Greatest Ohio High School Wrestlers of All Time

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coachchuck

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113 posts
Feb 19, 2013 10:24 AM
MPhillips;1390869 wrote:Mark Zimmer
David Taylor
Tom Milkovich
Alan Fried
Kenny Ramsey
Dustin Schlatter
Jeff Jordan
Tommy Rowlands
Harry Lester
C.P Schlatter
Willie Wineburg
Jared Opfer
Jim Jordan
John Mcgee
Lance Palmer
Eric Burnett
this pretty much sums it for me

luke fickell as well he was a stud my former college coach called him out once.... that was enough for me
Feb 19, 2013 10:24am
K

Kras

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18 posts
Feb 19, 2013 1:12 PM
Lee Kemp... ok I'm old...
Feb 19, 2013 1:12pm
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cradle3

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37 posts
Feb 19, 2013 1:19 PM
Kras;1392256 wrote:Lee Kemp... ok I'm old...
very few can say they beat Gable
Feb 19, 2013 1:19pm
cruiser_96's avatar

cruiser_96

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7,536 posts
Feb 19, 2013 2:04 PM
Kras;1392256 wrote:Lee Kemp... ok I'm old...
Just shows wisdom. Lee Kemp is a bad dude! I'm a huge fan.
Feb 19, 2013 2:04pm
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#1sportsfan

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1 posts
Feb 19, 2013 4:17 PM
You can't have a list like this without including Mike DeAnna. State Champ 1974, 1975, and 1976. Pretty good college and A.A.U. career too.
Feb 19, 2013 4:17pm
M

MPhillips

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383 posts
Feb 19, 2013 4:34 PM
#1sportsfan;1392442 wrote:You can't have a list like this without including Mike DeAnna. State Champ 1974, 1975, and 1976. Pretty good college and A.A.U. career too.
I struggled leaving him and Dan Hanson off the list As well as Opfer and McGee!!!
Feb 19, 2013 4:34pm
Half Full Nelson's avatar

Half Full Nelson

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57 posts
Feb 19, 2013 4:55 PM
This is always a tough question to answer, because: are you talking about JUST their HS career, or their post-HS career as well? That being said, my top 10 (in no particular order):

Allen Freid, David Taylor, Dustin Schlatter, Lee Kemp, Logan Steiber, Jeff Jordan, Mark Zimmer, Harry Lester, John McGee and Tommy Rowlands.
Feb 19, 2013 4:55pm
K

Kras

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18 posts
Feb 19, 2013 5:04 PM
Now we're talkin'... I grew up in Chesterland (West by-god Geauga High). Lee attended our rival Chardon. Attended the original meatgrinders at Mayfield and Mentor annually in the late 60's/70's as my father, a local HS football coach and AD, worked the scoring tables at both. The Maple Heights glory days of Milkovich - I'd argue the original Ohio wrestling family... Deanna, Greg Drenik, Golic vs Cousineau...

That leads to another question for y'all... How does Fickell match up with Golic / Cousineau? I'm sure he's on the podium, but ahead of those 2 beasts?
Feb 19, 2013 5:04pm
cruiser_96's avatar

cruiser_96

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7,536 posts
Feb 19, 2013 5:43 PM
Luke pins them in the first or second. Like he did everyone else.
Feb 19, 2013 5:43pm
M

MPhillips

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383 posts
Feb 19, 2013 6:44 PM
cruiser_96;1392495 wrote:Luke pins them in the first or second. Like he did everyone else.
*Mark Moos.
Feb 19, 2013 6:44pm
cruiser_96's avatar

cruiser_96

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7,536 posts
Feb 20, 2013 7:13 AM
Luke Fickell would pin Mark Moos... whenever he finally grabbed a hold of him.
Feb 20, 2013 7:13am
M

MPhillips

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383 posts
Feb 20, 2013 8:40 AM
cruiser_96;1392800 wrote:Luke Fickell would pin Mark Moos... whenever he finally grabbed a hold of him.

Hahahahah.
I was going with Steve Luke of course.
Feb 20, 2013 8:40am
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cruiser_96

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7,536 posts
Feb 20, 2013 9:14 AM
I knew that. (2-1-1-1)

Just couldn't come up with anything clever for that. And I wanted to give props to Luke Fickell. I mean, afterall, he WOULD beat Mark Moos!
Feb 20, 2013 9:14am
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Head_Knight

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134 posts
Feb 20, 2013 10:02 AM
Jeff Ratliff
Feb 20, 2013 10:02am
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Bitterrunner-up

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632 posts
Feb 20, 2013 12:52 PM
Kras;1392478 wrote:That leads to another question for y'all... How does Fickell match up with Golic / Cousineau? I'm sure he's on the podium, but ahead of those 2 beasts?
I've said this before...All of the greats, and there have been a lot of them, would have just been another guy Luke Fickell pinned.
Feb 20, 2013 12:52pm
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bigkgizzle

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28 posts
Feb 20, 2013 4:46 PM
Has there ever been a 4x champ who has never lost? If not, then i would say any guys who lost only 1 match in their career are probably the best. Unless of course their losses were all on their records because of forfeits. If you haven't read that thread then you probably have no idea what I am referring to.
Feb 20, 2013 4:46pm
Half Full Nelson's avatar

Half Full Nelson

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Feb 20, 2013 6:03 PM
bigkgizzle;1393154 wrote:Has there ever been a 4x champ who has never lost? If not, then i would say any guys who lost only 1 match in their career are probably the best. Unless of course their losses were all on their records because of forfeits. If you haven't read that thread then you probably have no idea what I am referring to.

I don't believe Ohio has ever had a 4-time undefeated champ. Although, I believe Chris Phillips' only loss was to an out-of-state wrestler (Ruth?) I'm actually surprised he hasn't gotten more mention in this thread. I believe Taylor had 1 loss his freshman year. That being said, I don't think the question is mathematically that simple. If a guy has a loss, or 5 losses, and all were to guys who were also 4-timers...what does that say? If the question were that objective, it'd be no fun to talk about, right?
Feb 20, 2013 6:03pm
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kilbournewrastlin21

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Feb 20, 2013 8:59 PM
Anthony Cirace at westerville south was a 2 time state champ and went 50-0 as a senior and won the midwest classic when that was still a tough tournament. and may have been the most dominant wrestler in central ohio during his time
Feb 20, 2013 8:59pm
K

Kras

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18 posts
Feb 20, 2013 9:52 PM
MPhillips -- If Lil' Kras surprises cruiser, the article will have a hand in it...

For the rest of you young, naive, fickle fans (no not a spelling or grammar mistake)... not sure the big guy ever saw the skill or athleticism Golic & Cous brought the heavyweight class... 7.1975: Never has Ohio seen a greater array of heavyweights. Old Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes was drooling as he watched future Browns great nose tackle Bob Golic of St. Joseph beat Harold Smith of Canton McKinley, a future Olympian, for the title after Golic edged another future Browns linebacker, Tom Cousineau of St. Edward, in the semifinals. Cousineau wound up third. The heavyweight who placed fifth, Mike Weitzman of Eastlake North, helped his team beat Maple Heights for the state title. The sixth placer, Tim Payne of North Olmsted, won the state title in 1976.

http://highschoolsports.cleveland.com/news/article/5100816392234876125/ohios-state-wrestling-tournament-has-produced-more-than-its-share-of-memorable-moments-pat-galbincea/
Feb 20, 2013 9:52pm
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Bitterrunner-up

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632 posts
Feb 21, 2013 7:03 AM
All great wrestlers, and I still think they're just five guys Fickell would have pinned.
Feb 21, 2013 7:03am
cruiser_96's avatar

cruiser_96

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7,536 posts
Feb 21, 2013 7:15 AM
Kras;1393345 wrote:MPhillips -- If Lil' Kras surprises cruiser, the article will have a hand in it...

...
Go get'm, Kras!!!!!! I'll gladly be wrong when it comes to a Cruiser Invitational Champion!!!
Feb 21, 2013 7:15am
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cradle3

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37 posts
Feb 21, 2013 9:32 AM
Half Full Nelson;1393196 wrote:I don't believe Ohio has ever had a 4-time undefeated champ. Although, I believe Chris Phillips' only loss was to an out-of-state wrestler (Ruth?) I'm actually surprised he hasn't gotten more mention in this thread. I believe Taylor had 1 loss his freshman year. That being said, I don't think the question is mathematically that simple. If a guy has a loss, or 5 losses, and all were to guys who were also 4-timers...what does that say? If the question were that objective, it'd be no fun to talk about, right?
CP is also in this boat. His only loss came in o.t. (2) in the Beast finals to Michael Martin (Great Bridge VA).

Nobody is close to Fickell, these guys saying "just another guy that he would've pinned" are spot on.
Feb 21, 2013 9:32am
M

MPhillips

Senior Member

383 posts
Feb 21, 2013 9:37 AM
Found an interesting article titled.
The 20 Best HS Wrestlers Over The Last 20 Years
A bit dated as it was written in 2005. Still good stuff.

Schlatter was rated at #6 Fried at #2

Dustin Schlatter (Ohio)

Although he was already a four-time Cadet Nationals champion and a returning state champion, Dustin Schlatter's sophomore season started inauspiciously as he tasted defeat for the first time -- losing twice at the Ironman. Much as Gable's loss to Larry Owings seemed to drive him to new levels, so it was with Schlatter. After crushing the competition at state that year -- Schlatter had probably the finest postseason of any sophomore who ever took the mat. In that season, he faced a gauntlet of top junior and senior opponents, who seemingly all gravitated to the 135-pound weight class in the high school wrestling equivalent of the movie Highlander. While pundits were debating which upperclassmen superstar would emerge as the best out of Ryan Lang of Ohio, Dan Frishkorn of Virginia, Alex Tsirtsis of Indiana, Josh Churella of Michigan, and Charles Lloyd of Illinois, young Schlatter had other ideas and beat every single one of them. Only Ryan Lang was even close, as Schlatter beat this Senior Nationals champion, 6-4. At the time, Tsirtsis was coming off very impressive showings against collegiate competition and considered virtually untouchable. Schlatter dismantled him -- giving up only a takedown in the closing seconds of a 5-1 win. Schlatter also shut down Frishkorn, 3-0, at Fargo that year. For good measure, Schlatter scored technical fall victories that spring over the runner-up and third-place finishers at Fargo at 140 -- CJ Ettelson and Carter Downing.

Schlatter junior season just added to his legacy, as he beat 2005 NCAA All-American Michael Keefe, 3-1, and top-12 finisher Frank Edgar, 7-4, at the West Virginia Open. At the Beast of the East that year, he faced a great opponent in three-time California state champion Troy Tirapelle of California, the brother of NCAA champion Adam Tirapelle and NCAA runner-up Alex Tirapelle. Schlatter showed himself to be on another level once again, winning by a score of 14-6. The match was worse than the score, with Schlatter scoring seven takedowns and letting Tirapelle up six times.

While a showdown with Metcalf didn't materialize in Fargo that summer due to Schlatter breaking his wrist -- Schlatter avenged his controversial loss by winning a 4-3 decision over Metcalf for the Senior National title. Prior to that -- his closest bout in this loaded weight was 17-4. Perhaps most impressive was that as Schlatter closed his senior season, he had wrestled against five NCAA All-Americans (Frishkorn, Keefe, Churella, Drew Headlee, and Coleman Scott) and beaten all of them, as well as four wrestlers who had reached the All-American round of NCAAs (Ryan Lang, Frank Edgar, Rob Preston, and Mark McKnight) and beaten all of them as well.

Alan Fried (Ohio)

If Mocco personified the word intimidation, Fried personified the word intensity. The first four-time Junior Nationals freestyle champion, Fried's opponents appeared to be stuck in slow motion while he was in fast forward.

Fried's most impressive victory may have been defeating NCAA champion Clar Anderson after his junior year in high school. Fried competed in the Olympic Trials that summer, where he would face his future coach, John Smith. Those who were there report that young Fried actually scored the first takedown against America's greatest freestyle wrestler ever.

Perhaps most interesting was that on the way to winning Junior Nationals as a sophomore, he actually scored a technical fall over a senior from Iowa by the name of Tom Brands -- his future nemesis in college. Even as a redshirting freshman at Oklahoma State University, Fried defeated Brands at an open tournament. Brands would go on to win his first NCAA title -- and repeat the following two years with victories over Fried in the finals.

I know, I know..."Fickell would have pinned them both..."
Feb 21, 2013 9:37am
Half Full Nelson's avatar

Half Full Nelson

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Feb 21, 2013 10:16 AM
Don't get me wrong...I think Fickell was great, and agree that he'd probably pin everyone on this list. But, the fact that he happened to be a heavyweight and was thus larger than (almost) everyone else listed...well, you get my point. I don't think Fickell was a better all-around wrestler than David Taylor, or Allen Fried, sorry.
Feb 21, 2013 10:16am