Photo by JUSTINA SAXBY
Zach Getto was one of three Medina wrestlers to win Northeast Ohio Conference championships Saturday at Garfield Heights. The Bees won the River Division championship for the second consecutive year.
Zach Getto was one of three Medina wrestlers to win Northeast Ohio Conference championships Saturday at Garfield Heights. The Bees won the River Division championship for the second consecutive year.
By TODD STUMPF
The Post sports editor
GARFIELD HEIGHTS - Medina's rise toward the top of Ohio's wrestling scene has been nothing short of meteoric and beyond remarkable. The Bees took a few more steps up over the weekend.
Medina left the fourth annual Northeast Ohio Conference tournament as River Division champions for the third year in a row. The Bees, who had but one conference champ in their first three years in the NOC, saw three crowned on Saturday night.
Winners were Zach Getto at 112 pounds, Teddy Hammer at 152 and Joe Gigliotti at 189. Matt Hammer and Mike Griffith were runners-up at 145 and 140, respectively.
"The kids are believing in the system, working hard, believing what we're teaching and getting stronger and more confident," Medina coach Chad Gilmore said. "These guys are real confident right now."
Medina finished with 144.5 team points, trailing Valley Division champ Elyria (171.5) and runner-up Twinsburg (157.5) in the overall standings. Normandy was second-among River teams, placing fifth with 122.5.
How far have the Bees come? At the first NOC tourney, in 2008, Medina finished 15th overall, fifth in the River and had nobody placer higher than third. A third-place finish by 103-pounder Ryan Hornack gave Medina six placers at the NOC this year.
"It kind of looked like a rebuilding year this year because we graduated six or seven kids, but our core guys kept together and have been battling throughout the year," Gilmore said. "That paid off today and hopefully it's going to pay off in March."
March is when the state tournament will take place. Medina is tabbed by wrestling analyst Brian Brakeman as a top 10 team. No Bees team has ever finished in the top 10 at the state tournament.
This group is made for such a run. With a half-dozen potential state qualifiers with the potential to rack up points in Columbus, it's very possible the Bees could be near the top of the leaderboard.
"It means a lot," said Gigliotti, who beat Nordonia's Brian Yurko 9-4 to win his championship. "We're a close-knit group. We all hang out and in the offseason we all wrestle together. It feels good when the whole team does good."
Gigliotti credited Gilmore and his staff with the resurgence of the program. When the current seniors were freshmen, Medina wrestling was almost an afterthought - even at wrestling tournaments.
Gilmore volleyed the compliment back. Coaches can inspire all they want, but athletes have to buy in. The Bees not only have bought in, but have a contagious form of success pushing them.
"They guys are just feeding off each other." Gilmore says.
Griffith, who last year was Medina's first NOC champ, the Hammers and Gigliotti all have experienced varying levels of success. That's not as true of Getto, who won a tournament for the first time.
"All week I knew I could win this," Getto said. "I just wanted to come out and go my hardest and I did.
"I felt great. All my wins were pretty big. I felt pretty good on the mat. I didn't die at all. I've got good confidence. I'm not going to stop with this. It's definitely a stepping stone for the next few weeks."
The Post sports editor
GARFIELD HEIGHTS - Medina's rise toward the top of Ohio's wrestling scene has been nothing short of meteoric and beyond remarkable. The Bees took a few more steps up over the weekend.
Medina left the fourth annual Northeast Ohio Conference tournament as River Division champions for the third year in a row. The Bees, who had but one conference champ in their first three years in the NOC, saw three crowned on Saturday night.
Winners were Zach Getto at 112 pounds, Teddy Hammer at 152 and Joe Gigliotti at 189. Matt Hammer and Mike Griffith were runners-up at 145 and 140, respectively.
"The kids are believing in the system, working hard, believing what we're teaching and getting stronger and more confident," Medina coach Chad Gilmore said. "These guys are real confident right now."
Medina finished with 144.5 team points, trailing Valley Division champ Elyria (171.5) and runner-up Twinsburg (157.5) in the overall standings. Normandy was second-among River teams, placing fifth with 122.5.
How far have the Bees come? At the first NOC tourney, in 2008, Medina finished 15th overall, fifth in the River and had nobody placer higher than third. A third-place finish by 103-pounder Ryan Hornack gave Medina six placers at the NOC this year.
"It kind of looked like a rebuilding year this year because we graduated six or seven kids, but our core guys kept together and have been battling throughout the year," Gilmore said. "That paid off today and hopefully it's going to pay off in March."
March is when the state tournament will take place. Medina is tabbed by wrestling analyst Brian Brakeman as a top 10 team. No Bees team has ever finished in the top 10 at the state tournament.
This group is made for such a run. With a half-dozen potential state qualifiers with the potential to rack up points in Columbus, it's very possible the Bees could be near the top of the leaderboard.
"It means a lot," said Gigliotti, who beat Nordonia's Brian Yurko 9-4 to win his championship. "We're a close-knit group. We all hang out and in the offseason we all wrestle together. It feels good when the whole team does good."
Gigliotti credited Gilmore and his staff with the resurgence of the program. When the current seniors were freshmen, Medina wrestling was almost an afterthought - even at wrestling tournaments.
Gilmore volleyed the compliment back. Coaches can inspire all they want, but athletes have to buy in. The Bees not only have bought in, but have a contagious form of success pushing them.
"They guys are just feeding off each other." Gilmore says.
Griffith, who last year was Medina's first NOC champ, the Hammers and Gigliotti all have experienced varying levels of success. That's not as true of Getto, who won a tournament for the first time.
"All week I knew I could win this," Getto said. "I just wanted to come out and go my hardest and I did.
"I felt great. All my wins were pretty big. I felt pretty good on the mat. I didn't die at all. I've got good confidence. I'm not going to stop with this. It's definitely a stepping stone for the next few weeks."
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