COLUMBUS – Clinton-Massie’s Davey Tunon finished fourth Saturday in the Div. II Ohio State Wrestling Championships 152-pound weight class.
The CM senior finished third last season at 152 pounds in the Div. III tournament.
His teammate Matt Asher, a sophomore, finished eighth at 113 pounds.
“It feels great,” Asher said of his finish. “(My goal next season) to be top four in state.”
Asher was defeated in the seventh-place match by Jake Gentry of Hamilton Ross 5-0.
Asher said his main goal when he qualified for the state tournament was “to not go two and out.”
He accomplished that and more. The sophomore battled back after losing his first match and earned a spot on the podium.
Asher is now focused on next season and a return trip to Columbus.
“I feel I’m a little small for my weight class,” he said. “I need to hit the weights, get stronger. That was my ultimate downfall.
“I think I am capable (of being a team leader) and I will step it up.”
Tunon defeated Luciano Mendicino of Granville 5-3 in his consolation semifinal match.
That victory gave him a shot at back-to-back third place finishes.
However, he met Seth Boggs of Sandusky Perkins in the third place match. Boggs had defeated Tunon earlier in the tournament.
And the northern Ohio grappler did it again with a 4-1 win over Tunon.
In the end, Tunon had wins over the 152-pound fifth place finisher, sixth place finisher and seventh place finisher.
Though his high school career is over, Tunon will continuing wrestling freestyle in the summer and then it’s off to Bloomington, Ind. next fall where he will wrestle for the Hoosiers.
But he won’t forget his four years at Clinton-Massie.
“I think a lot about it,” Tunon said of his high school career. “I like reminiscing, not so much the celebrating, but I look at the experiences, how I’ve grown over the years and the people I’ve met. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
In closing, Tunon had some advise for the wrestlers still to come.
“Work hard every day … no breaks,” he said. “Wrestle every match like it’s the last one.”
