State wrestling: 15 boys, two girls advance to second day

COLUMBUS — Buckeye senior Blake Bartos and Highland junior Brandon Bickerton have the same goal.They took the first step Friday at the state wrestling tournament.Both standouts are looking to climb back atop the podium at Ohio State's Value City Arena to reclaim titles they won in 2024 before falling short last season.They will compete in the quarterfinals this morning after winning first-round matches Friday.The 138-pound Bartos, who won at 113 as a sophomore, pinned Gallia Academy's Evan Warren in 2:49 to kick off his Division II tournament. He led 6-1 after the first period and 12-1 when Warren nearly ran out of injury time just before the pin."I'm feeling great," said Bartos, who takes on Wilmington's Josiah Puller in the quarters. "I got the jitters out of the way. The first match of the day is always the jitters match. Now I'm ready to fly."The 113-pound Bickerton kicked off his D-I tournament by pinning Louisville's Paxton Laughlin in 1:40. He'll take on Marysville's Brian Waller.Bickerton credited hard work with training partners after the Hornets took nearly a month off from competing between the Suburban League Tournament and sectionals."That was a really good time to grow as a wrestler," he said. "It was a good time to refocus and get better. That's exactly what we did."Bickerton and Bartos are among 15 Medina County boys quarterfinalists. The girls tournament saw Brunswick's Marisa McCartin and Black River's Taylor Owen, both returning placers, advance.McCartin beat Keystone's Kyriana Grahn by 10-2 major decision, while Owen pinned Corrina Sowah of Lakota East in 2:14. Both face defending state champions in the quarterfinals.Brandon Bickerton kicked off a strong first round for Highland, as five of the Hornets' county-best seven qualifiers advanced to the quarters.Austin Bickerton (120) earned a 20-5 technical fall over Westerville North's Mason Spence, which led into sophomore Kyle Scavuzzo (132) earning a 7-2 decision over Upper Arlington's Grant Sedlick in his first state match."I've been coming to the state tournament since I was 6 years old," said Scavuzzo, who faces returning state placer Caleb Curry of Cincinnati Elder today. "I've been waiting for this moment forever, and to finally be down here is awesome."Niko Giatis (165) also won his first match, pinning Piqua's Nickolai Kaye in 1:31. Finally, Brennan Kicker edged summer drill partner Brayden Miles of Brunswick 1-0 with a third-period escape in the first round."He's a tough opponent," Kicker said. "I have a lot of respect for Brayden Miles. He comes to the line to scrap every time. I want a chance to win a title, so I had to do what I had to do. A win is a win."Buckeye sophomore Collin Bartos (120) joined his older brother in winning his first match. The younger Bartos entered as a fourth seed but upset Gallia Academy District champion Peyton Martin 12-5.Martin finished eighth last season and is projected to take fourth by Matscouts' Josh Lowe this weekend."I took fourth at districts with some tougher opponents, so I knew I had to go hard off the rip," Collin Bartos said. "He won his district. I really didn't have any pressure on me. He did. I was just going out there wrestling strong."Black River senior Mason Koberna made the most of his first D-III match, beating Columbus Bishop Ready's Bobby Kapala by 15-7 major decision.Medina saw all three of its competitors advance in dominant fashion.Dominic DiFilippo (113) picked up a 15-0 technical fall over Lorain's Caiden Rosario and face Troy's Callen Owen today. Taegan Gilmore (120) gets three-time state placer and projected state champion Ayden Dodd (Perrysburg) in the quarterfinals after pinning Springboro's Tyler Swaney in the third period, while Cliff Nicholson (285) pinned Cleveland John Adams' Anthony Galloway in 3:59.Wadsworth advanced three of its four qualifiers into the quarterfinals, including Jacob Earnest (285), who won the other county matchup by beating Highland's Cody Bendau by 10-1 major decision.Earnest draws Olentangy's Daniel Stephens, the only returning placer on that side of the bracket, in the quarterfinals.It was a return to state for Earnest, who missed all of last season with an injury."That felt great, especially since the last time I was here, sophomore year, I went 0-2," Earnest said. "It was great to taste that victory. Once you get the first one, every other one is a little easier. Maybe not the opponents, but the mindset."Earnest was joined in winning by teammates Blake Frantz (132) and Kyle Jardine (157).Frantz dominated Kettering Fairmont's Brock Conley in a 15-0 technical fall to draw two-time placer Alex Denkins of Perrysburg. Jardine earned a 22-6 technical fall over Springboro's Cole Hanson.Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.County pairingsDivision I113 — Brandon Bickerton (Highland) v. Brian Waller (Marysville); Dominic DiFilippo (Medina) v. Callen Owen (Troy). 120 — Austin Bickerton (Highland) v. Asilbek Anvaroz (Mayfield); Taegan Gilmore (Medina) v. Ayden Dodd (Perrysburg). 132 — Kyle Scavuzzo (Highland) v. Caleb Curry (Elder); Blake Frantz (Wadsworth) v. Alex Denkins (Perrysburg). 144 — Kolten Mellon (Wadsworth) v. Sam Like (Little Miami). 150 — Brennan Kicker (Highland) v. Kane Shawger (St. Xavier). 157 — Kyle Jardine (Wadsworth) v. Ben Takats (Perrysburg). 165 — Niko Giatis (Highland) v. Tyler Rowles (North Royalton); Carter Wickes (Brunswick) v. Zach Aquila (Brecksville). 285 — Cliff Nicholson (Medina) v. Jaiden Davis (Middletown); Jacob Earnest (Wadsworth) v. Daniel Stephens (Olentangy).Division II120 — Collin Bartos (Buckeye) v. Heath Norris (Clyde). 138 — Blake Bartos (Buckeye) v. Josiah Puller (Wilmington).Division III190 — Mason Koberna (Black River) v. Budder Manley (River Valley).Girls130 — Marisa McCartin (Brunswick) v. Kelsey King (Lakota West). 155 — Taylor Owen (Black River) v. KyLee Tibbs (Gahanna Lincoln).