Five All-Ohio wrestlers wrap up season

COLUMBUS — Colton Sparks finished his decorated high school career with a pin. That was appropriate. Sparks, a senior who hopes to wrestle collegiately at Mount Union, pinned Loudonville's Caleb Gregory in 2:51 to finish in seventh place in Division III. After a scoreless first period, Sparks trailed 1-0 before he took control and recorded his 124th career pin. That is unofficially the 15th-most in OHSAA history, and just one of 22 wrestlers have reached the number. "In the second period I could tell he was run down a little bit, but he still worked really hard and probably had more stamina than I had," Sparks said. "I've always tried to wrestle to end matches as quickly as possible to avoid any risk of getting caught or hurt unexpectedly." The win improved Sparks' record to 49-4 and set a single-season record for wins at Plymouth. He finished with 157 career wins — also tops at the school. Sparks joined Mark Messer, a Class A state runner-up in 1978, as the only two state placers in Plymouth history. Plymouth coach Jeremiah Balkin said Sparks clinched his status as the best wrestler in Big Red history. "Being a four-time district placer, a two-time state qualifier and a state placer his senior year, I don't think there would be any argument," Balkin said. Medina battles back for fifth Edison junior Marcus Medina will have some big-time motivation heading into his senior season of wrestling. Medina pinned Tuslaw's Maxwell Cooper in 3:14 to finish in fifth place at 144 on Sunday in Div. III. Medina recorded two takedowns and was in control of the match before his pin early in the third period on Mat 7 at the Schottenstein Center. "He tried to shuck me into a body lock. I bear-hugged, squeezed to his back," Medina said. "He tried to roll through. I settled my hips down and got him in the arm and stuck him." Medina finished the season 43-9 and is a two-time All-Ohio wrestler. He finished seventh at state as a freshman before being sidelined last year with a torn meniscus. Medina went 4-2 at state and his losses were close ones: 3-2 in the second round and 3-1 in the consolation semifinals earlier Sunday. "I gotta do my stuff and control the pace," Medina said. "I had some matches I lost that could've gone my way. That motivates for next year to know what I gotta do to get to the top of the podium. That's my goal." Edison coach Davey Hermes said Medina has plenty of motivation. "Seventy-five percent of the matches here are probably won or lost by a point or two when you have two high-level kids going against each other," he said. "He came up on the short end of the stick twice. Hopefully it fuels him for next year. "He did a great job battling back. You see kids who don't reach their goals sometimes cash in and don't perform. He wrestled hard every match and that's what I'm most concerned about." Monroeville's Evans also 7th Brencyn Evans wanted redemption, and he didn't waste much time getting it. Wrestling for seventh place at 157 pounds in Div. III, the Monroeville sophomore was across from the wrestler who knocked him to the consolation bracket to open the tournament. This time, Evans needed less than a minute for a match-winning pin. "That was exciting, because I knew I could get back at him," Evans said. "I knew I was better than him. Getting the chance was really gratifying. It gives me a good feeling to end the tournament and the season." Evans came out on the front foot and used a barrel roll to get Centerburg's Caylan LeMaster on his back. He finished it off after 55 seconds, a stark contrast to a 6-4 loss Friday. "I kind of have a cold right now, so I wasn't feeling great the other day, either," Evans said. "He beat me 6-4, which really shouldn't have happened ever. I think I just showed that right now, that kid is not at my level." Evans had been a state alternate as a freshman, which prepared him some but not all the way for the scope of wrestling at the Schott. "I was down here and got to see everything," Evans said. "That kind of prepared me for what it's gonna be like, but it's a lot different wrestling versus just being down here." After finishing his tournament on a strong note, Evans has no doubt about where his energy will be devoted in the year to come. "I'm ready to put everything into this," Evans said. "I love this sport. To do this, it really gives me a boost to be ready to go into next year." Vogus ends in 4th Monroeville senior Hunter Vogus fell 2-0 in the 132-pound third place match to Barnesville's Dakota King. Vogus (45-9) won 5-0 in the consolation semifinals over Northwood's Wyatt Hinton. He won 11-0 in the first round and 6-1 in the quarterfinals before losing 3-2 in the semifinals to Massillon Perry's Brock Christian in a rematch of a 1-0 win back on Jan. 14 at the Maumee Bay Classic. Vogus ended his career with a 171-34 record. The three-time state qualifier also placed seventh last season. GIRLS Lasch becomes first All-Ohioan Western Reserve junior Kelsey Lasch became the first area state placer at the girls championships, which were sanctioned by the OHSAA for the first time ever this weekend. After losing her first match, Lasch responded with a pair of wins — a 10-7 decision and a 10-1 major decision — before falling twice to finish seventh at 115 pounds. Lasch finished the season with a 21-10 record.