High school wrestling: Highland's Conner Haney leads local grapplers at Medina Invite

MEDINA — If you want to be the best, you must beat the best. Highland sophomore Conner Haney started the Medina Invitational Tournament by taking those words to heart Wednesday when he drew Miami East junior Layton Hughes, the top seed at 138 pounds, in the first round. Haney was strong throughout with a 10-2 major decision over the 2022 state qualifier to make an early statement to the tournament field. "When I first came out, I was hesitant, knowing he was ranked first," Haney said. "I figured out he just wanted to ankle pick and I started wrestling my style, because I wasn't going to score if I just wrestled off of him." Haney made good on that first-round statement with a pin of Tyler Arnette of Westerville North and a 13-6 decision over Northwest senior Josh Faris to reach the semifinals, where Avon Lake's Nathan Perry is waiting. Perry was a state qualifier in 2022. "I bumped up four or five weight classes because this year I want to get better," Haney said. "I want to wrestle kids that are stronger than me so I can learn how to do the moves right. If you don't do the moves right against someone much stronger than you, you get punished very badly." Haney was the first of four Hornets to reach the semifinals, which was good enough to put Highland in third place as a team with 85 points. He was joined by Zisimos Giatis (144), who earned a pin and a technical fall to survive the first day. Creed Hill (150) also scored bonus points with a major decision and technical fall, while Lukas Stiles (215) took three pinfall victories to reach the semifinals. The only county team to send more to the semifinals was Buckeye, which seems set to run away from the field. The Bucks will send six into the semifinals and lead the team race with 136 points, which puts them 48.5 points ahead of second-place Wauseon. "Our team came in prepared after a rough dual with Wadsworth," Buckeye's Colyn Limbert said. "We worked on the things we needed to work on and were ready to come out here and compete." Limbert (113) will likely face Columbia's Cole Schulke, who placed third in Division III last year, in the final if the D-II third-place finisher can get past Clakston (Mich.) senior Preston Lefevre in the semis. Blake Bartos (106), Nolan Martin (150), Kaden King (157), Eddie Neitenbach (175) and Todd Allen (285) also are in the championship bracket for Buckeye. Bartos is alive and well in a strong 106 bracket and has a date with state qualifier Kurt Mokros from Olentangy to start today. If he wins, a likely final against Copley state placer Javaan Yarbrough will await. "I'm feeling good," Bartos said. "I'm wrestling at a point right now that is one of the best points I've wrestled." Perhaps the person most excited to see the self-proclaimed "Greatest Show in Wrestling" return after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was Medina senior Andrew Supers, who has been waiting to reach the podium in his home tournament since going 1-2 at the event as a freshman. The 157-pounder, the only Bee to have wrestled in the MIT prior to Wednesday, reached an all-Medina County semifinal against Buckeye's King with a major decision, technical fall and decision. "I've been waiting for this, looking forward to this weekend for a long time now," Supers said. "With last year being canceled two days before, I've been looking for this a lot. It's exciting (to place) and I've been getting ready every day in the room for it." Supers will be joined in the semis by Bees junior Blaine Chrisman (175), who got three pins on Day 1. Neitenbach also got three pins and is in the other semifinal. Cloverleaf was shut out of the semifinals, with Austin Letner (113), Hayden Jarvis (144), James Nespeca (165) and Timmy Shores (285) losing quarterfinals matchups. Brunswick found itself in the same boat when Vinnie Skiba (120) and Owen Tarnai (132) lost in the day's last round. Those six will be joined by Buckeye's Brandon Hayner (165), Highland's Matthew Haney (175) and Medina's Nick Kaplack (144) and Evan Hathcock (285) in leading a large county contingent looking to place from the consolation bracket. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Results Standings (top 10): 1. Buckeye 136, 2. Wauseon 87.5, 3. Highland 85, 4. Beavercreek 81.5, 5. Avon Lake 74.5, 5. Mayfield 74.5, 7. Solon 72, 8. Ashland 65.5, 9. Genoa 60, 10. Galion 57, 14. Medina 51.5, 21. Brunswick 41.5, 22. Cloverleaf. Semifinal pairings 106 — Javaan Yarbrough (Copley) v. Scott Fuller (Genoa); Blake Bartos (Buckeye) v. Kurt Mokros (Olentangy). 113 — Cole Schulke (Columbia) v. Tyler Barnes (Delta); Colyn Limbert (Buckeye) v. Preston Lefevre (Clarkston, MI). 120 — Cooper Shore (Miami East) v. Salvator Palmisano (Mayfield); Trevor Wilcox (Otsego) v. Korby Jones (Ashland). 126 — Ruben Pina-Lorenzana (Firelands) v. Roman Parobek (Ashland); Collin Twigg (Wauseon) v. Cowen Becker (Northmor). 132 — Vinnie D'Alessandro (Mayfield) v. Daniel Jang (Upper Arlington); Malakhi Sharpley (Solon) v. Zaden Torres (Wauseon). 138 — Conner Haney (Highland) v. Nathan Perry (Avon Lake); Carson Campbell (Northmor) v. Ayden Reyes (Galion). 144 — Augusta Anderson (Clarkston, MI) v. Evan Butcher (Westerville North); Zisimos Giatis (Highland) v. Benicio Torres (Wauseon). 150 — Creed Hill (Highland) v. Hunter Martin (Beavercreek); Nolan Martin (Buckeye) v. Breadan Beck (Mayfield). 157 — Jon Metzger (Ashland) v. Brodyn Butcher (Galion); Andrew Supers (Medina) v. Kaden King (Buckeye). 165 — Hunter Rose (New Lexington) v. Jack Marconi (Avon Lake); Tyler Hicks (Beavercreek) v. Zaidan Kessler (Wauseon). 175 — Eddie Neitenbach (Buckeye) v. Cameron Mink (Beavercreek); Blaine Chrisman (Medina) v. Sam Longhenry (New Lexington). 190 — Trent Thomas (Bedford) v. Austin Papalios (Beavercreek); Drake Bennett (Miami East) v. Hayden Garrow (Columbia). 215 — Mehki Bradley (Mansfield) v. Uzonna Nzekwe (Beachwood); Cayden Spotts (Ashland) v. Lukas Stiles (Highland). 285 — Todd Allen (Buckeye) v. Nico Traczyk (Mayfield); Edward Powers IV (North Ridgeville) v. Alex Griffin (Galion).