Wrestling: Fairmont freshman wins district to prove doubters wrong

As Fairmont High School freshman 145-pounder Nevan Snodgrass stared at the clock being set for overtime, he knew the match was his.

Having already advanced to the state tournament from the Division I district tournament at Fairmont’s Trent Arena, Snodgrass wanted more.

“I knew it was going to happen,” Snodgrass said after needing just 10 seconds to claim a 4-2 sudden victory win over LaSalle senior Eric Beck. “There was no way he was going to beat me.

“I told myself I was going to win that match no matter what.”

The top four in each weight class advanced to the state tournament beginning Thursday in Columbus.

Snodgrass had watched as experts slowly slid him down the rankings after a slow start due to health issues, but wanted to send notice to the rest of the state that rankings are wrong.

“When people started doubting me, I knew I would prove to them that they were wrong,” Snodgrass said. “I had to prove them wrong.”

Butler’s Logan Hoskins (113) and Ronnie Pietro (120) and Wayne’s Jordan Hardrick (152) all finished second.

Division II: Graham won 10 of the 14 weight classes and advanced 11 to the state tournament on its way to to the Division II district title at Wilmington High School.

In the marquee match of the finals, Valley View’s Stone Day won for the third time in four meetings against Graham’s Kavan Sarver, taking the 195 title with a 3-2 win.

Chaminade Julienne’s Micah Marshall (138), Franklin’s Trenton Scott (145), Bellbrook’s Ben Sherrill (126) all finished as runners-up to their Graham counterparts in the finals.

Division III: Troy Christian had three champs and advanced six to the state tournament and placed second to Mechanicsburg in the D-III district at Troy's Hobart Arena.

The Eagles got titles from Ethan Turner (106), Jacob Edwards (113) and Jared Ford (138).

In the first of two marquee finals matches, Legacy Christian’s Tommy Hoskins edged Miami East’s Graham Shore 3-2 in the finals at 120.

Shore had defeated Hoskins in the district final a year ago, but was upset in the state semis as Hoskins won his second title.

In a battle of returning state placers in the 220 final, Carlisle’s Reece Human came up a point shy against defending state champ Ben Sullivan of National Trail.

Sullivan claimed a 7-6 win to avenge his loss to Human in the district semis last year.

Wyatt Long advanced for Lehman, finishing fourth at 195.

On deck: The 80th state wrestling tournament runs Thursday thorugh Saturday at the Schottenstein Center at the Ohio State University.

Wrestling will begin Thursday with Division III at 3 p.m. Division II will start at 4:10 p.m. with Division I following at 5:40 p.m.

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