Tue Sep 07 2010
COLUMBUS -- Barnesville High's Kurtis Jefferis may have fallen just short of the ultimate goal of a state championship, but he still came away a winner at Saturday's 73rd annual OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of The Ohio State University.
Less than a year ago, Jefferis lay in a hospital bed at the West Virginia University Medical Center in Morgantown in critical condition after suffering serious injury in an ATV accident.
He completed an unlikely comeback with a run all the way to the 152-pound title match, but fell victim to Jake Howe of Blanchester, who repeated as the Division III champion with an 8-1 victory over Jefferis.
Howe finished the year with a 49-1 record while Jefferis closed out with a 43-5 mark.
"It goes without saying the obstacles this young man was forced to overcome," Barnesville's coach Luke Johnson told reporters during the tournament. "Just to be healthy for starters, then to get back to full strength and be able to achieve what he has. But that's Kurtis. His work
ethic is just remarkable.
"No one's more deserving than Kurtis," Johnson added. "We consider this just icing on the cake."
Jefferis' journey to the state finals started with a pin of Troy Christian's Kyle Keplinger in 2:40. He then pinned Nick Hall of Ashland Crestview in 1:21 in the quarterfinals and posted a 3-0 decision against Thomas Fullenkamp of Versailles in the semifinals.
In last spring's accident, Jefferis spent 20 days in the hospital with a fractured sternum. He received his medical clearance to return to normal activity, by the way, one day before wrestling practice officially began in November.
Jefferis, a state qualifier a year ago, was also the sectional champion and district runner-up and the OVAC's 152-pound champion.
Two other local wrestlers joined Jefferis as all-Ohioans.
Cambridge High senior Andrew Bertubin finished in sixth place in the Division II, 112-pound weight class while Caldwell sophomore Jeremy placed seventh in Division III at 112 pounds.
Bertubin dropped a 3-1 nod to Joey Morris of Canton South in the fifth-sixth place match to end the season with a 38-8 overall record.
Bertubin's road included a 9-2 decision against John Maurice of Bellefontaine; an 8-6 loss to Calvin Campbell of Lexington; a 4-2 win over Dustin Graham of Beloit West Branch; a 3-1 win over Dylan Stiffler of Clyde; and a 7-1 loss to Ryan Cash of Aurora.
Border won his seventh-eighth place match with a 15-0 technical fall over Zack Cantrell of Coshocton. He finished the year with a 39-5 record.
Border opened the tournament with a 19-2 technical fall over D.J. Ferguson of Montpelier before dropping a 4-2 decision to Alex Dronzek of Beachwood in the quarterfinals. He then bounced back to defeat Luke Wojcicki of Tuscarawas Valley by major decision, 10-2, and beat Nick Goebel of Bloomdale Elmwood, 6-2.
The local area's three other participants failed to place.
Caldwell senior Jacob Border went 1-2 in the Division III 135-pound division to finish with a 37-9 record. He lost a 16-1 technical fall to Zak Vargo of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in round one; beat Chris Osborne of McComb, 15-10, in the next round and lost a 10-1 major decision to Johnny Carpenter of Cincinnati Madeira.
Barnesville senior Kody Crooks, competing in Division III's 160-pound weight class, also went 1-2 to close with a 39-6 record. Crooks beat Ken Trusnik of Bedford St. Peter Chanel, 3-1; lost to Cody Rodgers of Mechanicsburg, 6-4; and lost to Trevor Kunk of Coldwater, 12-10.
On Thursday, Cambridge's Dillon VanDyne dropped his two state tournament bouts in the Division II 130-pound division as he was pinned by Zane Zeman of Avon in 1:54 and then ousted when he lost a 6-3 decision to Nick Katich of Louisville. VanDyne finished the season 24-9.
Photo by Ryan Pavlov
Barnesville High's Kurtis Jefferis holds down Nick Hall of Ashland Crestview during action at the 73rd annual OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament at the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus. Jefferis capped his senior season with a runner-up finish in the Division III 152-pound weight class.
Photo by Ryan Pavlov
Barnesville High's Kody Crooks attempts a takedown against Cody Rogers of Mechanicsburg during Division III 160-pound action at the 73rd annual OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament in Columbus. Crooks went 1-2 at the state tourney to finish the year 39-6.
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