By:Andrew E.Gasber
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Let’s take a look back to the past to the “OG” Jr.High State Wrestling Tournament. Hosted in the “Marion coliseum”. If you ever had the privilege of wrestling at this venue then you were part of the “good ole days” of Ohio Wrestling. This particular weight class at the original Jr.High State tournament hosted a total of 10 future OHSAA High School State Champions. It truly was a loaded weight class, to say the least. One of these wrestlers actually played a major role in my development throughout wrestling. These guys at this weight in particular were the “Role Models” of my generation. I remember my parents taking me as a youngin to watch some of these guys. To even think that the original Jr.High State Tournament was held back in 1999. The OAC has changed drastically over the years and only for the better of the wrestlers within the state of Ohio. The OAC has played such a vital role in the development of Ohio Wrestling as a whole. Not quite sure where we would be without all of the years of OAC. Also if I may add, that in 1999 there were only top 6 finishers. There was no such thing as 7th and 8th place. So if you placed in the top 6 you were the real deal, let alone a single division State Tournament.
Here is the list of the top six individual place winners from 1999.
84lbs 1999 OAC Jr. High State
6th: Bryan Matthew, Garfield Heights, 1x OHSAA State Champion
5th: Andrew Perez, Elyria, 3x OHSAA State finalist 2X Runner Up4th: Tanner Shearer, SMCC, 3x OHSAA State Champion
3rd: Ricky Duebel, Kenston, 2x OHSAA State Champion 1x Runner Up
2nd: Mike Compton, Willard, 2x OHSAA State Champion
1st: Ryan Smith, Olmsted Falls, 2x OHSAA State Champion
Check out the full 1999 Results
Growing up It truly was like watching your favorite professional athletes. As a young kid that wrestled, when you saw these guys wrestle there was nothing cooler. I remember being at Freestyle tournaments and watching Andrew Perez from Elyria show up and I would sit on the edge of the mat and watch him wrestle each match. I wanted to learn as much as possible at such a young age. I also recall going to watch the State Tournament for High School and watching Ryan Smith win State Titles for Olmsted Falls as well as watching Mike Compton win his multiple titles. Ricky Duebel helped me so much in my wrestling career. Multiple times a week I would have practice and Ricky would come up to work with me. He helped me perfect the tilt from the top position as well as just being a great mentor to a young wrestler. He gave up his time to help a young wrestler succeed. In fact, when I was in 7th and 8th grade, Ricky came to the Jr.High State Tournament to coach and sit in my corner for the whole tournament, each year. That meant the world to me at the age of 12/13 being coached by one of Ohio’s best wrestlers. All of these great wrestlers were awesome role models to the wrestling community in Ohio. Hard to believe how fast time flies that we are now in 2021 and reliving the Original Junior High State Tournament. Stay tuned for the next article with #OACLegends.
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