Boys wrestling: Watterson repeats championship behind Lindsay, Boyle
Monday, March 16, 2026
By Michael Rich
mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com
Watterson’s James Lindsay (left), a West Point commit, competes against Beau Nezbeth of West Branch in the OHSAA state finals at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center Sunday. Photo: John Hulkenberg
James Lindsay stood alongside his teammates with a big smile on his face in the bowels of the Schottenstein Center. The Watterson boys wrestling squad was getting ready to take their curtain call in celebration of a second consecutive Division II state championship.
The Eagles scored 110.5 points to beat out rival DeSales (94.5) and avenge a pair of losses over the last month. Sparta Highland (39.5) finished eighth.
Lindsay, a senior, was one of five area competitors to capture gold along with teammate Michael Boyle won at 215 pounds, Licking Valley’s Joe Curry at 126 and DeSales’ Joel Walsh at 165. Dublin Coffman’s Oliver Lester at 120 won the area’s only Division I title.
The Shamrocks (127.5) tied Massillon Perry for third and Olentangy Liberty (58.5) was eighth in Division I. Lakewood St. Edward (168.5) had its run of 10 consecutive team titles stopped by Perrysburg (173.5).
And as happy as Lindsay was to help Watterson win the title, he was perhaps more elated to finally capture one of his own.
Lindsay, who defeated Beloit West Branch’s Beau Nezbeth 9-3 at 150, finished second at 150 last year, second at 138 as a sophomore and fourth at 138 as a freshman.
“Getting second the last two year was heartbreaking,” Lindsay said. “I mean, it just fueled the fire for me to go get the dub today. It all came down to this moment – the final match of my high school career and getting the state title – (it) means everything to me.”
Watterson’s Michael Boyle, an Ohio State commit, after winning his third state title at the Schottenstein Center Sunday. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Winning his championship was a surreal accomplishment for Lindsay, who plans to compete at Army’s West Point.
“Honestly, it doesn’t feel real to me,” he said. “Just being in that situation multiple times and always losing. (Winning this time) doesn’t feel real. (I’ll) get (my) picture on the wall at Watterson and I’ll get to see myself up there. I feel like that’s when it’s going to start to feel real.”
While Lindsay was able to capture his first, Boyle blew through his opponent, George Eggers of Napoleon by a 21-5 technical fall at 215, to capture his third state title. Both athletes entered undefeated.
“I don’t want to win (like I did last year) when I left it up to the referee,” said Boyle, a junior, who also won at 215 last year and 165 as a freshman. “I was glad to come out here and put some points on the board and really take the match under my control.”
Boyle, who finished 38-0, plans to move up to heavyweight as he prepares to compete collegiately at Ohio State.
“He’s the epitome of play like you practice,” Watterson coach Kevin Petrella said. “He’s a million miles an hour all the time. I think to see a high schooler train like that … you can tell he’s a special individual.
Petrella is in his first season leading the Eagles after spending 15 years at Hartley.
DeSales’ Joel Welsh competes with Claymont’s Kamden Stout during Welsh’s title-winning finals match at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center Sunday. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Watterson had five placers at state, including Tommy Rowlands (second, 157), Thomas Lindsay (fourth, 138) and AJ DeMassimo (fifth, 285).
Petrella is quick to give credit to the team and assistant coaches.
“Long before I got here, they were putting in the work,” Petrella said. “Guys like Ross Thatcher, Tommy Rowlands (Sr.), Phil Anglim and a bunch of other coaches – I could name names forever – they’re the ones that built the foundation of this program. They did a heck of a job. It’s been a great opportunity for me and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
The Eagles lost to rival DeSales 42-27 in the final at the OHSWCA state duals and finished second to the Stallions in the sectional and district tournaments.
Welsh, Curry and Lester all won titles for the first time.
Curry, a senior, won a 7-1 decision over Galion’s Carter Trukovich and Welsh won his by injury default when Uhrichsville Claymont’s Kamden Stout suffered a knee injury in the first period of their match.
“Having it end that way kind of hurt a little bit, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that I got to the finals and did my job,” said Welsh, a junior. “It’s just part of wrestling.”
Lester, a sophomore, defeated St. Edwards’ Bauman in a 9-2 tiebreaker.
Dublin Coffman’s Oliver Lester celebrates his state title win with the Shamrocks’ head coach, Chance Van Gundy, Sunday at the Schottenstein Center. Photo: John Hulkenberg
State Placers
Division I
113: Loc Webber (Dublin Coffman, third)
120: Oliver Lester (Coffman, first)
126: Tommy Wurster (Coffman, second); Jake Shirck (New Albany, eighth)
132: Blaze Van Gundy (Coffman, third)
144: Huggy Williams (Liberty, fourth)
150: Aiden Milam (Liberty, third)
157: Eli Esguerra (Coffman, third); Mavrik Gregory (Mount Vernon, sixth)
165: Keegen Andrews (Marysville, eighth)
175: Kile Sentieri (Marion Harding, fifth)
190: Dylan Frass (Liberty, third); Michael Feeney (Coffman, sixth)
215: Logan Krooner (Darby, third); Mason Parrill (Coffman, sixth)
Heavyweight: Braylon Wright (Coffman, sixth); Daniel Stephens (Olentangy, seventh)
Division II
106: Mark Mobley (DeSales, third); Brody Miller (Licking Valley, eighth)
113: Henry Geiger (Granville, seventh)
120: Rayce Watson (Jonathan Alder, fifth); Nash Finley (Granville, eighth)
126: Joe Curry (Licking Valley, first); Josh Sheets (DeSales, third), Anthony Bergeron (Granville, fifth)
138: Grayson Debevoise (DeSales, third); Thomas Lindsay (Watterson, fourth)
144: Kasey Clark (Highland, second)
150: James Lindsay (Watterson, first)
157: Tommy Rowlands (Watterson, second); Jonah Jenkins (DeSales, fifth)
165: Joel Welch (DeSales, first); Cael Gilmore (Highland, third)
215: Michael Boyle (Watterson, first)
Heavyweight: A.J. DeMassimo (Watterson, fifth)
Division III
165: Rylan Puckett (West Jefferson, seventh)
215: Ayden Cordle (West Jefferson, eighth)