Watkins Memorial wrestlers take Boyd’s legacy, example to heart

On Jan 29, 2023

PATASKALA — Mason Boyd was a rising star on the wrestling mat with an eye on qualifying for the Division I state tournament in 2018. Watkins Memorial, however, lost far more than a standout wrestler when Boyd tragically died in a car crash five years ago.

Watkins’ wrestling program lost a role model. The Warriors lost a wrestler that always had a smile on his face and never was hiding in a locker room or cafeteria when his teammates were competing.

“I just try to lead by example and keep a positive attitude,” said Watkins senior Brenden Allberry, reflecting on Boyd’s legacy. “Like the quote on the shirt says, ‘If not now, when? If not you, who?’ I just try to live by something similar to that.”

Allberry was one of three Warriors to take runner-up Saturday during Watkins’ Mason Boyd Memorial Invitational. The annual Watkins Invitational quickly was renamed in Boyd’s honor less than a month following his death in early Jan. 2018, and his memory is right at front of the minds for those in and around the program that had the pleasure to know him.

Allberry at 150 pounds joined sophomores Nolan Perry at 106 and Scott Speakman at 144 on the second-place spot on the podium. Junior Hunter Lowery also lost just once, recording a third-place finish at 165.

“Just be a great teammate,” said Speakman, who quickly has become one of the leaders on Watkins’ young team. “Cheer everyone on no matter who they are.”

Allberry pinned his first three opponents Saturday before shutting out Harrison’s Maddox Carter 5-0 in the semifinals. He then elected to forfeit his finals match to Springboro senior Conner Kleinberg due to a sore knee with the pivotal month of February ahead.

Allberry has had an outstanding career at Watkins, but qualifying for the state tournament still is left to be achieved. He has an equally-motivated practice partner in Speakman, and his semifinal match Saturday when he was in control from the start is something he hopes to often replicate down the stretch.

“I am feeling good about how things have been going. I can see improvements with my technique, and me and Scott are working hard in the room just to keep getting better,” Allberry said. “Just as long as I stay offensive, stay on the guys and work my stuff, I can do pretty well.”

Speakman won his first three matches Saturday, including a 7-0 victory against Reynoldsburg senior Caleb Smiley in the semifinals. Harrison sophomore Wyatt Brock, however, immediately jumped on him in the final, and Speakman was unable to climb out of the hole in an 8-1 loss.

Speakman capped an impressive debut season with a fifth-place finish in the district tournament, just missing a state berth a year ago. Watkins again has wrestled a strong schedule, and the postseason is nearing with the Licking County League tournament at Utica on Feb. 18 followed by the sectional tournament on the Warriors’ home mats.

“I feel better than last year because I worked a bunch over the summer,” Speakman said. “I got a little bit better. I am more confident in my matches.”

Despite nursing sore ribs sustained earlier this month, Perry finished 3-1, highlighted by a 13-7 victory against Big Walnut sophomore Eli Hadden.

“I am ready for sectionals,” Perry said. “Hopefully, I make it to districts this year. I made it to districts last year and lost my first two, so my goal is to go a little bit farther.”

Lowery received just the No. 7 seed, but he upset Cambridge senior Brody Fogle 9-6 to advance to the semifinals. He rebounded from a loss there to shut out River Valley’s Carter Rick, the top seed, 3-0 in the third-place match.