CLEVELAND, Ohio – As high school football season comes to a conclusion, the winter sports season inches closer to getting underway. That means it’s wrestling time in Northeast Ohio, and many of the area’s top schools are licking their chops to get back on the mat.
Here’s a look at seven Division III schools that should be on your radar this season:
1. Garrettsville Garfield
In their junior and sophomore years Hunter Andel and Keegan Sell made the state semifinals before finishing to sixth at 165 and fifth at 175, respectively. Both are ranked in the top two in their weight classes in Division III going into the season. The G-Men are bringing back both of their state placers and four of their six qualifiers from last season’s ninth-place district finish. They won’t have the depth they had in years past, but the G-Men are more than capable of competing with Ohio’s best in Division III.
2. Rootstown
The third-place team from the Garfield Heights district tournament, Rootstown has all three of its state qualifiers from a year ago back in the fold for 2022-23. Sylas Rieheld and Cody Coontz are now senior leaders for the Rovers, while Dominic Duvall heads a sophomore class that contributed four of the Rovers’ 10 district qualifiers. All 10 are back for this year, which makes Rootstown one of the state’s deepest Division III programs.
3. Perry
Down from Division II, the Pirates instantly come in as a threat. Perry has several seniors that can challenge for state qualifications and places, but Brock Christian, one of Ohio’s top-ranked 138 pounders, is the leader of the pack. Dominic Ciolli, Ryan Brubaker and Kenneth Walker round out the seniors. Also, the time may be now for Riley Rowan after watching his brother Calvin advance to last year’s state tournament.
4. Lake Catholic
Brennan McCrone is now at Ohio State after winning a state title last year, but juniors Joey Romano and Parker Pikor are still holding it down for the Cougars. Also, OHSAA competitive balance adjustments sent the Cougars down to Division III this year. While they don’t have the depth they’ve had in the past the talent is still there.
5. Kirtland
The Hornets lost a trio of seniors from a year ago, including 132-pound state qualifier Will Davidson, but Kirtland is in a great position to improve on their 11th-place district finish. Louka Babic dropped to sixth after making the district semifinal, while Gaetano Savelli took sixth after working his way through the consolation bracket. With both back to lead the Hornets for their senior years, along with junior Drew Duncan, Kirtland has a real opportunity to send multiple wrestlers to the state tournament.
6. Cleveland Central Catholic
Down from Division II because of OHSAA competitive balance, the Ironmen have several wrestlers capable of making deep postseason runs. Austyn Adams is a senior leader, and he has a talented junior trio right behind him in Leon Harrison, Reginald Barnes and Brandon Bruce-Bey. The Ironmen also have a stud sophomore in Xavier Pearson, who could threaten for a state championship.
7. Berkshire
Berkshire’s only state qualifier from last season, Lucas Stoddard, went on to win the 190-pound state championship. While the Badgers don’t have that same dominant force this year, they can improve on last year’s 12th-place district finish. Senior Josh Brown and juniors Colin Hering and Alex Munn are all highly ranked in their respective weight classes. The lions’ share of Berkshire’s success this season fall on the shoulders of those three.
Honorable mention
Cuyahoga Heights, Hawken, Lutheran West, Mogadore, Ravenna Southeast.
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