Perrysburg set a program record with 12 state qualifiers as the Yellow Jackets had four individual champions at the Division I district wrestling tournament on Saturday.
Senior Marcus Blaze and junior Ayden Dodd both claimed repeat district championships as host Perrysburg finished second as a team.
Freshman Connor Bagdonas (106 pounds) and sophomore Grey Burnett (120) also won individual titles for the Yellow Jackets, who had four other wrestlers finish second.
“Our team, collectively, was phenomenal. It's a school record and I'm super proud of our kids and their families and the school,” Perrysburg coach Scott Burnett said. “The quality of depth comes in with daily habits and routines in practice. The kids sharpen each other through that process.”
Perennial powerhouse Lakewood St. Edward had eight individual champions to claim the team title with 344 points. Perrysburg was runner-up with 291 points, while Clay was fifth (85), and St. John's Jesuit ninth (72).
Waite senior Phoenix Contos won the title at 132 and St. John's senior Caleb Bowman took home the championship at 285.
The top four place winners in each of the 14 weight classes qualified for the state tournament next weekend in Columbus.
Perrysburg's other qualifiers were Alex Denkins (third at 126), Urijah Lopez (second at 132), Brody Bauman (second at 138), Kaden Soto (second at 144), Cole Evans (third at 157), Josh Takats (second at 190), Ben Sawaya (fourth at 215), and Eric Bush (third at 285).
Blaze, who climbed two weight classes for the state tournament run, captured his fourth straight district title.
“When the kids did the lineup switch, the goal was to take at least 12 legitimate point scorers down to Columbus and we did that,” Burnett said. “We're just grateful and excited.”
Clay had four wrestlers that qualified for the state meet. Garrison Weisner placed second at 126 and Gabe McNally was the runner-up at 165, while Joshua Medina was third at 113 and Carter Whaley placed fourth at 190.
Other local wrestlers who earned the right to compete at the Schottenstein Center next weekend are: Whitmer's A.J. Dubendorfer (fourth at 120), St. John's Max Beck (fourth at 132), Fremont Ross's Bryce Estep (fourth at 150), St. John's Logan Morehouse (third at 175), Findlay's Keegan Klotz (fourth at 175), and Fremont Ross' Zeb Zucker (fourth at 285).
Defending state team champ St. Eds had 13 of 14 wrestlers who qualified for state.
Perrysburg's four champs all won head-to-head matches against wrestlers from St. Edward in the finals.
“Those guys have won 35 state titles for a reason,” Burnett said. “When you're building a culture, you start to believe you can beat them. When we match up with them, we do our very best to beat them. We also lost some matches to them. But they were close losses. We're right there.”
Blaze posted a technical fall over Bradley Eaton of St. Eds to improve to 39-0 this season.
Blaze, who had competed at 138 during the regular season, has lost just twice in his prep career and has a 196-2 record. He bumped up two weight classes to help the team field its most competitive lineup after an injury to Shane Saito. Blaze, a Penn State commit, is looking to become Ohio’s 34th four-time state champion.
“He's just so special,” Burnett said. “He's an alien. That's been the running joke. He's just so blessed and he's not letting it go to waste.”
Dodd (35-4) decisioned Conner Whitely of St. Eds 4-0 to win at 113.
Bagdonas (28-7) posted an 8-0 major decision over St. Ed's Andrew Mlynarczyk to get things going for the Yellow Jackets at 106.
Burnett (38-2) defeated Ethan Timar of St. Edward 6-0 in the finals at 120.
In the championship final at 132, Waite's Contos moved to 33-2 with a 7-2 decision over Lopez of Perrysburg.
Bowman (30-2), a senior at St. John's, pinned Cliff Nicholson of Medina in the second period to win at 285.
At 126, Karson Brown of St. Eds registered a fall over Clay's Weisner (29-3)
Bauman (34-7) was edged 4-2 in the final at 138 by Jacob Kiehl of St. Eds.
“Brody was pinched out of our lineup most of the year with Marcus being at 138. But he's a consummate worker and he knew he would be injected back in the lineup,” Burnett said.
At 144, Adam Butler of St. Edward posted a 7-0 win over Soto (28-8).
Clay's McNally (40-7) lost to St. Edward's Frankie Pieffer in the 165 final.
Takats (35-4) placed second at 190, falling 10-2 to Jarrel Miller of St. Edward.
Perrysburg, which had district qualifiers in all 14 weight classes, finished second to St. Eds for the second straight season at last year's D-I state meet in Columbus.
“We were in our home gym and everyone was going bananas for some of the matches,” Burnett said. “We have a group that when it's time to work, they work really hard. But when it's time to have fun and play games they do that too.”
St. Edward is looking to win the program's 10th straight team title.
“When you have some 20 kids that are really good and so many others that are above average, it's a rare group,” Burnett said. “We're going to have a great week of practice, break down some video, and we're going to Columbus to have a great time.”
First Published March 2, 2025, 1:09 a.m.
