COLUMBUS: Perry junior David Carr will be making his way toward the center mat for another championship bout on Saturday night.
Carr, a state champion in each of the past two years, will try to go 3-for-3 in a state final at Ohio State University’s Value City Arena when he shakes hands with Jaden Mattox of Grove City Central Crossing.
“When it comes to running out of the tunnel, I will be ready,” Carr said after defeating Connor Craig of Cincinnati Elder 18-8 in a Division I semifinal bout at 152-pounds.
“This has been a tough state tournament. I expect to wrestle good guys, and I think the difference has been to focus even more on this title. My coaches have really prepared me for this. My brother prepares me and all glory to God.”
Also in Division I, Brecksville freshman Julian Tagg beat Lucas Byrd of Cincinnati La Salle 3-1 in a 106-pound semifinal and Walsh Jesuit junior Matt Fields advanced at 126 with a 9-0 semifinal win over Derek Sharp of Marysville.
Aurora senior Jarrod Brezovec (49-1) won his Division I, 132-pound quarterfinal match, and then lost 2-1 to Allan Hart of Lakewood St. Edward in a semifinal bout.
Brunswick senior Nick Kiussis, a West Virginia recruit and three-time Division I state runner-up, will try for his first state title on Saturday at 160 against Brendan Price of Elyria. Kiussis beat Ti’Ric Evans of Cincinnati Elder 9-0 in a semifinal bout.
“I want to push the pace in my match and do all the right things,” Kiussis said.
Price defeated Wadsworth senior Cody Surratt 4-1 in a semifinal at 160. Earlier in the day, Surratt topped Olentangy Liberty senior Kyle Lawson, a three-time state champion, 3-2 in a quarterfinal match.
The 170-pound Division I final will feature Wadsworth junior Joey Baughman and Perry junior Emil Soehnlen. Baughman topped Josiah Harrell of Licking Heights 9-3 in a semifinal, and Soehnlen beat Trevor Lawson of Olentangy Liberty 3-1 on a nearby mat.
“This feels awesome,” Soehnlen said after hugging a pair of former state champions, his coach Nate Carr and his father Emil Soehnlen.
“Coach Carr is the best coach in the country. I am so lucky to have him. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me and we knew this was going to happen.”
Baughman defeated Soehnlen in last week’s district tournament at North Canton Hoover.
“I think about last year [and being a state runner-up] all the time,” Baughman said. “It makes me so much hungrier because I hated living with that and remembering that every single day. I’ll be ready to go.”
Nordonia’s Anthony Perrine, a three-sport standout, will cap his senior wrestling season in the title bout at 195 in Division I against Dakota Howard of Lakewood St. Edward. Perrine advanced following a 5-3 semifinal win over Max Wright of Delaware Hayes.
Archbishop Hoban senior Lukus Stricker, a Harvard University recruit, defeated Jarrett Bischoff of Wauseon 11-3 in a Division II semifinal at 120 pounds.
“This feels incredible,” Stricker said of earning a spot in the finals. “I have been training my whole life for this moment. I feel ready and I don’t feel like I have wrestled to my full potential this whole tournament. I am ready to whip it out in the finals and show everybody what I am worth.”
Elsewhere in Division II, CVCA sophomore twin brothers Jacob Decatur (106) and Jordan Decatur (126) advanced to a state title match along with Streetsboro junior Dominic Carone (113), Northwest senior Hunter Kosco (126), Carrollton sophomore Ben Pasiuk (132) and senior Aidan Pasiuk (182), and West Branch senior Ian Sharp (285).
Kosco defeated Jordan Decatur at Top Gun and the district meet at Alliance this year.
The Division III finals will include Norwayne’s Zach Steiner (182), Tuslaw’s Logan Hall (195) and Sandy Valley’s Francesco Borsellino (285). All three won a semifinal match Friday. Steiner, a senior, won a state title last year at 170 pounds.
Medina residents Kevon Freeman of Mentor Lake Catholic (Div. II, 145) and James Handwerk of Rocky River Lutheran West (Div. III, 182) also advanced to a title bout.
Michael Beaven can be reached at 330-996-3829 or mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the #ABJVarsity high school blog at www.ohio.com/preps. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBeavenABJ.