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Wrestling in Valley growing in stature

It may not be the most popular sport in Ohio, but wrestling sure has one of the coolest state championship events.

Describing the scene doesn’t do it justice, but one comparison that comes to mind is to try to imagine being one of the people who takes a half-court shot at an NBA game. You’re the focus of about 20,000 fans, and you’re standing alone in the middle of a huge arena.

That’s kind of what it’s like to be a high school wrestler at the OHSAA state wrestling championships, which is holding its 80th annual tournament this weekend in Columbus. The Mahoning Valley has a lot of area competitors taking part. In fact, this may be one of the most impressive fields northeast Ohio has boasted in the last 20 years — maybe longer.

There are four local wrestlers who will compete for a state title today — three from Canfield and one from Pymatuning Valley — and two others from schools that border the area (Beaver Local and West Branch). There are 12 total athletes who are placing at the state tournament (add another four if you include Beaver Local and West Branch). Canfield is in second place as a team and looks to be a lock as the state runner-up for a second straight year (no one has beaten No. 1 St. Paris Graham in the last 16 seasons).

The fact that the area had eight state semifinalists was an incredible feat, and it’s even more absurd that there’s a legitimate chance the area crowns four state champions. In 14 years covering the state tournament, I’ve never seen more than three champs from Trumbull, Mahoning, Portage and Columbiana counties in the same year (in 2007, Tony Jameson of Austintown Fitch, Justin Powell of Boardman and Nathan Sharp of West Branch each won it all).

This could be a record-breaking year, and Canfield’s climb to stardom is a big reason why. The Cardinals program is one of the state’s elite, and there is no sign of a decline any time soon. Canfield has several underclassmen who aren’t even in the starting lineup but who could probably qualify for the state tournament for other teams. They advanced six wrestlers to state this year, and four of them return next season.

Pymatuning Valley seems to be another team on the rise. The Lakers only qualified two wrestlers for state, but they were close to advancing five. Grand Valley is another impressive program. If not for a freak disqualification at the district tournament for allegedly biting an opponent, the Mustangs would have had three wrestlers reach Columbus — two of which had legitimate shots at titles.

Girard has flown under the radar of some followers of the sport, but they, too, are young and talented. Jack DelGarbino, just a sophomore, was a state semifinalist (he lost a close match in the semis), and the Indians possess several other underclassmen who are ranked — or will be ranked — in the state.

In other words, the Eastern Ohio Wrestling League — along with bordering schools in the Valley — is without a doubt one of the state’s elite conferences, and it’s only getting better. Football may be king in the eyes of Valley sports fans, but wrestling isn’t taking a backseat anytime soon.

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