Amanda-Clearcreek sophomore Peyton Beavers is slated to make his debut in the state wrestling championships that begin on Friday inside Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.
Beavers qualified for the state tournament by finishing third last weekend at 150 pounds in a Division III district tournament hosted by Harrison Central High School.
The A-C sophomore grappler won his consolation semifinal 8-3 over Newcomerstown’s Domonique Millender to secure a spot in the state tournament and then claimed a 13-4 major decision against Elgin’s Kaiden Luikart in the third-place final.
Beavers (39-5) is slated to face Sycamore Mohawk senior Jace Margraf (46-5) in a first-round match.
Question: How do you feel you wrestled last weekend at the district tournament and chat with us about winning your match to qualify for the state tournament?
Answer: I felt like I wrestled really good. I was prepared with my conditioning, strength and technique. It was where it needed to be. Once I won my match to qualify for state, I felt like I accomplished my goal, but the job wasn’t done and I had to wrestle my next match to take third.
Photos by John Howley/Sporting Pumpkin
Question: What are your keys to success on the mat with your style of wrestling?
Answer: My keys are aggressiveness, conditioning and a good mindset going into my matches.
Question: Talk to us about your practice and training routine and how it has pushed you to become a better grappler?
Answer: I practice and workout five days a week and try to do camps and other things during the weekends. First and foremost, I want to give all glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
My training partners and coaches are the reason I am where I am at today. Those include my wrestling partners Bodie and Preston and a lot of others at CP wrestling that push me super hard. I owe a lot of my accomplishment to my coach Collin Palmer, who I have been wrestling for years with.
Question: What are your expectations for the state tournament?
Answer: My expectations has always been winning, so I expect nothing less going into the state tournament and winning at all costs due to all the hard work I have put in and the partners I have had to push me during this journey.
