LEXINGTON – Brent Rastetter doesn’t mince words when asked what will make this season a success for his powerful Lexington wrestling team — It all comes down to the finish.
“If we walk out of the Schottenstein Center with the second-place team trophy after the state meet is over, it will have been a successful season,” said Rastetter, who took over the Lexington team in 2003 and has built the area’s most successful program.
The Minutemen, who count 12 seniors on their 25-man roster, are simply loaded again this season, though admittedly not in the same atmosphere as St. Paris Graham, the perennial Division II state champion and annual national powerhouse.
Rastetter welcomes back five state senior qualifiers (two placers) and eight district qualifiers from a team that finished 17th in the state last year after finishing second in the district and winning its seventh Ohio Cardinal Conference title.
LOADED LINEUP
Heading the list of Lexington returnees is Bailey Faust (54-3 last year, 136-16 in his career), fifth in the state last year at 195 pounds, and Nate Temple (38-15), seventh in the state at 285 last year. Faust, unbeaten during the regular season last year, is looking for his third trip to the state meet.
Also back are state qualifiers Drew Kasper (50-6, 118-25) at 182 pounds, Brandon Leynaud (46-10, 120-31) at 126 and Jon Watkins (47-12, 101-44) at 138 pounds.
Leynaud recently accepted a scholarship offer to wrestle for Duke University next season, the fourth Lexington wrestler Rastetter has sent to the Blue Devils. Faust will wrestle for West Virginia University. Rastetter said D-1 offers for other Minutemen wrestlers may soon follow.
The riches don’t stop there. Also back are senior district qualifiers Charles Mikelait (40-11, 71-41) at 145 pounds and Jacob Dalton (35-16, 58-48) at 160. Another senior, Xavier White, returns after missing all of last season with a knee injury suffered during football season. He has posted a 32-13 record in two seasons on the mat. Another senior returnee, Max Baker, was 27-13 last year.
“In terms of top-end talent, we will be among the best in the state,” Rastetter said. “Depth wise, we have some kids who are going to have to step up and score points, especially in the tougher dual meets. In terms of tournaments, we will be right there in every one of them.
“A few years ago, when we finished second in the state duals, we had nine seniors and everyone said the cupboard would be bare. We didn’t miss a beat. In fact, we actually qualified more kids for state the next season. We have some young men who have been waiting in the wings. We are hoping they solidify our line-up this season,” Rastetter said.
Three of the wrestlers the veteran coach singled out are seniors Josh Hassmann, who has 18 career wins; senior Michael Kahoun with a 17-7 career record; and sophomore T.J. Gerhardt, who won 11 varsity matches as a freshman .
“All three of these men have had extensive varsity experience,” Rastetter said. “Kahoun beat a state qualifier in the Clyde tournament last season and got to the finals against Faust.”
TOUGH SCHEDULE
The veteran coach has fashioned a schedule that will test his best wrestlers and be a formidable challenge to his younger athletes. It starts Dec. 6 at home in the Blackstone Insurance Kick-Off Classic against Oak Harbor, Wadsworth, Bellbrook and Olentangy Liberty.
The schedule includes a return to the rugged two-day Fricker’s Duals at Defiance College on Dec. 19-20; the J.C. Gorman Invitational at Mansfield Senior on Jan. 9-10; the Maumee Bay Classic at Oregon Clay on Jan. 16-17.
“The Gorman has a 32-team field this year and it’s a much deeper tournament. We may have more top-end talent, but good teams like Sandusky Perkins have more kids who will score points,” Rastetter said.
Perhaps the biggest challenge on the schedule is a huge quad match on Jan. 24 at Lakewood against Lakewood St. Edward’s, Blair (N.J) Academy and Marist (Chicago) High School.
“If you had told me 10 years ago the head wrestling coach at Lakewood St. Edward was going to e-mail me and invite Lexington to come and wrestle them, I would have told you that you’re crazy,” Rastetter said.
Blair Academy is the No. 1-ranked high school wrestling program in the nation. St. Edward has won 29 Division I state team titles and 11 national championships. Marist finished second last year in Illinois and is nationally ranked this year.
“We will compete with St. Ed’s. We are going to give up some bonus points, but we also have some kids on our team who will get pins. It will be interesting,” he said.
Lexington will also wrestle in the state duals competition this season before the sectional meet begins Feb. 27 at Shelby High School.
“Our schedule is designed to prepare the kids who are ready to make a run at a state title,” Rastetter said. “And it will prepare all of our kids for what’s to come at the end of the year. A few years ago, we had 14 kids qualify for district, but only one made it to state. I would rather spend the season (against tough competition) to make sure they are prepared.
“We will have every weight class filled this season,” he said. “We do have some younger kids without varsity experience who will be developing this season, especially at the lighter weights.”
SCHEDULE
Dec. 6 – Blackstone Insurance Kick-Off Classic, home, 10 a.m. (Oak Harbor, Wadsworith, Bellbrook and Olentangy Liberty)
Dec. 10 – At Galion tri-match, 6 p.m.
Dec. 13 – Jeremy Ammons Classic at Sparta Highland, 10 a.m.
Dec. 19-20 – Fricker’s Duals at Defiance College, 3 p.m. and 10 a.m.
Jan. 7 – Tri-match with Edison and Loudonville, home, 6 p.m.
Jan. 9-10 – J.C. Gorman Invitational at Mansfield Senior, 5 p.m. and 10 a.m.
Jan. 16-17 – Maumee Bay Classic at Oregon Clay, noon and 10 a.m.
Jan. 24 – Quad match at Lakewood St. Edwards with Blair (N.J.) and Marist (Illinois), noon
Jan. 28 – State Duals regional quarterfinal, TBA
Feb. 4 – State Duals regional semifinals and finals, TBA
Feb. 7 – OCC tournament, home, 10 a.m.
Feb. 14 – State Duals finals at OSU’s St. John Arena, 10 a.m.
Feb. 21 – Tri match with Fremont Ross and Hopewell-Loudon, home, noon
Feb. 27-28 – Division II sectional meet at Shelby, 5 p.m. and 10 a.m.
March 6-7 – Division II district meet at Mansfield Senior, 4 p.m. and 10 a.m.
March 12-15 – OHSAA state wrestling tournament at OSU, TBA
Lexington has had 20 wrestlers post 100 or more career wins during the Rastetter Era.
2006-2007 – Zach DeLong, Mark Hudak and Drew McQuillen
2007-2008 – Dan Lochtefeld
2008-2009 – Brandon Gambucci, Simon DeVito, John Gould and Michael Gallik
2009-2010 – Dan Kardasz and Nick Hile
2010-2011 – Calvin Campbell and Jake Faust
2011-2012 – Brad Metz
2012-2013 – Josh Lehner, Jacob Kasper and Ravyn Workman
2013-2014 – Brandon Leynaud, Drew Kasper, Bailey Faust and Jon Watkins.
