Clay's Garcia takes 4th

Clay's Nick Garcia, top, struggles against Cleveland St. Ignatius' George DiCamillo at the state tournament in Columbus.

COLUMBUS - Clay's Nick Garcia improved upon his placement from last year, finishing fourth at 103 pounds in the state wrestling tournament at the Schottenstein Center.

Garcia, who was fifth a year ago at the same weight, concludes his senior season with a 40-3 record. Eagles senior Mark Orth was unable to rediscover his early-tournament thunder, dropping three consecutive bouts to take sixth at 135. Start's Nate Brubaker was eighth at 171.

Garcia, a semifinalist Friday, defeated Dublin Coffman's Ryan Murdock yesterday - 7-0 - for the second time in the tournament before losing to Cleveland St. Ignatius' George DiCamillo by pin in 4:22. Orth dropped a rematch from Thursday with Miamisburg's defending state champion Shawn Fayette 8-5 and then lost 8-2 to Fairfield's Austin Sams.

Brubaker, who dropped a consolation quarterfinal bout to Findlay's Michael Alexander on Friday, fell to Pickerington North's Matt Ferguson 8-6. A senior, Brubaker finished the season at 38-6.

Wadsworth halted Lakewood St. Edward's 13-year run as D-I team champions - the longest ever string of dominance in any Ohio high school sport - by outscoring the Eagles 172 to 167.5. Findlay finished 16th with 25 points, and Clay tied for 21st with 21 points.

Dejected moments after losing in Friday evening's semifinals, Findlay heavyweight Max Gladstone vowed there would be no additional setbacks in his quest to finish third.

Gladstone delivered on his words, registering a pair of victories in the consolation rounds to end his senior year with a 47-4 record. Gladstone, who will wrestle at Ohio State, pinned Twinsburg's Brandon Bucknell in 1:36 before stopping St. Edward's Greg Kuhar 8-2 in the consolation finals.

Findlay's Alexander finished fifth at 171 after downing Mayfield's Tylan Coleman 5-3. Alexander was beaten in the consolation semifinals 6-4 by Cincinnati Elder's Ian Korb.

Toledo native Jerome Robinson (119) of St. Ignatius concluded his career with his second straight title in an 8-3 decision over Wadsworth's Kagan Squire. As a youth wrestler, Robinson competed for East Toledo Wrestling Club.

Contact Ryan Autullo at:

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