Licking Valley Panthers sending all 14 to OHSAA district wrestling

On Feb 26, 2023

HANOVER — Devyn Boyd briefly saw his Licking Valley wrestling career coming to a sudden end, but the senior collected himself and is making his way down the postseason path.

Boyd went back and forth with Lakewood junior Jacob Rafferty in the 132-pound consolation semifinal during Saturday’s Division II sectional tournament on Boyd’s home mats. Despite being dangerously close to being pinned at one point, Boyd took control to win 13-6, and he later won his third-place match 7-0.

“It’s pretty amazing to be able to move on especially after having a short little anxiety attack. During the match, I was throwing up thinking I wasn’t going to be able to finish this,” Boyd said. “It is my last year, and I knew I had to push on. I want to make it to state.”

Licking Valley senior Devyn Boyd attempts to pin Lakewood junior Jacob Rafferty in a 132-pound match during the Division II sectional championships at Licking Valley on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Boyd placed third.

Boyd helped Valley go perfect as the Panthers advanced all 14 of their wrestlers to next weekend’s district tournament at Norwalk. Lakewood and Johnstown added four qualifiers apiece.

Boyd wrestled up at 144 the last two seasons because of standouts Alijah Stevens and Conner Roback. With the lineup open this season, he made the decision to drop, and he hopes he can duplicate his performance next week.

“I figured I would change it up and try something new,” Boyd said. “I wasn’t going to even cut to (132). I was going to cut to (138), but once I saw the chance at (132), I figured I might as well take it.”

Freshman Noah Curry was Valley’s only champion at 113. Curry picked up a 12-7 victory against River Valley’s Gabe Thacker before earning a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Highland Brendan Lester in the final.

Curry, who has been wrestling since not long after he could walk, ran his record to 33-7 in his debut season. He prepared for a step up into varsity competition with a run to the middle school state tournament as an eighth-grader.

“I feel like winning sectionals as a freshman is a pretty good thing to do,” Curry said. “It definitely helps. That experience going against better wrestlers gets you ready for the upperclassmen.”

Lakewood senior Corey Rafferty was Licking County’s other champion at 126, pinning Valley sophomore Dylan Dean in the final. Dean jumped on Rafferty from start and had the upper hand until Rafferty flipped him over and earned a pin with 40 seconds left in the first period.

“I was a little nervous. I didn’t think I warmed up the best, so I went out a little slower. I still got it done in the end,” Rafferty said. “I was just trying to roll through because if I knew I was on top, I would at least get some (back points).”

Valley sophomores Aiden McMahan (106) and Luke Conaway (150) and seniors Adam Terry (175) and Theo Walsh (215) all placed second. The Panthers took runner-up in the team standings to DeSales, which had eight consecutive champions from 138 to 215, a run bookended by state favorites David McClelland and Max Shulaw.

Lakewood seniors Caleb Rafferty (120) and Josh Taylor (165) and junior Tyler Christman (144) also took runner-up. Senior Mitch Malone placed third to also qualify for the Lancers.

“We went to all corners of the state to see competition from everywhere,” Corey Rafferty said. “That has really helped us for tournaments like this where you are fighting to stay in.”