Season Preview: Wrestling boasts great talent, depth going into 2022-23
By Wes Mayberry
| 2022-23 Wrestling Schedule |
ADA — Led by the return of an All-American and another national qualifier from last season, the Ohio Northern wrestling team is excited for what the 2022-23 campaign will bring under 35th-year head coach Ron Beaschler.
"Based on how we finished last year and the guys we have returning, I'm looking for a really good season this year," Beaschler said. "The key for us this year is for everyone to take their performance to the next level and wrestle like veterans."
Sophomore Jacob Reed (Lancaster) headlines the Polar Bears' 2022-23 roster after going 5-1 to finish third in his weight class at the NCAA Division III Championships and earning All-American honors. He became just the second freshman, and 20th wrestler overall, in program history to earn All-American status and was the only freshman to place in the top five in his weight class at the national meet.
Reed finished last season with a record of 43-5, recording 13 falls and eight major decisions. He posted the sixth 40-plus win season in program history and was the 141-pound champion at three meets during the regular season en route to earning All-Ohio Athletic Conference and NWCA Scholar All-American honors and being named the D3wrestle.com Freshman of the Year.
"Jacob had a phenomenal season last year, but he's not sneaking up on anybody this year," Beaschler said. "He's going to get everybody's best shot, so he has to be ready to go out and wrestle like he's 0-0."
Senior Chase Sumner (Ada), a three-year letterman, also returns after competing in the national meet a year ago. Sumner finished as the runner-up at 149 pounds at the NCAA Central Regionals last season to qualify for the NCAA Championships, where he fell one victory shy of earning All-American status.
He finished the season with a record of 17-6, improving his career mark to 58-12 while posting nine falls and four major decisions en route to being named an NWCA Scholar All-American for the third straight year. Sumner enters the season as a two-time NCAA qualifier and three-year starter at 149 pounds.
"Chase battled injuries last year, but he's ready to go to start this season," Beaschler said. "Like Jacob, Chase is an extremely talented wrestler who can beat anybody in the country, and they can accomplish some great things this year."
The Polar Bears return 20 other lettermen from last season's team that won 12 straight dual matches at one point during the year and finished 13-5, including a 4-2 mark in duals against OAC opponents.
That list is led by fifth-year senior Jordan Hardrick (Dayton/Wayne) and senior Ben DePrest (Louisville, Ky./Saint Xavier).
Hardrick was an NWCA Scholar All-American and All-OAC selection last season and was the 165-pound champ at the Wilkes (Pa.) Invitational. He finished the year with a 34-10 record and fifth-place finish at the NCAA Central Regionals. A four-year letterman and four-year starter at 165 pounds, Hardrick is a two-time All-OAC and NWCA Scholar All-American selection with a career record of 75-37. He enters the season tied for 35th in program history in victories.
"We have to get Jordan over the hump and into nationals, and he should be able to do that this year," Beaschler said. "This is his fifth year, so he's playing with house money, and hopefully he goes out and has fun and takes advantage of it. He could be right there with Sumner and Reed at the end of the year."
DePrest posted a 23-10 record a season ago as the starter at 285 pounds and led the team with 15 falls. He earned NWCA Scholar All-American, All-OAC and Academic All-OAC honors for the second time in his career and enters this season with 21 career falls.
"Ben had a good season last year at heavyweight," Beaschler said. "He's looking to go down to 197 this year, so we'll see if that ends up materializing or not."
Sophomores Teagan Hendricks (Jamestown/Greenview), Adam Myers (Springfield/Shawnee) and Cael Vanderhorst (Covington) round out the list of returning NWCA Scholar All-Americans from last season.
Vanderhorst, the 141-pound champ at last season's Mid-States Invitational, finished the year with a 25-6 record. Hendricks was 24-13 at 157 pounds, and Myers was 17-10 at 174 and 184 pounds.
"Teagan, Adam and Cael are very talented wrestlers," Beaschler said. "Cael had a phenomenal season last year, but he sat behind Jacob Reed at 141, and if he goes up a weight class, he's sitting behind Chase Sumner at 149, and those are two of the top guys in the country. We will get him mat time, and if one of those two guys slip, Cael will be right there to take their spot."
Another standout, senior Logan Painter (Marysville/Early College), finished 19-5 last season, which included the 285-pound championship at the Wilkes (Pa.) Invitational. A three-year letterman, Painter's junior season also saw him earn an OAC Wrestler of the Week accolade and the MVP award at the Lycoming (Pa.) Duals.
Painter and junior Jadon Brownlee (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) are in the hunt for a starting spot at 285 pounds.
Beaschler is also looking for Colin Mellot (Wapakoneta), Jayden Jones (Ashland), Gavin Layman (Chesterton, Ind.) and Dylan Le (Powell/Dublin Scioto) to show growth as sophomores at 125, 157, 184 and 133 pounds, respectively.
"Colin, Jayden, Gavin and Dylan all had really good seasons as freshmen last year, and they both have worked extremely hard in the offseason," he said. "I expect them to take a step up this year, and all four have the potential to have a great year."
Other returning lettermen include senior Camden Spears (Plainfield, Ind.) at 133 pounds; junior Matt Dewitz (Oak Harbor) and sophomore Brandon Lee (La Plata, Md.) at 149 pounds; seniors Bailey Gibson (Elida) and Ross Rayfield (Delta) and sophomore Nick Campbell (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) at 157 pounds; senior Noah Williamson (Conklin, Mich./Coopersville) at 165 pounds; sophomore Zach Dabney (Lake Villa, Ill./Warren Township) at 184 pounds; and sophomore Jimmy Paletta (Brookpark/Benedictine) at 197 pounds.
Sophomores John Radey (Matthews, N.C./Butler) and Caleb Scheideger (Westerville/Central) and freshmen Colton Blosser (New Lebanon/Dixie), Sean Gast (Ashland/Mapleton), Gabriel Hansen (Richwood/North Union), Jackson Hawker (Perrysburg), Ajay Locke (Lancaster), Kaleb Marciszewski (Manhattan, Kan./Steilacom), Andrew Parker (Sunbury/Big Walnut), Tarez Russell (Lima/Elida), Colton Spurgeon (Mount Vernon) and Alex Stachler (Celina) round out the roster for 2022-23.
Beaschler highlighted Hansen at 133 pounds, Spurgeon at 141 pounds, Hawker at 174 pounds and Locke at 197 pounds as standout freshmen who add to the depth of talent on this year's roster.
"We're pretty solid at every weight class, and we have great depth," he said. "But that's what you have to have if you want to compete at the national level."
The Polar Bears open the season on Nov. 5 at the Mount Union Invitational before traveling to the Adrian (Mich.) Duals on Nov. 12.
The team's home opener is Nov. 15 against OAC foe Wilmington.
Northern will also compete at the Olivet (Mich.) Duals on Nov. 19, the Wilkes (Pa.) Open on Dec. 22, the Lycoming (Pa.) Duals on Jan. 13-14, the Manchester (Ind.) Classic on Jan. 14, the Wheaton (Ill.) Invitational on Jan. 27-28, the Baldwin Wallace Invitational on Feb. 4 and the Mid-States Invitational on Feb. 11.
The Polar Bears will host the ONU Invitational on Dec. 3 and the OAC Quad with Baldwin Wallace, John Carroll and Muskingum on Jan. 21.
ONU also has duals at Heidelberg, Mount Saint Joseph and Otterbein and will host Case Western Reserve, Manchester (Ind.) and Mount Union.
"The OAC is going to be tough with John Carroll, Baldwin Wallace and us, and there are other teams that can give you fits if you don't show up ready to wrestle," Beaschler said. "We schedule to prepare our guys to wrestle at the national level, and this year's schedule does that."
The NCAA Division III Central Regionals are scheduled for Feb. 24-25 in Cleveland.
The NCAA Division III Championships are scheduled for March 10-11 in Roanoke, Va.