LIFTED UP — Steubenville’s Charlie Abbott has John Marshall’s Zander Ward up in the air during their finals match at the Bobby Douglas Wrestling Tournament. However, Ward rallied to pin Abbott.
BRIDGEPORT — The Bobby Douglas Wrestling Tournament brought excitement as East Liverpool clinched the title with three champions. The team scored 202.5 points, beating Union Local by 28 points.
East Liverpool’s head coach, Jeremy Shaw, praised his team’s performance. “We wrestled really well today,” he said. “I’m proud of the effort all the kids put forth.” Only two wrestlers maintained their titles from last year: Kyle Ingram (106) and Gunnar Gossett (144) from Union Local, who also earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler title.
Ingram achieved a solid win against Buckeye Local’s Nathan Dentz with a 7-2 decision. He was joined by teammates Tristan Eckles (120) and Damon Stansbury (165) as champions from East Liverpool. Eckles secured a 13-2 major decision over Bridgeport’s Robert Weekley, while Stansbury pinned Monroe Central’s Owen Howard in just 1:15.
Gunnar Gossett demonstrated his skills with a 17-2 technical fall against St. Clairsville’s Preston Apostolec, while his brother Gamble won 16-1 over West Muskingum’s Wyatt Bare. Gamble wrestled unattached as he competed in a higher weight class.
Union Local’s coach, Nate Starkey, shared his satisfaction with the team’s hard work. “I’m always proud of them,” he said, despite a few performers missing from the action.
Meadowbrook also shined with champions Brayden Jensen (113) and Kolten Snyder (190). Other local winners included Ax’Zavior Santana (132), Zander Ward (138), Braylon Leiffer (150), Luke Marling (175), Leland Monte (215), and Heath Thomas (285) from Toronto.
Johnstown Northridge’s Treven Angus (157) was the only non-OVAC champion. Each champion had their share of challenges, with Santana defeating Chris Hermann of Catholic Central 9-2 and Ward pinning Charlie Abbott in less than four minutes.
Coach Bobby Richmond commended Luke Marling for his hard work and resilience during matches. Marling won all of his matches by fall, showcasing his talent early in the tournament.
Five teams were unable to compete due to bad weather, highlighting how unpredictable conditions can impact sporting events. Overall, the tournament was a fantastic showcase of local wrestling talent, promising an exciting season ahead.
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