by JOHN HOWLEY /sportingpumpkin.com
COLUMBUS — It was a mixed bag of results for Pickaway County’s Division II wrestlers in the state championships held at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.
Circleville senior Trentt Fulgham won his opening match, Logan Elm sophomore Gavin Hoover survived the consolation round and Circleville junior Jacob Johnson saw his season come to an end.
Fulgham (41-7) looked like he had a tough challenge ahead of him in facing off with Buckeye senior Todd Allen (36-5). Allen had won the heavyweight title as a sophomore and placed seventh as a junior.
Fulgham did what he needed to do to pull out a 2-1 win and advance to face Bowling Green senior Dominick Burch Saturday morning.
Hoover had the unfortunate task of facing returning 126-pound state champion Bryce Skinner from Akron’s St. Vincent/St. Mary High School. Skinner (27-6) came out on top of that match with a 17-2 technical fall.
Hoover came back facing Clear Fork junior Peyton Hoskins (46-9) in the consolation round. This time it went a little better as Hoover advanced with a 5-0 decision.
“I wasn’t expecting much from the first match,” Hoover said. “Second match I had to win because it was the blood round. I was getting ready before the match trying to just do my thing and go out there and wrestle.
“I was heavy on top so he couldn’t get out. That kept him down and he couldn’t get any points.”
Now Hoover waits to see who he’ll get in the second consolation round as he aims for the podium.
“That’s my goal for the weekend. I need one more match to place,” he said.
“He had a tough draw with the first match against a state champ,” Logan Elm coach Jake Daniels said. “He wrestled this kid (Hoskins), who was pretty solid. He went out there and wrestled his match.
“That’s the big thing, not being satisfied. Get here and win some matches, building some momentum for next year is a big thing. Get that taste and if we win one more tomorrow and get on the podium, even better.”
Johnson had a tough opener at 132 pounds facing Mason Ducat (48-4). The Defiance sophomore was awarded a couple of points as time expired on the match to record a 20-4 technical fall and send Johnson to the consolation bracket.
Coming back, Johnson (14-8) went up against Bishop Watterson freshman James Lindsay (26-4), with Lindsay recording a 14-2 major decision.
Fulgham will be back on the mat about 10:45 Saturday while Hoover will wrestle again around 1 p.m.
