Edison's James repeats as state champion

COLUMBUS — A year ago, Edison's Luke James got a quick takedown in his Division III 175-pound championship match and went on to win a state title. History repeated itself Sunday night at the Schottenstein Center. James got a quick takedown in the first period and went on to defeat North Lewisburg Triad's Awsom Mitchell for the second straight year in the state wrestling finals. Last year it was 11-5. On Sunday it was 7-5. Both results send James to the top of the podium. "It feels great," James said. "If I can build a lead early I have great confidence in myself that nobody's gonna be able to take me down. My head and hands defense, I'd put it up against anybody in the whole state." James, who finished the season undefeated at 46-0, led 6-1 after two periods before giving up a takedown in the third. "I kinda stopped moving my feet and got my hands stationary. He got one," James said. "I didn't put my hips back enough and underestimated his power. "He's a good opponent. You don't make the state finals two years in a row for no reason. He's definitely a tough opponent and it was fun getting in a scrap with him again." Mitchell, who finished the season with a 49-2 record, dominated his first three opponents in Columbus. He started off with a 19-2 technical fall before recording a pin in 4:53 and a 12-2 major decision. James also had been unstoppable. He started his tournament with a 45-second pin and won a 10-0 major decision in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he won a 7-3 decision in the semifinals against Graham's Jake Hoke. James said he didn't mind facing the same opponent two years in a row. "In my mind it gave me a little bit of advantage," he said. "I tend to do better the second time I wrestle people. I had more confidence in myself. I wasn't nervous at all before I came out." James watched from across the arena as Lakota's Braxton Quaintance won the 165-pound title. "Seeing Braxton win his match also helped," he said. "When you see other people succeed when you're around every day, it makes it easy to have a good mindset." After he had his hand raised, James headed to the front row where he hugged his dad, Jeff, and brother Ben, who finished in third place earlier in the day for St. Mary Central Catholic at 138 pounds. James will wrestle collegiately for California Baptist University. He is an All-Ohio wrestler for the fourth straight season. He finished fifth as a freshman and third as a sophomore — both years at St. Paris Graham. At Edison, he won two titles. Edison first-year head coach Jude Michel was pleased with James' effort. "He pushed the pace," Michel said. "We knew we could get to that attack and he got to it early and kept attacking. He was on the offense the whole match." Edison's Hermes, SMCC's Roth honored Former Edison head coach Davy Hermes was honored prior to Sunday's finals as a 2025 inductee into the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. Hermes guided the Chargers to four state duals championships as well as the 2024 team championship at the individual tournament. Under Hermes, Edison wrestlers won 11 individual state titles and 58 state placements. Hermes stepped down as head coach last year but still volunteers at Edison as an assistant coach. Jude Roth also was honored Sunday with a Service Award. Roth was a state champion in 1978 for St. Mary Central Catholic and coached the Panthers for 26 years. He coached SMCC to seven state titles and 24 individual championships. Roth also was one of the driving forces behind the Ohio Athletics Commission, a nonprofit that has provided a state championship format for junior high wrestlers.