COLUMBUS — It took three over time periods to do so, but Mount Vernon’s Ash Brokaw, the defending state wrestling champion, advanced to Sunday’s final round with a heart-stopping 4-3 victory over Presley Sandobal, of Marysville.
It was the highlight of Saturday’s Knox County action in the state wrestling tournament at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.
Blood, Sweat and Tears is not just the name of a 1970’s rock band, it could also well be the theme of the state wrestling championships.
Fortunately for Brokaw, there were brief tears of joy as she walked into the arms of her coach/dad, Jay DePolo. Just before taking the mat, DePolo gave words of support, “get to work, and have fun.”
The first period ended in a scoreless deadlock. In the second period, Brokaw was penalized for “locking hands,” and Sandobal led 2-0 going into the third period.
Brokaw tied the match, and took the lead with an escape but once again, locking hands was called to knot the bout at 3.
Even though the champion realized the clasp, and released immediately the point was still awarded, “I guess I didn’t let go fast enough,” she said.
The match continued for three exhausting overtime periods with Brokaw being rewarded a point at the final buzzer for win.
“We have wrestled her three other times and won pretty handily,” DePolo said. “She took Ash’s offense and that is where she capitalizes.”
For a dominating wrestler, consistently pinning opponents, triple overtime created some rare anxious moments.
“You can always worry and say ‘what if this and what if that’ but I have always said, I will never get beat on points because if I get beat on points, it means I did not try hard enough,” Brokaw said.
Sunday, the junior will attempt the second leg of her ultimate goal, to win three state championships.
“She made some mistakes and in the next match she corrected those mistakes,” DePolo said. “I told her that’s what champions do, champions make mistakes, learn from them and get better each time.”
Gregory clinches podium finish
On the boys’ side, two Mount Vernon wrestlers reached Saturday’s second day of the state tournament.
In the 157-pound division, senior Mavrik Gregory clinched a podium finish and will wrestle on Sunday.
Gregory was forced to battle through the loser’s bracket after a tough, 6-2 decision to Cincinnati Moeller senior Noah Jackson. Jackson went on to reach the state title match on Sunday.
But Gregory bounced back by blanking Massillon Perry sophomore Andrew Ramos 7-0, and then outmuscling Perrysburg junior Ben Takats 4-1. Gregory (who improved to 44-6 this season) returns to action on Sunday and can finish no worse than sixth.
Gregory will tangle with Dublin Coffman junior Eli Esguerra in one podium semifinal. A win sends him to the third-place match. A loss means a date in the fifth-place final.
At 190 pounds, senior Luke Mullins bowed to Lakewood St. Edward junior Frankie Pieffer in a 21-6 technical fall.
In his next match, Mullins dropped a 15-4 major decision to Lakota West senior Cameron Fiasco. Mullins finished the year with a 35-15 record.
Boys brackets can be found at Baumspage.