COLUMBUS — Three Knox County wrestlers earned podium finishes on the final day of the state tournament Sunday inside Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.
East Knox senior Blake Elliott, Centerburg senior Chris Marshall and Mount Vernon senior Jake Taylor all picked up All-Ohio citations for finishing in the top eight in their weight classes.
Each had their own unique path and story from the start to finish of the tournament.
Elliott, a Division III 190-pounder, drives to Mount Vernon every day to train with the Yellow Jackets.
He placed eighth this weekend. He was sixth at 190 last year and is Mount Vernon’s first and only state placer.
“I’ve wrestled my style and hit my shots. I didn’t want to lose that first-round match (Friday), but it is what it is. I was able to re-focus,” Elliott reflected. “To finish on the podium here is a big deal”
His coach, Mount Vernon’s Corey Firebaugh, praised Elliott’s dedication to wrestling.
“He was pretty upset he lost his first-round match. He’s a hard worker and a driven kid,” Firebaugh said.
“He’s a team of one who drives to Mount Vernon (to practice) every day for the last four years, and even in middle school and our youth program. It tells you what kind of kid he is.”
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Centerburg’s Marshall suffered a disappointing loss in his very first match of the tournament. He bounced back with a win in the consolation bracket that evening.
“A win’s a win. As long as I keep on advancing, I’m good,” Marshall said. “It’s not where I want to be, but I’ll regroup and see where I come out.”
Marshall caught fire after the tournament-opening setback, winning four straight to reach the consolation finals. He beat Northwestern’s Colton Morris, the wrestler who sent him into the consolation bracket on opening day, in the consolation semifinals.
Last year’s state runner-up at 138, Marshall fell in the consolation finals in overtime and finished fourth.
A 165-pound senior, Taylor came into the tournament with a dream of being an All-Ohio wrestler.
Taylor won his opener but fell in the championship quarterfinals. He won back-to-back consolation bracket matches to lock up a podium spot and finished sixth with a 3-3 record.