquist and Gavin McIntyre.
• Renneker also reached a win milestone this year, capturing his 100th career win during his run at the league tournament.

GARFIELD

• The G-Men currently own a 5-1 dual-meet record, while also celebrating other team successes by winning the Waterloo D3 Classic, as well as the Eastern Ohio Wrestling League championship.
• Individual accomplishments for the G-Men include: Cam Lewick (106 pounds) won at the Waterloo D3 Classic; Luke Kaufman (113) and Landon Andel (126) won the D3 Classic and was an EOWL runner-up; Keegan Sell (190) won the Solon, Portage County and Brecksville tournaments, as well as the championship at the EOWL tourney.
• “We are making adjustments for the postseason, staying healthy and training hard,” head coach Dan Andel said.
• “I have been most satisfied with the leadership of our seniors and the freshmen stepping up to fill spots in our lineup. They are competing well,” Andel said.

KENT ROOSEVELT

• The Rough Riders placed sixth overall (out of 16 teams) at the Audrey Genovese Memorial hosted at Orange High School. Noah Dunlap won an individual title at the event at 215 pounds. Ethan Humbert (190 pounds) was second and Gavin Edwards (157) was third at the same tourney.
• Dunlap had the team’s best individual placement at the Portage County Tournament, with a fourth-place finish.
• “We are a young team that is having to grow up quickly. We have improved a lot as a team this season,” head coach Chris Dunfee said. “The kids show up everyday and work hard.”

RAVENNA

• The Ravens had a strong showing at the annual Brad Bauer Duals, posting a 4-1 mark. The program also recognized its 1993 Division II state-championship team at the event that celebrates the life and memory of Bauer, who was a football and wrestling standout for the Ravens, who went on to wrestle at Ohio University.
• “We are very young and inexperienced at the high school, but in our youth and middle school, we do have some talented athletes that will now have wrestling experience,” head coach Eric Kline, whose Ravens are preparing for the Metro Athletic Conference Tournament this week.
• “Our entire program, from youth to high school, is now moving in the right direction for longterm success,” Kline said.

ROOTSTOWN

• The Rovers captured a repeat tournament title at the prestigious Bill Dies Memorial Tournament.
• Rootstown won its ninth consecutive league championship last week, besting the field in the Portage Trail Conference. Remarkably, it was also the program’s 13th league crown in the last 14 years.
• “I am most satisfied with the group as a whole getting better everyday throughout the season,” head coach Anthony Anderson said.

WATERLOO

• The Vikings have had three top-five finishes in tournament action this year, despite only filling nine weight classes. Overall, the team is 4-3 in dual matches, with two still remaining.
• “Right now, we are just pushing each other to get better everyday to prepare for the postseason,” head coach John Foster said.
• “I am satisfied with how our kids have competed this season,” Foster said. “We have had several guys really step up this season to win some big matches. As a whole, we have wrestled aggressively and confidently throughout the season.”