ARCHBOLD WEATHER

Dominique, Meyer Win NWOAL Titles


Carson Meyer, an AHS senior, finishes his pin of Liberty Center’s Owen Johnson in the 182-lb. weight class to win his second straight NWOAL championship, Friday, Feb. 5, at Bryan.– photo by Mario Gomez

Carson Meyer, an AHS senior, finishes his pin of Liberty Center’s Owen Johnson in the 182-lb. weight class to win his second straight NWOAL championship, Friday, Feb. 5, at Bryan.– photo by Mario Gomez

Bryan High School was the site of the Northwest Ohio Athletic League Wrestling Tournament, Friday, Feb. 5.

The Blue Streaks finished with a fourth-place finish and two individual championships.

Wauseon claimed its fourth straight team title with 260 points and six individual champions.

Delta was second with 232.5, followed by Liberty Center 182.5, Archbold 136, Evergreen 70, Bryan 58, Swanton 47.5, Montpelier 36, and Patrick Henry 32.

Brodie Dominique (138 pounds) and Carson Meyer (182 lbs.) claimed individual championships.

Dominique, a freshman, won his first championship while Meyer, a senior, won his second straight league title.

Wyat Ripke (170 lbs.) and Hayden Dickman (220 lbs.) were runners-up at their weight classes.

Gabe Chapa (132 lbs.) and Josh Nofzinger (152 lbs.) each placed third.

Andrew Francis (145 lbs.) finished fourth.

“It’s been a little bit harder for me in terms of our periodization schedule to get them to peak,” said Brian Becher. “I actually think we are a little bit behind.

Brodie Dominique, an AHS freshman, finishes a takedown against Wauseon’s Manny Gante on his way to a 3-0 decision and his first NWOAL championship.– photo by Mario Gomez

Brodie Dominique, an AHS freshman, finishes a takedown against Wauseon’s Manny Gante on his way to a 3-0 decision and his first NWOAL championship.– photo by Mario Gomez

“I thought some of our guys wrestled better today.”

First Title For Dominique

Coming into the tournament with only one defeat this season, expectations were high for Dominique.

Seeded second, the freshman opened the afternoon with a fall at 1:00 over Anthony Meyer of PH. He then won an 8-0 major decision over Wauseon’s Manny Gante to advance to the finals.

In the battle for first place, Dominique squared off against the number one seed, Delta’s Gabe Meyer.

After a scoreless first period, Meyer chose the down position to start the second.

Dominique was relentless in his domination of Meyer on the mat, riding the Panther out the full two minutes to keep the match scoreless going into the final period.

Dominique chose down to start the third and scored a quick escape to take a 1-0 lead.

The Blue Streak then scored a takedown for a 3-0 win to claim his first title.

“Brodie was kinda the highlight of the day, beating a really tough kid,” said Becher. “He really controlled the whole match, as well.”

Meyer Goes Out In Style

The road to a title for the senior began as the number one seed in a small bracket filled by just four wrestlers.

Meyer started his run in the championship semifinals with a pin at 1:26 over Delta’s Luke Schlatter.

Meyer faced Liberty Center’s Owen Johnson in the finals.

Meyer scored his first points in the second period on an escape and led 1-0, with Johnson on the mat for the third period.

Johnson scored an escape as time was running down to tie the match and send it into sudden victory overtime.

In the one-minute period, Meyer took Johnson directly to his back and scored the pin at 6:35 to win his second straight NWOAL title.

“Carson was a little frustrated, because he majordecisioned that kid before,” said Becher. “But (Johnson) has gotten a lot better.

“I think he wrestled a really good strategy against him.”

Runners-Up

Seeded second, Ripke received a bye in the first round before meeting up with Delta’s Holden Barnes.

Ripke earned a 7-1 decision to move to the finals against Wauseon’s Austin Kovar.

Ripke trailed 2-0 in the third period before a second stalling call against Kovar made it 2-1. But the AHS freshman could not score on several near fall opportunities and finished second.

Dickman, seeded second, drew a bye in the first round.

In the semifinals, Dickman pinned Liberty Center’s Kyle Huffman at 2:53 to reach the finals, where Dickman met up with Delta’s Austin Kohlhofer.

A projected state champion, Kohlhofer dominated the Blue Streak sophomore for a 17-0 technical fall, leaving Dickman to finish second.