Boys Wrestling: Coffman's Birden, DeSales' Max Shulaw lead area contingent at state
Sunday, March 10, 2024
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
At Ohio State Mar. 10, Dublin Coffman’s Ethan Birden, an Ohio State commit, captured a state title at 165 pounds after winning at 157 last year. Photo: Kevin Lam
For Dublin Coffman’s Ethan Birden and DeSales’ Max Shulaw, the championships they left with Sunday at Ohio State provided the culmination of a prep career filled with accomplishments that both believe will lead to big things at the next level.
The three other area champions, Bexley freshman Marius Garcia, Watterson freshman Michael Boyle and Hartley junior Aiden King, also showed how bright their respective futures are.
Shulaw, a Virginia commit who finished 49-1, pinned each of his four opponents at 215 pounds during the three-day state event which began Friday to help the Stallions score 95 points. They finished third behind St. Paris Graham (135.5) and Medina Buckeye (125) in the Division II tournament, with Watterson placing fourth (83).
After taking fourth at 195 as a freshman, Shulaw was runner-up at 215 as a sophomore and won his second consecutive title by pinning Wapakoneta’s Jace Knous in 3 minutes, 8 seconds.
“I’m very, very excited,” Shulaw said. “It’s a lot of hard work and dedication. You find the little minute things you need to work on. I came out here on Sunday night in front of a big crowd and executed. My pace was up, and (Knous) wasn’t quite ready to keep up with that. I knew if I just stayed on him the whole match, eventually he would break.
“It’s been really cool. We started off with pretty much three wrestlers (in the program) when I got here, and I got that fourth-place finish and we had some guys step up. I’m so excited to see where it carries the next three to four years.”
Birden, who was fifth as a freshman and runner-up as a sophomore, won the title at 157 a year ago and then captured the championship at 165 at this year’s event when he beat Massillon Perry’s Landen Johnson 4-3 in the title bout to finish 47-1.
An Ohio State commit, Birden helped the Shamrocks finish fourth (88.5) while Olentangy Liberty tied for sixth (67) in Division I as Lakewood St. Edward scored 226.5 to win its 37th overall title and ninth in a row.
DeSales’ Max Shulaw, a Virginia commit, won the OHSAA state title Mar. 10 at Ohio State after finishing with a record of 49-1. Photo Kevin Lam
“I didn’t wrestle my best (in the state final). My arm was hurting and I just had to persevere through it,” Birden said. “I had to keep my composure. I feel great about it. I always wanted to be a three- or four-time (state champion), but I’m still wrestling, I’m still getting better and I’m going to be training with Ohio State. I still have bigger goals.”
King, who was eighth as a freshman and runner-up last year, defeated Warren Howland’s Adam Heckman 11-7 to win the 132 title in Division II.
“I know I’m way better than that kid, and the first period was 0-0, so I couldn’t be having that,” King said. “Beginning of the second period, I pushed the pace. I know I’m better on neutral. I got my takedown and went straight to my cradle. It took a lot of energy out because I couldn’t get the pin, but I kept going and going. (Getting second last year) drove me a lot because I couldn’t get second twice in my high school career. Next year I’m going to come back better technically, more aggressive and get that second state title.”
Garcia became Bexley’s first state champion since 1985 when he edged Ontario’s Aiden Ohl 5-4 for the 106 title in Division II.
Garcia didn’t make it out of the sectional round as a freshman and went 0-2 at state as a sophomore but finished 51-0 this winter.
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this and it just feels really good,” Garcia said. “I know I’m tougher than anyone I wrestle. We’ve been talking about (becoming the school’s first champion in 39 years) for a while, and I knew I was going to be the next one. I’ve trained too hard to not win one. I’ve always been a very small 106, so I knew I would always have to battle adversity when I was wrestling.”
According to Watterson coach Felix Catheline, Boyle has an “unmatched” work ethic.
Boyle defeated Graham’s Bryce Kohler 5-1 for the 165 title and finished 43-4 overall.
“It was fun,” Boyle said. “My coaches helped me all the way through the season. I’m one of six kids in my family and still my parents find the time to take me all these places and be supportive. I knew I could do this. I’m not really the most athletic dude out there, and I just have to do what my coaches taught me and trust in the Lord.”
Bexley freshman Marius Garcia became the first state champion for the Lions since 1985, winning at 106 pounds, at Ohio State Mar. 10. Photo: Kevin Lam
Earning runner-up finishes in Division II were Shulaw’s brother, junior Lincoln Shulaw (190), as well as Watterson sophomore James Lindsay (138) and Highland sophomore Cael Gilmore (144).
Other placers in Division II were Watterson juniors Neal Krysty (third at 120) and Mitchell Younger (fourth at 150) and sophomore Joe Curry (fifth at 126), along with seniors Zack Lopez (165) and Aidan Rush (seventh at 150) and junior Andrew Barford (third at 175) from DeSales, Hartley senior Cooper Rathburn (fourth at 157), Jonathan Alder junior Anthony Kroninger (fourth at 165), River Valley senior Porter Rick (seventh at 190), Bloom-Carroll senior Tristan Britch (eighth at 190) and Granville senior Ian Rutherford (eighth at heavyweight).
Coffman senior Omar Ayoub, a two-time state champion and Nebraska commit, battled injury during the final two days of competition and finished runner-up at 144.
Also placing second in Division I was Liberty senior Tyler Deericks (157), while Liberty seniors Brady Quillin (215) and Jaxson Rosselli (120) and Dublin Scioto senior Ty Wilson (150) each were third.
Also placing for Coffman were seniors Storm Beane (seventh at 190) and Sammy Moloney (sixth at 175), sophomore Grayson Woodcock (seventh at 157) and freshmen Eli Esguerra (sixth at 150) and Blaze Van Gundy (fifth at 120).
Other area state placers in Division I were junior Lincoln Gardner (eighth at 165) and sophomore Huggy Williams (fifth at 126) for Liberty, Dublin Jerome senior Ian Cho (eighth at 150), Marysville junior Carson Mize (fifth at 175), Mount Vernon sophomore Alex Taylor (fifth at 215), Olentangy junior Kurt Mokros (eighth at 113), and Lancaster junior Luke Cox (fifth at heavy) and senior Cole Dickerson (seventh at 215).
In Division III, Centerburg junior Christopher Marshall (138) and Marion Pleasant senior Daxton Chase were runners-up.
Northmor had three placers in sophomores Ethan Amens (eighth at 120) and Carson Campbell (fourth at 157) and junior Cowen Becker (fourth at 132). Other area placers in Division III were Elgin junior Quinten Harrison (seventh at 157) and Pleasant junior Sam Mentzer (sixth at 165).
Bishop Hartley junior Aiden King during his state title run at 132 pounds at Ohio State Mar. 10. Photo: Kevin Lam