High school wrestling: Buckeye sitting pretty after first day of Medina Invitations

MEDINA — The Buckeye wrestling team won its first Medina Invitational Tournament title last season. The Bucks look well on their way to making it two in a row. With six wrestlers in the semifinals, Buckeye is poised to improve on two individual champions from last season and is clear of the field with 124 points. The Bucks are easily in front of Delta (89.5) and Wauseon (81.5). Seniors Colyn Limbert (120) and Eddie Neitenbach (190) each need a pair of wins to grab back-to-back MIT championships. Limbert, the reigning Division II 113-pound state champion, rolled through his matches by gaining bonus points in each round with two pins and a technical fall. He finished with a major decision over Brunswick's Eddie Skiba (24-12) in the quarters. Skiba evened the match at 7 in the second period before Limbert took over and sent the Blue Devils junior into the consolation bracket. Limbert is in a loaded semifinals and will wrestle Gradey Harding of Galion, who finished fifth in D-II. With a win, two-time Michigan state placer Archer Anderson (Clarkson) or returning Ohio state placer Garrison Weisner of Oregon Clay will await in the final. Neitenbach earned a bye at 190 after winning at 175 a year ago and then spent a little more than two minutes on the mat with a pair of quick pins. The senior is rolling after a third-place finish at the Walsh Ironman and gets Adam Schumacher of Avon in the semis. With a win there, returning state placers Connor Sintobin of Delta or Austin Kovar of Wauseon would be the championship matchup. Wrestling up from his typical spot at 157, Kaden King (165) is looking to improve on his third-place finish in 2022 and dominated to the semis with two pins and a tech fall. The defending 157 D-II state champion has a potentially headlining finals tilt with 165 D-II state championship favorite Kaiyon McKinney of Sandusky Perkins. King first must defeat returning state placer Gage Bolt of Williamsport Westfall in the semis. Blake Bartos (113), an early-season D-II state title favorite, is in a loaded semifinal like Limbert. With a win, he will likely face D-III individual favorite Adam Mattin of Delta for the gold. Danny Beckett (144) won all three of his matches via pin — has quickest was 19 seconds — to get to the semis. Beckett is seeking his first placement at the MIT after qualifying for state last season. Nick Brunst (150) has a potential match with Cloverleaf's Tristan Craddock awaiting in the finals. Brunst and Craddock both placed at the MIT and qualified for state last year, with Craddock. The seniors are favored to move on to the finals. Medina has one wrestler still alive in the championship bracket, as senior Blaine Chrisman (175) picked up two pins and a major decision to guarantee a place on the podium. He finished runner-up to Neitenbach at 175 last year. A semifinal victory over state qualifier Bryce Wickline of Williamsport Westfall would earn Chrisman a probable championship bout with returning D-III state-placer Tyson Seesholtz (Canfield South Range). Still alive in the consys for Buckeye are Brody Zoul (126), Austin McKee (138), Liam Neitenbach (175) and Curtis Gunkleman (215). The Colts are tied for 32nd place with 38 points, with Hayden Jarvis (157), Cameron Newman (215) and Timmy Shores (285) still working for a spot on the podium. Medina sits tied for 30th (39 points) and has Cooper Kaplack (106), Taegan Gilmore (113), Tyler Bradshaw (120) and Cliff Nicholson (215) battling through the lower bracket. Vince Skiba (126) joins brother Eddie and Dominic May (215) in the consolation bracket for Brunswick. The Blue Devils sit in 35th place with 33-½ points, Contact Chad Grant at sports@medina-gazette.com. Results Standings: 1. Buckeye 124, 2. Delta 89½, 3. Wauseon 81½, 4. Sandusky Perkins 79, 5. Clarkston (MI) 77½, 6. Lewis Center Olentangy 75½, 7. Ashland 75, 8. Austintown Fitch 71, 9. Oak Harbor 70½, 10. Genoa 70, 11. Avon Lake 69½, 12. Toledo Whitmer 62, 13. Casstown Miami East 61, 14. North Canton Hoover 59, 15. Galion 57½, 16. Louisville 55, 17. Grafton Midview 54, 18. Westerville North 52, 19. Williamsport Westfall 51½, 20. Firelands, Lancaster 51, 22. Beavercreek 50, 23. Lake Uniontown, Parma Padua Franciscan 48, 25. Avon, Granville 47, 27. Solon 44½, 28. Oregon Clay 43½, 29. Rootstown 41½, 30. Medina, New Lexington 39, 32. Cloverleaf, Galion Northmor 38, 34. Pickerington North 34, 35. Brunswick 33½, 36. Hilliard Darby 33, 37. Warren Howland 31½, 38. Olmsted Falls 29, 39. Copley 26, 40. Olentangy Orange 25½, 41. Canfield South Range 25, 42. Columbia 23, 43. Rocky River Lutheran West, 43. Springfield 19.0, 45. Beachwood, North Ridgeville 15, 47. Mayfield 12½, 48. Sandusky Central Catholic 12, 49. Columbus Academy 9, 50. Tiffin Columbian 7½. Semifinal pairings: 106 — Jeremy Sibrel (Beav) v. D.J. Otero (LW); Mason Bauer (Ash) v. Carmello Kolb (Sol). 113 — Adam Mattin (Del) v. Sawyer Smith (Perk); Blake Bartos (Buck) v. Scott Fuller (Gen). 120 — Colyn Limbert (Buck) v. Gradey Harding (Gal); Garrison Weisner (Clay) v. Archer Anderson (Clar). 126 — Preston Lefevre (Clar) v. Wyatt Nemitz (Perk); Kolten Barker (Lou) v. Zavian LaFountain (Waus). 132 — Adam Heckman (Howl) v. Giovanni Duniec (Pad); Jaiden Sarabia (TW) v. Salvatore Palmisano (May). 138 — Aiden Hays (Sol) v. Tyson Spicer (NL); Jack Valerino (AL) v. Cowin Becker (NGal). 144 — Jake Piontkowski (Olen) v. Jordan Cook (Waus); Andrew Connelly (OF) v. Danny Beckett (Buck). 150 — Tristan Craddock (Clo) v. Alex Boske (Hov); Hunter Anderson (Mid) v. Nick Brunst (Buck). 157 — Jeremy Ginter (TW) v. Andrew Davis (WNor); Tristen McKibben (RT) v. Drennen Landenberger (PiNo). 165 — Kaden King (Buck) v. Gage Bolt (West); Josh Jordan (Lake) v. Kaiyon McKinney (Perk). 175 — Tyson Seesholtz (SR) v. Luke Clemont (Gen); Bryce Wickline (West) v. Blaine Chrisman (Med). 190 — Eddie Neitenbach (Buck) v. Adam Schumacher (Avon); Connor Sintobin (Delt) v. Austin Kovar (Waus). 215 — Cole Dickerson (Lanc) v. Cayden Spotts (Ash); Marky Stankorb (Fitch) v. Drake Bennett (MiaE). 285 — Luke Cox (Lanc) v. Clay Broadhurst (AL); Eli Sanchez (Perk) v. Alex Griffith (Gal).