Photo by Kim North
Barnesville’s Colt Carpenter works for a reversal against John Marshall’s Zander ward during their 126-pound bout Wednesday night during dual meet action inside ‘The Greenhouse’ at Barnesville High School. Carpenter posted an 8-0 major decision and the Shamrocks rolled, 51-30
Seniors Shine in Barnesville Wrestling Team’s Final Home Dual Meet
BARNESVILLE — For the final time in their storied careers, the seniors on the Barnesville wrestling team competed in their final home dual meet Wednesday night. They did not disappoint before a huge crowd on Youth Wrestling Night with a 51-30 wire-to-wire victory over John Marshall.
Four Seniors Secure Bonus-Point Victories
Four of those upperclassmen went out in style with bonus-point victories as Johnathan Huntsman (113), Dakota King (138) and Reese Stephen (157) all recorded pins, while classmate Karson Milhoan (144) earned a technical fall.
“This was nice for the seniors to go out like this,” Barnesville head coach Jayson Stephen said. “They’ve had great careers.”
Shamrocks Take Early Lead
The Shamrocks, the No. 1 ranked team in Ohio’s Division III, took a 12-0 lead with a forfeit to Ben Ralston (106) and Huntsman’s fall in 3-minutes, 31-seconds while leading 11-2.
Carpenter’s Domination
The Monarchs sliced the deficit in half when Gabe Chaplin (120) registered a 1:04, but Colt Carpenter showed his OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament win over John Marshall’s top-seeded Zander Ward was no fluke as the Shamrocks sophomore posted an 8-0 major decision for a 16-6 reading.
“I think Colt wanted to show people that he didn’t ‘catch’ Zander in the OVACs,” Coach Stephen said. “He went out and wrestled a really good match tonight.”
Shamrocks Dominate the Middleweights
Barnesville’s strength in the middleweights decided the match. Ohio State University signee Dakota King (138), a three-time OVAC Ron Mauck titlist, started the barrage with a pin in 1:48. Milhoan led 8-2 after one period and added four more points in the second period before ending the bout, 17-2, with 26 seconds left. Stephen, junior Ayden King (165), and sophomore Hines Ford (175) all pinned their opponents as the margin grew to 45-24.
Impressive Performances by Dakota King, Stephen, Ayden King
Dakota King and Stephen are ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes, while Ayden King is second and Milhoan third. Stephen, the defending state champion at 150, needed just 67 seconds for his win, while Kin’s pin came in 4:50 and Ford’s in a mere 25 ticks.
Final Matches and Acknowledgements
Junior Marshall Meade (215) sandwiched a pin in 2:56 between falls by the Monarchs’ Maverick Lemasters (190) and Caleb Yates (285). Lemasters’ came in 1:19 and Yates in 1:56.
“Barnesville’s got a very good stretch through their middleweights with that senior group,” John Marshall head coach Ryan Asbury said. “But, outside of that stretch, I was pleased with how we wrestled. I’m pleased with the way the kids battled. Sometimes a team is just better than you, and that’s the case this year, but I’m pleased with the kids’ efforts.”
Yates’ Double Victory
Yates capped a big day with his pin. Early Wednesday morning, the senior signed his NCAA National Letter of Intent to play football for Division I Brown University of the Ivy League.
Upcoming Matches
Barnesville travels to western Ohio on Saturday to compete in the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association Division III State Dual Meet at Versailles High School. The Shamrocks are the No. 1 seed and meet No. 8 Miami East in a quarterfinal round match at 10 a.m. John Marshall, meanwhile, heads to Weirton Saturday for a quad with Brooke, Oak Glen, and Weir.