Once again, Najee Lockett stole the show.
The sophomore and current student-athlete of the week, swept his way through the OHSAA Division I District Tournament at Perrysburg High School to earn his first berth at the State Meet next weekend.
Michael Drobnick also wowed his teammates and fans watching in Perrysburg, clinching a second-place spot to claim his second appearance in Columbus.
In the team standings, the Wildcats finished 5th with 108 points. St. Edward claimed the District title with 284.5 points. Brecksville-Broadview Heights (234.5), Elyria (161.5), and Oregon Clay (111) rounded out the top four.
Besides Lockett and Drobnick, Johnny Novak, Aidan Gill, and Logan Toth all took fifth at Districts, earning State Alternate status. Each wrestler will head to Columbus for weigh-ins and whatnot, in the event that a Perrysburg qualifer from his weight class cannot compete in States for some reason.
Here's how the weekend played out for the Wildcats:
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Johnny Novak started the tournament strong with a 13-9 decision over Bryce Allison on Friday afternoon. Novak couldn't hold the momentum in his next match, however, dropping a 9-4 decision to Case George of Ashland. Novak rolled through the first two rounds of consolations, winning by tech fall and major decision. However, St. Edward's young phenom Richard Delsanter knocked off Novak with a pin, sending Novak to the fifth place match.
Novak found himself in a rematch with George for the right to claim fifth at Districts and a State Alternate spot. Novak battled hard and downed George with a major decision to take 5th.
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Team captain DJ Huff vanquished injuries and foes to fight his way to Districts this year for the first time in his career. Huff wrestled with a purpose in his first match, beating Oregon Clay's Mike Daly via pin at 1:47. However, Huff ran into St. Edward's Bryce Hepner, who eventually won first place in the weight class. Huff lost by major decision, 9-1, dropping to the consolations.
Huff then claimed consolation wins over Anthony Wayne's Cody Hutt and John Perry of Avon Lake by a 12-2 major decision and a pin at 1:25, respectively. Huff then came across tough foes at the end of a long weekend. Huff dropped the third-place match to Brecksville's Jimmy Carmany, 9-2, and then lost the fifth-place bout to Findlay's Liam Morrison.
However, rest assured that Huff will train harder than ever in the offseason to prepare for next year's postseason run.
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Another one of the Wildcats' leaders, Patrick McGraw fought hard at Districts. The junior started the tournament with a tech fall win over Trenton Bridges of Franklin Heights. Dealt a defeat due to injury, McGraw returned in the consolations with a 10-5 decision win. However, McGraw's run came to an end when Khalil Brown of Lorain earned an 11-4 decision to stay alive.
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Senior Zach Tomford entered Districts hoping to clinch his first bid in his four years. Unfortunately, his efforts did not lead to the result he wanted.
Tomford suffered a loss in the first round to Jihad Salti of Olmsted Falls. Tomford responded with a convincing pin of his first consolation foe in just 49 seconds. But in the next round, Marco Regalbuto of Brecksville-Broadview Heights dealt Tomford a 12-2 major decision, ending the Wildcats' gifted grappler's campaign.
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Like Tomford, Zach Morgan faced a difficult opponent in his first match – Olmsted Falls' Josh Jaeckin, who entered with a 38-5 record. Jaeckin took the win to send Morgan in the consolations, but the Wildcats' youngster's journey did not end there.
Morgan battled to two wins in consolations, via an 11-7 decision and a pin in 3:27. But then Benjamin Douglas of Findlay entered the mat and knocked Morgan out of the tournament. Douglas entered the tournament with a whopping 42 wins.
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Potential turned into results for the Wildcats' sophomore wrestler on Saturday.
Lockett won the sectional tournament last weekend, as he did in 2017. However, this time in Districts, Lockett ensured his season would continue in Columbus.
Lockett, compared by some to Muhammed Ali, floating effortlessly before stinging you with the quickness of a bee, cruised in his first two matches. Lockett won by fall in just 57 seconds, then securing an 11-7 decision to advance to Saturday.
On Saturday, Lockett showed his special talents. Lockett rolled to a 15-5 major decision over 34-10 Jake Evans of Elyria to enter the championship bout. Facing Hudson Hightower of St. Edward, Lockett showed no fear. The sophomore tore off an 8-3 decision to win the championship at 160 pounds and clinch a place in Columbus.
"Currently, I feel ecstatic because I know all the work and effort that I directed toward wrestling is finally paying off," Lockett told Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer. "Overall, it feels good, but I'm really not pleased. I'm never fully satisfied becuase I'm never complacent."
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Logan Toth repped the Wildcats at 170, hoping for a ticket to the big show. Toth did plenty, but not quite enough for an outright bid. Still, Toth secured a spot as an alternate.
Toth tabbed a 13-8 decision in the first round before running into top-seeded, 42-3 Garrett Barth of Fremont Ross. Toth battled Barth to an 8-4 decision loss, moving to the consolation bracket. From there, Toth notched a major decision and a pin to head into the consi semis to face Michael Garcar of St. Edward. In a hard-fought match, Garcar just edged Toth, 6-5. Toth then won the fifth-place match via pin to earn the state alternate spot.
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Michael Drobnick wanted to reach States for another time, and did just that.
The senior won his first match by pin, then the next over the tough Seth Frambach of Midview (36-7) by a razor-thin margin of 2-1. Drobnick left nothing to chance in the semifinal, beating Caleb Wood of Fremont Ross, 8-2.
Drobnick's victory set up a battle with the Eagles' 36-3 senior, Dakota Howard. In a high-scoring affair, Howard barely eked out Drobnick, 13-11. Even still, Drobnick walked away with second-place and a spot in Columbus next weekend.
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Another multi-sport Wildcat athlete, Aidan Gill, repped the Wildcats at 220.
The senior drew a tough bracket, facing Seamus O`Malley of St. Edward in the first round. Gill received a major decision defeat, falling to the consolations.
From there, Gill ripped off three wins in a row – one via forfeit, one by a narrow 1-0 decision, and the final by a pin at 2:33. Then came O'Malley again in the consolation semifinals.
Gill made it much closer this time. The savvy senior took it to a sudden victory period. Unfortunately for the Mat Cats, Gill lost the match, 10-8, in heart-breaking fashion. But still, Gill won the fifth place match by fall to ensure a state alternate spot.
Stay tuned this week for more coverage of the Mat Cats – we will have a State Tournament preview heading into the 3-day tourney at the Schottenstein Center on the beautiful campus of The Ohio State University.