'I did my best': Jaxon Burcher's title hopes fell short, but he left IV with no regrets
COLUMBUS — In the end, there is only one king of the mountain.
As Indian Valley senior Jaxon Burcher stood next to state champion Joe Boyle, of Columbus Watterson, as they received their state wrestling tournament medals on Sunday night, that much was obvious.
Burcher was one win away from tangling with the talented sophomore for a Division II state title at 215 pounds, but former Brave product Brayton Feister had other ideas.
It was the sophomore Feister, now a two-sport star at Akron Hoban, who handed a loss to Burcher in the semifinals and ended his title hopes.
Burcher described Feister as "crazy athletic."
"Big, strong, (fast)," Burcher said. "I just wanted to take him to deep water and see how he would respond. Obviously it never got to that point."
True to form, there was no quit in Burcher's disposition.
He rebounded with a fury on Sunday morning, blanking Napoleon's George Eggers, 6-0, in the consolation semifinals before pinning Sandusky Perkins' Haiden Bollini in the second period to clinch third.
It was yet another of example of the ecstasy and agony associated with the state tournament. Burcher finished one spot above his projection by Borofan, which projected Feister as champ and Boyle runner-up.
Burcher finished 49-4, including a 4-1 showing in Columbus. It came on the heels of dominant performances at the sectional and district level in which he was never truly challenged.
One of those wins came via technical fall against Tri-Valley junior Logan McClellan in the district finals, and McClellan rebounded to place sixth at the state.
"It wasn't where I wanted to be at the end of the day," Burcher said. "I did my best. You have to move on and take the hits."
He joined Bodie Raymond (106), a freshman, and Bronko Braun (113), a sophomore, as state placers. Raymond, who was fifth, and Braun, who took sixth, will return next season with even higher aspirations.
Braun reached the semifinals with a hard-fought 9-6 win against Ontario's Aiden Ohl, who was 43-2 and top seeded. His loss came to Peninsula Woodridge's Gavin Genovese, who won the title.
Count Burcher among those who will be watching Raymond and Braun closely from afar. He was impressed with how they handled themselves but feels they can accomplish more.
That would mean top four spots on next year's podium. Raymond finished 27-7 and Braun 40-6.
"I expect that out of both of them," Burcher said.
Now it's on to baseball season for one of IV's most beloved figures, one who also thrived as a two-way starter for a state championship team. He made All-Ohio in both sports, and it's wrestling that he will take on at Division II Wheeling University in West Virginia.
Garaway sophomore eyeing next year
Mitchell Tetrault, Garaway’s 144-pound sophomore, earned his spot on the podium with a win on Saturday morning. A run at a top five finish was still on the table later that night, however, but a difficult matchup with Centerburg senior Christopher Marshall proved too much in an 11-1 loss.
Marshall did most of his damage from the bottom position, where he tilted Tetrault in a four-point move that took control. It never got closer than three points the rest of the way.
“It was pretty much just off scrambles,” Tetrault said of his Marshall match. “It was just rolling around and he’s a little bit longer than me.”
Tetrault was hardly down about it, he saw Saturday as a learning experience after dropping both of his matches at state as a freshman. He finished the season 43-9.
“After my last match, there is no pressure right now,” Tetrault said of his approach. “I placed. I’m happy. At this point I am just learning from my mistakes so I can win it next year. My main goal is to make it to semis and win my semis match next year. That’s my goal, my vision. I just have to keep working.”
Carrollton’s Alborn thrilled when things are difficult
“The more you seek the uncomfortable, the more you will be comfortable.” – Conor McGregor, mixed martial artist.
Carrollton coach Lionel Woods left sophomore Riley Alborn with no choice but to adhere to this principle. Woods actually encouraged Alborn to manipulate matches with deliberate deficits or positions in the first period to set up an opportunity for growth.
“With wrestlers, especially girls, it’s hard to teach intensity and overcome adversity,” Woods said. “In society, girls don’t always grind. They have to understand they can be in bad spots and execute.”
Alborn trailed Lakota East’s Sydney Hall 13-6, before recovering late for a 14-13 victory for third place at the girls state wrestling tourney. Alborn didn’t purposefully let Hall have the lead this time. She used a back trip and takedown to help climb back into the match. She added another back trip when it was 13-11 for the win.
“I was feeling the pressure and which way she’d go,” Alborn said. “If you have the right mindset, you can tell which way they’re going. I was feeling nervous at first. ‘I have to get off my back.’
“I try to work through hard positions.”
Third place is a good position, after fourth last season. She isn’t satisfied.
“She didn’t execute in tight spots (as a freshman),” Woods said. “We wanted to be successful in those spots this year. State finals next year, watch for us.”
All-Ohio honors
Girls
New Philadelphia's Isabelle Ramirez, eighth place, 190
Division III
Malvern's Tyson Clear, third, 165
Tusky Valley's Ben Dongdon, sixth, 285
Garaway's Matt Frey, eighth, 165
Division II
Carrollton's Cael Lowdermilk, fifth, 113
Claymont's Kamden Stout, eighth, 150
West Holmes' Peyton Martin, eighth, 120
Qualified for state
Girls
Tusky Valley's Sara Whitlach, 100
Sandy Valley's Madison Vickers, 135
Tusky Valley's Tori Wilson, 145
Division IIIGaraway's Lukas Miller, 106Sandy Valley's Owen Simpson, 120Garaway's Braylon Brooks, 138Tusky Valley's Tyler Wiseman, 150Garaway's Colton Domer, 157Tusky Valley's Kylar Postlethwait, 157
Division IICarrollton's Sawyer Broadwater, 106Claymont's Nile Abbuhl, 126Claymont's DreVonn Searcy, 138West Holmes' Camden McCluggage, 190
Reporter Matt Horn contributed to this story.
sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Jaxon Burcher leaves Indian Valley wrestling with no regrets
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