Heidelberg Reclaims OAC Crown

After a year hiatus, the no. 6 Heidelberg College wrestling team, led by head coach Jason Miller and assistants Jake Percival, Brandon Brissette, Joe Hada, and Brad Bryant, have once again claimed the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season title. The Student Princes accumulated a record of 11-2 on the year, 6-0 in the OAC. The team put the finishing touches on their OAC run with a 36-12 win over the Muskingum College Muskies in New Concord, Ohio this evening.

At 125, Heidelberg saw Jerrad Hoxie (Forest Hills, Mich. / Forest Hills) defeat Muskingum’s Michael Halko in a major decision, 8-0, and was soon followed by Boomer Fechko (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) at 133, who pinned his opponent in 1:32 seconds.

Wrestling his last regular season match in the tricolor at 141 pounds, no. 8 Nick Sanchez (Lima, Ohio / Bath) grabbed his 101st victory by technical fall. He defeated Muskingum’s Thomas Patterson 16-1. Zach Mizer (Canton, Ohio / Perry) raised the team score up to 21-0 in favor of the Berg while wrestling 149. He won his match by pinning Luke Caracofe in 5:36.

Matt Curley (Brecksville, Ohio / Lakewood) suffered the Berg’s first loss of the night 157 to Muskingum’s lone senior, Dave Minner. In a tilt gone wrong, Curley was defensively pinned in 2:53. Aaron Jonhenry (Berea, Ohio / Berea) came back at 165 for the Student Princes and won by decision 14-7.

The win was clinched for the Berg thanks to 174-pounder Matt Findley (Lorain, Ohio / Southview), who beat Chris Farrington 10-3. Ed Bizorik (Bellevue, Ohio / Bellevue) sealed things up further at 184 for Heidelberg with a 1:52 pin of Nicholas Haddad.

Rick Weatherholt (West Chester, Ohio / Lakota West) lost Heidelberg’s only other match of the night at 197. He was pinned in 5:26. Tony Carothers (Bloomingdale, Ohio / Harrison Central) finished the night off at 285, winning his match 5-3.   

Heidelberg hits the mat again at the OAC Tournament, where they look to grab a first place trophy for the third year in a row, on February 23 in University Heights, Ohio. The tournament is hosted by John Carroll University, last season’s regular season champion.