Allen East’s Kade Wireman (top) pins Delphos Jefferson’s Eli Case during Friday night’s Northwest Conference tournament at Spencerville. See more high school wrestling photos at LimaScores.com.
Jackelyn Johnson | The Lima News
SPENCERVILLE – Allen East came into this year’s Northwest Conference wrestling tournament with a six-year winning streak on the line. The last time the Mustangs were upended was 2016, when Delphos Jefferson won the conference title.
Friday night, the streak for Allen East came to an end.
Columbus Grove won its first ever NWC team title, outscoring second-place Spencerville, 285.5 to 215.5. Allen East (201.5), Crestview (157.5) and Lincolnview (133.5) rounded out the top five squads. Delphos Jefferson (95), Bluffton (88) and Ada (87) rounded out the field of eight teams.
Longtime Columbus Grove head coach Eric “Ernie” Siefker said that not too long ago, he had to send a stern message to his team.
“About a week and a half ago, I kicked them out of practice,” Siefker said with a grin. “It was right before a dual meet. … There was no effort. Ever since then, they have changed their tune. They were ready to go from the get-go, today. They were just getting after it.”
Columbus Grove had three wrestlers win titles on Friday. Boat Thompson (126), Landen Schroeder (165) and AJ Schafer (215) all won titles for the Bulldogs.
Thompson, a sophomore, is now a two-time NWC champion.
“I also won it last year, and two years in junior high,” Thompson said. “I’m hoping to make it all four years.”
Siefker said that winning the NWC crown has been a goal for the Columbus Grove wrestling program for many years.
“We came close a couple years ago, but we’ve never won one,” Siefker said. “The first year (for the NWC Tournament) was 1999.”
Spencerville’s Miller notches 100th pin
Spencerville senior Carder Miller recorded his 100th career pin Friday night as he won the title in the 132-pound weight class.
“I really didn’t even know I was getting it (100th pin) tonight,” Miller said with a grin. “I didn’t expect it. So, I was really excited about it.”
Allen East’s Wireman wins fourth NWC title
Allen East senior Kade Wireman has been checking off the boxes since last season.
Wireman placed third at last year’s Division III state tournament in the 150-pound weight class. Since then, he has been focusing on getting back to the state tournament and making the climb to the top step of the awards podium.
However, Wireman has notched a couple school records along the way.
At Friday’s NWC Tournament, Wireman broke the school record in wins. The previous school mark was 163 wins, set by former teammate Chase Miller.
Wireman (39-3) notched his fourth NWC title Friday night as he won the crown in the 157-pound weight class.
“Breaking it (school record in wins) is pretty cool, I guess,” Wireman said. “Taking it from one of my best friends (Miller), who I grew up with and wrestled with my whole life, and passing all the other guys – who I pretty much knew all of them – is pretty cool.
“It was another goal that I had to break. It’s pretty nice, but it’s still not the main goal that I’m looking forward to.”
Recently, Wireman broke the school record in takedowns.
Wireman has always walked away with the conference title in his wrestling career.
“I really don’t count junior high, but I have never lost at an NWC tournament,” Wireman said with a grin. “My goal is not to lose and not get thrown, because I have a big target on my back. I’m not going to let that happen.”
Others winning titles Friday included: Ada’s Clayton McClain (144), Allen East’s Azik Myers (106) and Eli Criblez (285), Bluffton’s Jett Blackburn (138), Crestview’s Gavin Grubb (120) and Zayden Martin (150), Lincolnview’s Dylan Bowyer (175), Spencerville’s Nyah Hodge-Miller (113) and Maddox Jurek (190).
Mark Altstaetter wrote this story for LimaScores.com. Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
