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2025 Ohio High School Wrestling Preview (D1)
What you’ll find in this article:
- State Tournament Team Projections
- Dual Meet Team Rankings
- Returning State Champs
- Top 25 Wrestlers in D1
- Rule Changes
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View DubStat’s full set of high school wrestling rankings and use our predictor tools to project winners of individual matches and dual meets with a 14-day free trial.
State Tournament Projections
- St. Edward (200)
- Massillon Perry (160)
- Perrysburg (140)
- Brecksville (120)
- Archbishop Moeller (70)
- Springboro (65)
- Medina Highland (55)
- Dublin Coffman (55)
- Harrison (50)
- Mt. Vernon (45)
The above projections are based on DubStat’s computer-generated team rankings while also factoring in potential impacts by incoming freshmen.
St. Edward sits firmly in the driver’s seat of Division 1 wrestling, showing no signs of slowing down. While Perry, Perrysburg, and Brecksville are set to field nationally ranked teams, it would take a monumental effort for one of them to knock off the Eagles in 2025.
Let’s take a closer look at the top 5 contenders in Division 1.
View full D1 team rankings (freshmen not factored in)
Top 5 Teams
#1 St. Edward
Returning Qualifiers
Karson Brown (1st)
Ethan Timar (2nd)
Adam Butler (2nd)
Tyrel Miller (2nd)
Jarrel Miller (2nd)
Khimari Manns (4th)
Aiden Peterson (4th)
Bradley Eaton (6th)
Timothy Mazur (Q)
Other Notable Returners
Nate Gregory
Caiden Pirkel
Jared Goldberg
Jack Kline
Jacob Kiehl
Brandon McGlaughlin
Frank Pieffer
Jack Lentz
Luke Gorski
Cooper Driscoll
Behlen Waugh
Freshmen
Conner Whitely (JH 1st)
William Schork (JH 2nd)
Andrew Mlynarczyk (JH 5th)
St. Edward lost four starters to graduation, but true to form, they will reload and field a full lineup of elite wrestlers ready to uphold the tradition of this historic program. The Eagles are heavily favored to capture their 38th state championship in 2025. The real question is, “Who will be in the starting lineup come March?”
They return nine state qualifiers, along with two others who have prior state tournament experience. Leading the team is two-time state champion Karson Brown, probably the second-best wrestler in Division 1 behind Blaze.
Seniors Jarrel and Tyrel Miller are top college prospects looking to finish their high school careers at the top of the podium.
Former champion Timar will no doubt be in title contention again after finishing as runner-up a year ago.
Adam Butler and Bradley Eaton, both state finalists, are also poised to make another run at the finals.
In the middle weights, there’s intense competition for starting spots, with Goldberg, Pirkel, and Driscoll likely the best of the group.
As always, Ed’s brings in an outstanding freshman class. Junior high state champion Whitely could make an immediate impact in a lower weight class. If he or Mazur can’t make it down to 106, freshman Mlnarczyk may fill that slot. The rest of the young’uns will have to wait their turn.
With yet another roster packed with elite talent, the Eagles enter the season as the #1 team in Ohio across all divisions and likely a top 15 team nationally.
#2 Massillon Perry
Returning Qualifiers
Landon Johnson (2nd)
Lincoln Rohr (3rd)
Liston Seibert (3rd)
Marshall Geckler (4th)
Caige Horak (7th)
Mason Rohr (Q – injured before state)
Emeric McBurney (Q)
Brennan Warwick (Q)
Landon Ristoff (Q)
Mike Millin (Q)
Other Notable Wrestlers
Joseph Sanderfer (transfer)
Cameron Plotts
Brandon Veno
Freshmen
Trace Johnson (JH 2nd)
Xander Horak (JH 2nd)
Samuel Adams (JH 4th)
Massillon Perry is set to field one of the most talented teams in its history and will likely rank among the top 25 teams in the nation. While they match up well against St. Ed’s in a dual and could pull off an upset on the right day, their chances diminish in the state tournament setting.
The Panthers enter the season as the early favorites for the state runner-up trophy—a title they haven’t claimed since 2013.
Perry’s lineup is led by a strong group of returning state placers: Johnson, M. Rohr, L. Rohr, Seibert, Geckler, Horak, and McBurney. Joining them this year is Joseph Sanderfer, a former state placer who transferred in.
With state qualifiers Millin, Warwick, and Ristoff also returning, only three lineup spots remain open. Plotts and Veno are both state-caliber wrestlers, though Veno’s placement in the lineup is uncertain.
Perry continues building for the future with a strong freshman class. Samuel Adams is likely to secure the 106-pound spot, and Xander Horak may compete at an upper weight. Junior high runner-up Johnson is excellent, but it’s unlikely he cracks the lineup this season.
If everything falls into place, the Panthers could end the season with 14 state placers and a state champion or two, which would be enough to secure them the silver trophy.
#3 Perrysburg
Returning Qualifiers
Marcus Blaze (1st)
Grey Burnett (1st)
Cole Evans (1st)
Ayden Dodd (2nd)
Josh Takats (4th)
Alex Denkins (4th)
Kaden Soto (7th)
Brody Bauman (Q)
Shane Saito (Q)
Other Notable Wrestlers
Ben Takats
Ben Sawaya
Beckett Walters
Freshmen
Collin Bagdonas (JH 1st)
Connor Bagdonas (JH 4th)
Urijah Lopez (JH 2nd)
Chase Davis (JH 3rd)
This season, Perrysburg boasts the most top-level talent in Ohio. Leading the way is the phenomenal Marcus Blaze, who has had an extraordinary offseason.
Since winning his third state title, Blaze has:
- Finished 3rd at the 2024 Olympic Trials
- Finished 2nd at the Senior World Team Trials
- Placed 3rd at the U20 World Championships
- Scored wins over three NCAA champions and a World Silver medalist
Blaze is the nation’s top pound-for-pound high school wrestler, with a resume unmatched in American high school wrestling history—and his senior season hasn’t even begun.
Perrysburg also returns two of Ohio’s finest in state champion Grey Burnett and two-time state champion Cole Evans. They both navigated difficult brackets on their way to a title last season.
Runner-up Dodd is a fundamental powerhouse and one of the state’s top lower-weights. J. Takats, Denkins, Saito, and Baumann all bring valuable state experience, while B. Takats, Sawaya, Bush, and Walters will also be key contributors.
The Yellow jackets also add state placer Kaden Soto who transferred in from Toledo St. John. He should fitly nicely into a middleweight, possibly between Baumann and Saito.
Among the freshmen, only junior high state champion Collin Bagdonas is a likely addition to the starting lineup. Competing at 84-pounds last year, he’ll need to add some size to contend with the top 15 106-pounders.
Junior high runner-up Lopez could also make an immediate impact, though it remains uncertain if he’ll find a spot in the starting lineup.
Junior high state placers Conner Bagdonas, and Davis are promising talents, but it’s unlikely they’ll secure a spot in the starting lineup this season.
What the Yellow Jackets lack in depth (compared to St. Ed’s and Perry), they make up for in firepower from their stars. With Coach Burnett at the helm, you can be sure they’ll again peak in March, ready to vie for their fourth consecutive runner-up finish.
#4 Brecksville
Returning Qualifiers
Evan Rizzo (3rd)
Riley McPherson (3rd)
Zachary Aquila (4th)
Rylan Seacrist (4th)
Harrison Haffner (7th)
Jace Jett (7th)
E.J. German (Q)
Ben Hegler (Q)
Other Notable Wrestlers
Cayden Pluhar
Mason Artino
Edwin Rios
Frank Aquila
Freshmen
Drew Moro (JH 1st)
Cole Speer (JH 1st)
Lincoln Schultz (JH 3rd)
Tyler Soeder (JH 6th)
Christopher Soeder (JH 8th)
Although Brecksville currently sits at #4, they have the talent to potentially surpass Perrysburg—and maybe even Perry—by season’s end. They return a strong roster featuring six state placers, two additional qualifiers, and an outstanding freshman class.
Seacrist, Rizzo, McPherson, Aquila, Haffner, Jett, and German are all top-tier wrestlers, any of whom could realistically make the state finals. Seacrist, in particular, will contend for a state title this season.
Hegler, Pluhar, Artino, and Rios are state-level talents who will also be key contributors.
The ‘X-Factor’ for the Bees could be their talented freshman class. Schultz, Moro, and Speer are likely to find spots in the lineup and make immediate impacts. Tyler and Christopher Soeder are also promising, but will probably have to wait a year to make the starting lineup.
With a strong mix of experienced talent and promising freshmen, Brecksville has the potential to shake up the standings. If their lineup fires on all cylinders, the Bees could make a serious push for a team trophy this season. Keep an eye on them in March.
#5 Archbishop Moeller
Returning Qualifiers
Londen Murphy (2nd)
Will Adkins (2nd)
Lucas Stuerenberg (6th)
Noah Jackson (Q)
Other Notable Wrestlers
Hayden Cox
Freshmen
Gavin Ignacio-Watson (JH 4th)
Landen Messer (JH 7th)
Archbishop Moeller is not a particularly deep team, but their top wrestlers are exceptionally strong. They return three state placers and a state qualifier, positioning them well for a competitive postseason.
Murphy and Adkins are returning state finalists and their team’s success is highly dependent on them matching or surpassing last year’s performances.
Heavyweight Stuerenberg has a shot at reaching the state finals as well, especially with his weight class opening up due to graduations. Jackson, a top-10 wrestler, will also aim to build on last year’s success.
Cox, along with freshmen Ignacio-Watson and Messer, could also contribute.
While Moeller may not have the depth of the other top teams, they have three potential finalists and a couple other wrestlers who can make some noise at the state tournament. If they perform to their potential in March, they’ll be a top-5 team.
Dual Meet Rankings
- St. Edward
- Massillon Perry
- Brecksville
- Perrysburg
- Highland Medina
- Harrison
- Archbishop Moeller
- Springboro
- Olentangy Liberty
- Butler
The above rankings are based on DubStat’s computer-generated team rankings while also factoring in potential impacts by incoming freshmen.
The top four teams are well established. St. Edward, Perry, and Brecksville each bring full lineups of 14 high-caliber wrestlers, while Perrysburg—though not as deep as the top three, only ranks as a slight underdog to Brecksville in a dual meet setting.
A clear gap separates the top four teams from the rest of the state. Highland and Harrison will both field strong lineups, with Highland a step ahead at this point.
Springboro and Liberty always bring full, solid rosters and perform well in dual meets. Beyond them, another 5–10 teams make a compelling case for a top-10 ranking.
This year, the talent gap is more evident geographically. The top five teams all hail from the Northern districts, while positions 5–10 are filled by Southern teams, except for Liberty, which stands alone as the Central district representative.
Dual Meet Predictor Tool
Full D1 Team Rankings
Returning Champions
Brandon Bickerton (Medina Highland)
Grey Burnett (Perrysburg)
Ethan Timar (St. Edward)
Karson Brown (St. Edward)
Cole Evans (Perrysburg)
Marcus Blaze (Perrysburg)
Carson Thomas (LaSalle) – not competing in OHSAA events
Matthew Kowalski (Springboro)
Of the eight returning champions, four are still on track to achieve four-timer status:
- Marcus Blaze is the HEAVY favorite to win his fourth title, solidifying his place as the greatest high school wrestlers in American history.
- Karson Brown is aiming for his third title and will be favored to achieve it. Nobody else in the state fights through positions like Brown.
- Grey Burnett is chasing his second title after powering through one of the toughest brackets in the state last season. Get ready, the Grey Train is rolling into this season with extra steam—choo choo!
- Brandon Bickerton captured the 106-pound title with late-match heroics last year. While the competition remains fierce at the lower weights, he has the talent to repeat.
Senior Cole Evans is aiming for his third state title after a masterful victory over Contos in last season’s final. Expect him to move up a couple of weight classes as he fills out his lengthy frame.
“The Gladiator”, Matthew Kowalski, looked like a man-possessed as he pulled off the upset over Miller in last year’s state finals. A rematch between these two powerhouses seems inevitable, as they’ve clearly set themselves apart from the rest of the field at 190-pounds.
Super 32 champion Carson Thomas has opted out of OHSAA events this season, choosing instead to hit the college open circuit and post his journey on Instagram. He’s already made waves with a 4th place finish at the Clarion Open—go follow @carsonjthomas to catch his highlights!
Top 25 Returning D1 Wrestlers
- Marcus Blaze (Perrysburg)
- Karson Brown (St. Edward)
- Jarrel Miller (St. Edward)
- Grey Burnett (Perrysburg)
- Ethan Timar (St. Edward)
- Matthew Kowalski (Springboro)
- Tyrel Miller (St. Edward)
- Adam Butler (St. Edward)
- Mason Rohr (Massillon Perry)
- Cole Evans (Perrysburg)
- Phoenix Contos (Waite)
- Kane Shawger (St. Xavier)
- Holden Huhn (LaSalle)
- Evan Rizzo (Brecksville)
- Londen Murphy (Archbishop Moeller)
- Garrison Weisner (Oregon Clay)
- Alex Taylor (Mt. Vernon)
- Liston Seibert (Massillon Perry)
- Landon Johnson (Massillon Perry)
- Bradley Eaton (St. Edward)
- Joseph Sanderfer (Massillon Perry)
- Wyatt Brock (Harrison)
- Rylan Seacrist (Brecksville)
- Jace Jett (Brecksville)
- Jaiden Sarabia (Whitmer)
HM: Riley McPherson (Brecksville-Broadview Hts), Aiden Peterson (St Edward), Neal Krysty (Worthington Kilbourne), Carson Mize (Marysville), Khimari Manns (St Edward)
These rankings are based solely on DubStat’s Elo Ratings with the top 25 rated wrestlers listed.
Full Set of Individual Rankings – ~10,000 wrestlers ranked!
subscribe today with a 14-day free trial
Take advantage of our 14-day free trial to view DubStat’s full set of high school wrestling rankings and use our predictor tools to project winners of individual matches and dual meets.
Rule Changes for the 2024/25 Season
OHSAA Wrestling has enacted changes for takedowns, near-fall, and out-of-bounds scoring to align with college wrestling rules, encourage more offense, and reduce stalling.
- 3-point Takedowns: The value for a takedown has increased from two points to three points.
- 4-Point Near-Falls: Offensive wrestlers will now earn 2, 3, or 4 near-fall points based on the duration they hold their opponent in near-fall criteria.
- Out-of-Bounds: A wrestler is considered inbounds if either wrestler has one point of contact inside the boundary line.
2025 Ohio High School Wrestling Preview (D1)