COLUMBUS — It was a good day to be a Madison Ram.
The Rams were unbeaten on opening day of the state wrestling tournament Friday, sending all three qualifiers through to Saturday morning’s quarterfinals.
Below are photos from opening day of the state wrestling tournament in Columbus. (Credit: Curt Conrad)
Estella Koppert Smith (130), Aiden Proctor (157) and Jaxin Stancombe (285) dominated their first-round matches inside Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center. Koppert Smith thundered to a 16-0 tech fall victory, while Proctor and Stancombe advanced via pin.
“That’s the first time it has happened. It’s awesome,” Madison coach Bryan Mosier said. “The last time we had three qualifiers was the COVID year (2021). Nate Barrett, Trenton Osborn and Hunter Hutchison qualified and they didn’t all make it through on opening day.”
Proctor (44-6) got things started. He pinned Gallia Academy’s Wyatt Warren in the second period.
“I feel like I’m in a good place,” said Proctor, who placed fourth at the Galion sectional two weeks ago before winning a Norwalk district title last week. “The sectional was a wake-up call for me. I knew I was better than every wrestler in the bracket at the sectional.”
Stancombe (40-4) made quick work of Western Brown’s Clayton Smith, pinning him in 49 seconds.
Koppert Smith (50-8) picked up her first win at the state tournament after going 0-2 as a sophomore. She controlled from start to finish against Springfield’s Leannah Swiger.
“I made it here as a sophomore, but I was an alternate last year,” Koppert Smith said. “That lit a fire underneath me this year. I’ve been training hard for this.”
Quarterfinalists
Nine of the area’s 17 state qualifiers won their first-round matches and advanced to the quarterfinals.
In addition to the trio of Rams, Ontario’s Aiden Ohl (120), Clear Fork’s Caleb Snyder (113), Anthony Oscar (144) and Luke Lee (157) and Galion’s Carter Trukovich (126) and Gradey Harding (132) all kept their state championship hopes alive.
Consolation Bracket
Five more area wrestlers are still alive in the consolation bracket.
Shelby’s Sebastian Cain (106) and Hope Timko (115), Ontario’s Tyler Turnbaugh (132) and Gavin Miller (150) and Galion’s Ryder Alberty (138) lost opening-round matches, but won later in the day.
Clear Fork’s Colton Wenger (120) and Lakoda Leedy (175) and Galion’s Kane Hay (150) dropped a pair of matches Friday.
Below are more photos from opening day of the state wrestling tournament.
(Credit: Curt Conrad and Tom Theodore)
