GALION — Drake Barnett didn’t want to look back and wonder what might have been, even if it meant disregarding his doctor’s advice.
Galion’s 160-pound senior capped his career with a seventh-place finish in the Division III state wrestling tournament in early-March, just three months after suffering a potentially career-ending shoulder injury.
Barnett was told in no uncertain terms to leave the mat for good after tearing his labrum early in the season. Instead, he went through several weeks of rehab and was cleared to return by a shoulder specialist.
“If I had given it up, it would have haunted me forever,” Barnett said.
The Richland Source Wrestler of the Year, Barnett made the most of his reprieve. He was 3-2 in Columbus, beating Cadiz Harrison Central’s Antony Risley 10-5 to take seventh place.
Barnett was nearly denied a place on the podium in the consolation quarterfinals. He let a late lead slip away against Bloomdale Elmwood’s Noah Baker in the consolation quarterfinals before Baker was penalized a point for an illegal slam.
“It happened with three seconds left,” Galion coach Brent Tyrrell said. “If he loses that match, he doesn’t place.”
Barnett, who finished his injury-shortened season with a 19-5 record, is the headliner on the All-Richland Source wrestling team.
106 Pounds — Damoni Williams, Mansfield Senior: The sophomore was 37-16 on the season. Williams was third at the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet and took runner-up honors at the Toledo Waite sectional. He was 2-2 at the Perrysburg district.
113 Pounds — Brad Silliman, Madison: A sophomore, Silliman was 31-12 on the year. He won an Ohio Cardinal Conference title and was runner-up at the Sandusky sectional. Silliman was 1-2 at the Fostoria district.
120 Pounds — Carson Speelman, Madison: A junior, Speelman just missed a state berth. He fell to Ashland’s Matthew Taylor in the consolation semifinals at the Fostoria district. Speelman was 38-12 on the year with runner-up finishes to Taylor at the OCC meet and at the Sandusky sectional.
126 Pounds — Trenton Johnson, Crestview: The freshman was 27-18 on the year He finished fourth at the Plymouth sectional and was 2-2 at the Toledo Waite district, falling in the consolation quarterfinals.
132 Pounds — LeConte Merrell, Madison: Merrell’s season got off to a late start for a second straight year and, for a second straight year, it concluded at the state meet. A junior, Merrell was 22-5 and finished seventh at state. He won a championship at the OCC tournament and was runner-up at the Sandusky sectional and at the Fostoria district. Merrell was 3-2 in Columbus.
138 Pounds — Taylor Komives, Ontario: A senior, Komives nearly earned a spot on the podium at the state meet. He fell to Upper Sandusky’s Thurston Dyer 3-1 in the sudden victory overtime session in the consolation quarterfinals. Komives was 32-11 on the year, winning a sectional title at Sandusky and finishing fourth at Fostoria.
145 Pounds — Ryan Talbott, Galion: a junior, Talbott was 20-20 on the season. He was third at the Carey sectional and 0-2 at the Waite district.
152 Pounds — Chris Thompson, Clear Fork: A senior, Thompson was 21-16 on the season. He was third at the OCC meet and fifth at the Plymouth sectional, just missing out on a district berth.
160 Pounds — Drake Barnett, Galion: Barnett’s run to the state podium began with a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship in early-February. He was runner-up at the Carey sectional and finished third at the Waite district.
170 Pounds — Cade Rogers, Crestview: A sophomore, Rogers finished 30-18 on the year. He was fourth at the Plymouth sectional and went 1-2 at the Waite district.
182 Pounds — Colton Campbell, Crestview: The sophomore was 34-12 on the season. Campbell was the sectional runner-up at Plymouth and was 1-2 at the Waite district.
195 Pounds — Devin Marsh, Mansfield Senior: A junior, Marsh was 17-8 on the season with a runner-up finish at the OCC meet. He was third at the Waite sectional, but was 0-2 at the Perrysburg district.
220 Pounds — Nick McDaniel, Galion: The senior was 44-10 on the year and narrowly missed a berth in the state meet. McDaniel won a sectional championship at Carey and won his first two matches at the Waite district before falling in the semifinals. McDaniel took fifth at the district and was a state alternate.
285 Pounds — Brandon Myers, Mansfield Senior: The undersized junior was wrestling out of his class, but still put together a 45-6 record and won an Ohio Cardinal Conference championship. Myers won his second straight sectional title at Toledo Waite and was 2-2 at the Perrysburg district.
