If you were anywhere near the Schottenstein Center in Columbus this past March, you know the air just felt different. The humidity from thousands of fans, the smell of mat cleaner, and that specific, electric roar when a takedown happens in the final seconds—it’s something else. The ohio high school wrestling state tournament 2025 wasn't just another weekend of sports. It was a three-day gauntlet where legends were cemented and underdogs absolutely tore up the brackets.
Most people just look at the final scores. But honestly, if you weren’t watching the warm-up mats or seeing the look on a kid's face after a consolation loss, you missed half the story.
The Big Dogs and the Record Books
Let’s talk about St. Edward for a second. They didn’t just win; they essentially took over the building. Winning their 10th consecutive Division I team title is one thing, but they did it by putting up a record-breaking 258 points. That’s a massive number. Massillon Perry and Perrysburg tried to keep pace, finishing with 198 and 180.5 respectively, but the Eagles were operating on another level.
The individual highlight everyone will be talking about for years, though, is Marcus Blaze. The Perrysburg senior—and Penn State commit—finally did it. He joined that elite club of four-time state champions. Watching him work through the 150-pound bracket was like watching a masterclass. He’s the top prospect in the country for a reason. He finishes his high school career with nearly 200 wins and a legacy that basically makes him the "Final Boss" of Ohio wrestling.
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Division I Standouts
The St. Edward dominance was fueled by guys like Karson Brown (126), Tyrel Miller (175), and Jarrel Miller (190), who all stood atop the podium. But don't overlook Alex Taylor from Mount Vernon. He made history by becoming the school's first-ever boys state champion, taking down Massillon Perry’s Mike Millin with a 10-5 decision in the 285-pound final.
The Division II and III Shakeups
The biggest "wait, what?" moment of the weekend came in Division III. For 23 years, St. Paris Graham Local owned Division II. They were the mountain you had to climb. This year, they moved to Division III and, well, some things never change. They captured their 24th consecutive team title with 174.5 points. Delta gave them a run, finishing as runner-up with 103.5 points, but Graham’s depth is just terrifying.
Over in Division II, we saw a brand new king. Columbus Bishop Watterson secured its first-ever team title. They put up 108 points to edge out St. Francis DeSales. It’s kinda cool to see the balance of power shift like that. Mitchell Younger (144) and Michael Boyle (215) were the hammers for Watterson, both bringing home individual gold.
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Surprising Results in the Lower Divisions:
- Adam Mattin (Delta): Won his third state title at 126 lbs.
- Bronson Begley (Kettering Alter): Took a gritty 4-1 overtime win against Gradey Harding to win the 126-lb D2 title.
- Nathan Attisano (Legacy Christian): Went back-to-back, winning the 132-lb D3 title with a 10-1 major decision.
Girls Wrestling is Exploding
If you think the boys had all the drama, you weren’t paying attention to the girls' brackets. Olentangy Orange is becoming a powerhouse. They brought seven qualifiers to the Schottenstein Center, and remarkably, every single one of them ended up on the podium. They took the team title for the second year in a row with 111.5 points.
The individual story of the tournament was Makennah Craft from Jackson. She finished her senior year a perfect 44-0 and secured her fourth consecutive state title. Think about that for a second. Four years of having a target on your back and never once blinking. She dominated the 100-pound final with a 19-4 technical fall.
We also saw some incredible firsts. Ashlynn Brokaw became Mount Vernon’s first-ever girls state champ in a 7-6 nail-biter against Urbana’s Libertie Nigh. Then you had Jada Weiss from Bellbrook. Her 155-pound final went into sudden victory. She was stuck in a headlock, fought out of it, and scored the winning takedown with only five seconds left on the clock. That’s the kind of stuff that makes people fall in love with this sport.
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Why the 2025 Tournament Mattered
Basically, the ohio high school wrestling state tournament 2025 proved that Ohio is still the heart of high school wrestling in the U.S. When you have 19 nationally ranked kids in one building, the level of technical skill is insane.
It wasn't just about the winners, though. It was about the records broken by St. Edward, the shift of Graham to a new division, and the continued, massive growth of the girls' game. The "Schott" was packed, and the atmosphere was heavy with the realization that we were watching future Olympic and NCAA contenders.
What to do now that the season is over
If you're a wrestler or a parent looking at these results and wondering how to get to that level, the work starts now.
- Analyze the Tape: Most of these matches are archived on FloWrestling. Don't just watch the highlights; watch the hand-fighting in the second period when both kids are tired.
- Freestyle and Greco Season: The state tournament is the end of the folkstyle season, but the best guys are already signing up for freestyle tournaments to keep their feet moving.
- Strength and Conditioning: Look at the finalists in the 175 and 190 weight classes. They weren't just skilled; they were physically dominant. Use the off-season to build that functional strength.
- Camp Registration: Many of the champions from this weekend—including guys from St. Ed's and Graham—host or attend summer camps. Get in those rooms.
The 2025 season is in the books, but in Ohio, the next one has already begun in the garage gyms and local wrestling clubs.
Next Steps for Fans and Athletes:
You can find the full, weight-by-weight brackets and podium placements on BaumsPage or TrackWrestling. If you want to see the specific stats—like who had the most pins or the fastest tech falls—FloWrestling has the complete statistical breakdown for all four divisions. It's worth a look if you want to see who the real "mat monsters" were this year.