The dual meet started at 220 pounds between Parker Knapp and Josh Couchman. In a close battle that Knapp came away with a 4-3 victory over Couchman. That set the tone for the next couple matches. Ed's grabbed the 285 match with relative ease.
However, the battle at 106 pounds between state placer and Ironman placer Justin Stickley and Matt Kazmir was a wild, barnburner. Stickley came out with the first takedown only to be reversed to his back. With short time in the first Stickley came out with the reversal and back points. However, in the second with the score at 6-5, Kazmir went big and hit Stickley with a five-point move, almost securing the fall. Kazmir would go on to win the match.
Mitch Moore at 113 pounds got Graham on the board with a hard-fought 2-0 win over state placer Alan Hart. Moore scored the only takedown of the match as both wrestlers rode each other out in the second and third periods. Eli Stickley came out and scored the quick fall to tie dual meet at 9-9.
At 126 pounds it was the match of the night between nationally ranked wrestlers Eli Seipel of Graham and LJ Bentley of St. Ed's. Bentley came out right away with the quick takedown. Seipel was able to tie it up at 2-2 after a penalty point and escape. In the third period with the match tied Seipel hit a beautiful head-inside single to take the lead. Bentley escaped and then was able to get the takedown. With the seconds waning down Seipel looked as if he had the reversal as Bentley was on his back but the refs did not call it.
Hunter Ladnier and Rocky Jordan met in a rematch from the Walsh Ironamn won by Jordan. This time it was all Ladnier in a landslide victory, 9-1, over the freshman sensation.
At the intermission Ed's had a 16-9 lead having won five of the seven matches wrestled. Graham came out and go on the board with a decision from the freshman Ryan Thomas and a major decision by Brent Moore tied the meet. This is where Graham came out to exude their dominance. Kyle Lawson came out and got a quick pin. Not to be out done by his teammate Alex Marinelli came out and put on a clinic on his feet before just using his sheer power to get the fall. Garrett Jordan got the decision for Graham to secure the dual.
In the final matches of the meet Graham and Ed's traded pins with Hayden Bronne getting the pin at 182 pounds and Jared Campbell of Ed's at 195 pounds pinning to end the match. While Ed's came to wrestle and actually won six of the matches, it was the bonus points that put Graham ahead comfortably to win the dual 37-22.
One thing you can always count on in these duals is the unexpected and the ability for kids to step up for their team. Ed's wrestled tough and looked great in a lot of matches but in the end Graham just simply is too deep and too strong. So once again Graham has laid claimed to being the best team in all of Ohio and folks with their lineup that isn't going to change any time soon.
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