MANSFIELD — As impressive as he was during any of his three victories leading up to Saturday night’s Division I state championship bout, Mansfield Senior’s Jesse Palser was even more admirable after his lone defeat.
A junior, Palser had just lost a heart-breaker in the 170 pound finals to projected state champ and undefeated senior Joe Heyob of Cincinnati St. Xavier. The match wasn’t decided until Heyob (50-0) prevented Palser (42-2) from escaping in the fourth and final overtime period for a 3-2 ultimate tiebreaker victory. Palser nearly won the school’s first state crown since 1997 just moments earlier, but Heyob escaped with less than a second remaining in the third OT session to tie the score at 2-2.
Instead of losing his cool after the loss — a not uncommon sight at the adrenaline-fueled state tournament — Palser calmly gathered his belongings, sought out Heyob to offer his congratulations one final time, and headed for the interview room.
Not a single tear was shed.
Talk about class.
“You win with grace, you lose with grace,” said Palser, the Richland Source Athlete of the Week. “That’s what I go by.
“I learn from my mistakes. I go back with my coaches and ask them what I did wrong. Hopefully, I improve.”
Palser hasn’t left himself much room for improvement. He upset former state placers Quinton Rosser of Cincinnati Moeller and Isaac Bast of Massillon Perry in the first two rounds of the state tournament, then dispatched of Hilliard Bradley’s Jake Stratton in the championship semifinals to secure his spot in the finals. Rosser, a runner-up at 182 last year, finished fourth while Bast (seventh at 132 in 2012 and eighth at 145 in 2013) was third and Stratton was fifth.
Palser’s only other loss this season came in the championship bracket semifinals at the Cleveland State University district tournament. He dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to Wadsworth junior Tim Knipl and finished third to earn his first trip to Columbus for the state meet.
“Jesse has been a great example for every kid on our team. He leads on the mat and he leads off the mat,” Senior High coach Billy Stevens said. “He’s a great student and he works hard every minute of every practice.”
All that hard work has paid off for Palser, who was 32-5 as a sophomore and 30-5 as a freshman. In three seasons, he is 104-12 and is a three-time district qualifier.
Don’t expect him to rest of his laurels, though. When asked when preparations for next season would begin, Palser sounded like he was ready to get back into the practice room immediately.
“I can’t wait until next year to get on the mat. It begins right after this match,” Palser said as he sat in the interview room at the Schottenstein Center on Saturday night. “I mean, maybe a week off and then just work to get better. That is what I’m here to do.”
So what needs to improve before his senior season?
“Being on top. That is where I’m lacking,” Palser said. “I need to work on riding and getting turns.”
Unlike a lot of state placers, Palser doesn’t pin many of his opponents. He said he had only a handful of falls all season.
“Eventually we’ll work on the pins,” Palser joked after earning his spot in the finals on Friday.
Stevens isn’t worried about the lack of pins.
“He’s really, really good on his feet,” he said. “He works for his takedowns. He’s got great defense so even if he makes an attempt and doesn’t get it, he reacts so well and comes back out of it.”
With everything Palser has going for him, a return to Columbus next year is a strong possibility. He may even climb to the top of the podium.
“God blessed me with this talent and ability,” Palser said. “I try to show it the best I can.”
Follow Curt Conrad on Twitter @curtjconrad.
