Monarch 175-pounder Carson Mize has control over Miamisburg’s Fletcher Rose during a match at the Division I state wrestling tournament. Mize went on to place fifth.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Berkley Behrens)
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The road to a possible championship has its challenges for anyone who steps foot on the mats at The Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center.
Only a select few are able to proceed through their battles en route to an appearance during Sunday evening’s Parade of Champions.
There is still, however, plenty for which other athletes can compete as the top eight in each weight division earn trips to the awards podium and All-Ohio status.
One such wrestler this year was Marysville’s Carson Mize, who competed in the Division I boys 175-pound weight class.
Mize missed several regular-season matches as he was sidelined with a knee injury.
The junior, however, returned for the post-season and went on a tear.
He won his second district championship, which elevated him to the state tournament.
Mize went into the state tourney with an eye on the championship.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.
Things got off on the right foot as Mize scored a 17-5 major decision over Logan Morehouse of Toledo St. John’s Jesuit.
He then toppled Fletcher Rose of Miamisburg by a 7-2 count.
Mize, though, hit a bump in the road when he was pinned in 5:14 by Tyrel Miller of Lakewood St. Edward.
That dropped the MHS grappler into the bracket for a possible third-place spot.
However, a disappointing 3-2 loss to Gino Pewrrine of Macedonia Northdonia thwarted that hope.
Mize wasn’t at all happy with the loss.
It, however, made him determined to finish with the best possible place he could garner.
“I was on a mission during my final match,” he said.
The fifth-place bout resulted in a 13-4 major decision over Dublin Coffman’s Sammy Moloney.
It was Mize’s third triumph of the season over the Shamrock grappler.
“I let the official dictate my next-to-last match,” said Mize with a trace of anger in his voice. “I was determined that no one – no official, coach or opponent – was going to do that during my last match of the tournament.”
The victory over Moloney placed Mize as fifth in his weight class.
That’s two spots up from his seventh-place finish at the state tournament a year ago as a sophomore.
“Carson left everything he had on the mat at the end of each match,” said Monarch head coach Nathan Andrews.
Mize finished with a 3-2 record during the state tournament. His season mark stood at 29-7.
“I will be back and I will stand at the top of the podium,” he vowed.
Jonathan Alder’s Anthony Kroninger finished fourth during the Division II 165-pound weight class.
Included in that run were two matches against Kairyon McKinney of Sandusky Perkins.
Kroninger opened the tournament with a 2:46 pinfall over Dillon Badiu of Medina Buckeye.
The first match between the Alder junior and McKinney resulted in a 12-7 loss for Kroninger.
The Pioneer athlete battled back along the consolation bracket.
He pinned Cohen Bunting of New Concord John Glenn in 0:27 and put Luke Schlosser of Clear Fork to the mat in 3:00.
That set up the rematch with McKinney with third and fourth place on the line.
Kroninger battled back from a 4-3 deficit to take a 7-4 advantage in the third period.
Things, however, went south during the waning minutes of the bout.
The clock read 1:08 in the final period when McKinney was able to turn Kroninger for a pin.
Kroninger went 3-2 for the tournament and posted a 47-9 record for the season.