Lakewood Classic features 16 teams, upsets, turnarounds

On Dec 11, 2022

HEBRON ― Lakewood senior Corey Rafferty wasn’t expecting to win a championship on his home mats Saturday.

After all, he entered the 126-pound weight class as just a fourth seed in the 16-team Lakewood Classic.

Meanwhile, Johnstown senior Derrick Grigsby also came in No. 4 at 190 pounds, and was none too happy about it.

But on this day, something clicked for both of them to get on top of the podium.

“I figured I could maybe get second or third,” Rafferty said. “I’ve only won one tournament before, and this was such a big tournament.”

However, after pinning his way through to the semifinals, he upset top-seeded Northridge senior Haedyn Parman 7-6, then gutted out a 5-4 win against third-seeded sophomore Christopher Marshall of Centerburg for the title.

“Once I got the lead, I think it was like the middle of the third, I just stayed on him and rode him out,” Rafferty said of Parman. “It’s hard for me to put into words what this means to me. It’s my senior year, and I was going to push myself.”

“He’s my main practice partner. We push each other to get better, and it showed. I’m so excited for him,” said Lancers’ senior Josh Taylor, who won the 165-pound title and helped Lakewood finish third in a 16-team field that included Division I schools like Westerville North, Cincinnati Princeton and Gahanna.

The powerfully-built Grigsby pinned four consecutive opponents, including top-seeded sophomore A.J. Delong of Centerburg in the semifinals, before taking a 3-0 lead and grinding out a 4-2 decision in the finals over Westerville North sophomore Evan Cavener.

“I really wanted to get first. Yeah, I was upset I was only ranked fourth,” said Grigsby, who put on 30 pounds of muscle during a summer spent at high-level camps, and in the weight room. “A lot of work went into it, to get to this point, and this really boosted my confidence,” he said. “I want to get to the state.”

He was 33-14 last year at 175, but didn’t get out of the district. Last weekend, he wrestled up at 215 and was fourth at DeSales. “He dropped back down for this tournament, and this is his best weight,” coach Mike Jackson said.

It was also a day of redemption for Taylor, who had a technical fall in his first win and a 12-4 major decision against Madison’s Jesse May in the finals.

“I was just 3-2 last weekend at Barnesville. I lost by a point to a state qualifier and also lost to a state placer,” Taylor said. “I knew this was going to be a tough tournament, and I had to wrestle well in every match. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into it. And I have to come out like this next week.”

Senior Antonio Stefani, the third seed at 106, also won a title for Lakewood as the Lancers piled up 183.5 points for third place. Madison, a Division II school from northeast Ohio, won the championship with 257.5 and Westerville North took second with 244.5. Northridge finished fifth at 137, Heath had 55 for 11th place, Johnstown was 12th with 51 and Licking Heights placed 14th at 37.

Lakewood junior heavyweight Keegan Jacks dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in the finals to top-seeded Chillicothe senior Trevor Banks. Senior Mitch Malone took second at 113, falling by pin to top-seeded Northridge sophomore Carter Yorde in the finals. Rafferty’s twin brother Caleb was third at 120, while junior Tyler Christman rebounded from a semifinal loss to the top seed to also finish third.

Northridge had three finalists, but Yorde was the only one able to bring home a title. He narrowly got out of a pin against Westerville North freshman Mason Spence in the semifinals before prevailing 12-7, but had three pins up to that point.

“It definitely puts more pressure on you, being the top seed,” Yorde said. “Everyone is coming after you, to take your spot. I started the year out not doing very well. I just lost two matches in a dual, but this brings up my confidence. Coach (Tom Williams) keeps my head on straight.”

Returning Vikings’ state qualifier Michael Fister, the second seed at 144, nearly came all the way back in the finals before losing 9-7 to Cincinnati Princeton’s Micah Cottrell, who beat the top seed in the semifinals. Top-seeded sophomore Treven Angus had four pins en route to the 138-pound finals, but fell 10-4 to second seed Oscar Morgan of Chillicothe. Parman bounced back to take third at 126.