Sidelines: Oak Harbor is state wrestling runner-up

4/1/2010
Central Catholic's Jake Henderson tries to control Wapakoneta's Logan Erb in the Division II 215-pound state final. It was the only loss of the season for Henderson, who fell 3-2 insudden-death overtime and finished the season with a 49-1 record.
Central Catholic's Jake Henderson tries to control Wapakoneta's Logan Erb in the Division II 215-pound state final. It was the only loss of the season for Henderson, who fell 3-2 insudden-death overtime and finished the season with a 49-1 record.

Behind the championship by 145-pound junior Ian Miller, Oak Harbor was state runner-up to nationally top-ranked St. Paris Graham.

Miller didn't even have to wrestle the third period of his 19-4 technical fall victory over Lisbon Beaver's Dylan Ice in the final.

The Rockets' Drew Stone (125) and Konner Witt (152) each finished second, and Jake Cramer was sixth at 140.

While Miller was the only area wrestler to win an Ohio crown, Mitch Rogaliner of Bedford equaled the feat in Michigan.

He also did something nobody had ever done at the longtime wrestling power. Rogaliner became the first freshman in school history to win a state title, claiming the 103-pound title in Division 1.

The Mules' Brian Gibbs, a junior, placed third at 135.

Central Catholic placed fourth in Division II. Although coach Mitch Naufel didn't have an individual champion in his 24th and final season, the Irish had runner-up finishes by Jake Henderson (215) and Vincenzo Cardone (285). Tony Martin (152) and Dan Cook (135) were fourth and eighth, respectively. It was the second straight year the Irish finished fourth.

Also in D-II, Eastwood's Seth Hoffman finished fourth at 160. Wauseon's Nick McCall (171) and Napoleon's Cody Bloom (215) both took sixth.

Five area wrestlers were All-Ohioans in Division I. Clay was represented by Nick Garcia (fourth at 103) and Mark Orth (sixth at 135), and Findlay's senior duo of Max Gladstone (285) and Michael Alexander (171) took third and fifth, respectively. Start's Nate Brubaker placed eighth at 171.

Runner-up Chad Sonnenberg (140) of Van Buren was the lone area finalist among 11 placers in D-III. Others reaching the podium were: Elmwood's Dexter Lee (seventh, 103) and Nick Goebel (third, 112); Liberty Center's Luke Kern (eighth, 119); McComb's Jacob Haas (fourth, 119); Patrick Henry's Alex Lopez (sixth, 130) and Xavier Dye (fourth, 171); Montpelier's Luke Boehm (sixth, 145); Cardinal Stritch's Kyle Gladieux (fifth, 160); Lake's Brandon Tantari (sixth, 189); and Swanton's Mimmo Lytle (third, 285).

— Ryan Autullo