Lopez, Laymon, Crooks, and Geckler named DubStat’s freshmen of the year
Freshmen of the year and all-Ohio freshman team selections
Freshmen of the Year
Division 1: Urijah Lopez (Perrysburg)
Division 2: Maddox Laymon (Sheridan)
Division 3: Kyler Crooks (Graham)
Girls: Carolyn Geckler (Massillon Perry)
Urijah Lopez (Perrysburg)
Urijah Lopez capped off his season with a third-place finish at 132 pounds in Division 1, delivering an impressive run to the podium. His path to bronze was highlighted by key victories over four-time state placer and two-time state runner-up Phoenix Contos, who had previously defeated him at sectionals and districts, and three-time state placewinner Huggy Williams, who bested him in the state quarterfinals.
Lopez wrapped up the season with a 37-8 record and is currently ranked as the #2 pound-for-pound wrestler in the Class of 2028.
Maddox Laymon (Sheridan)
Photo: Krusty Flicks (Neal Krysty)
Maddox Laymon of Sheridan dominated the 120-pound Division 2 bracket, capturing the state title with an impressive run that included two tech falls and two pins. He powered through state placers Mellot (Wapakoneta) and Stuckey (Wauseon) before pinning returning champion Garcia (Bexley) in the state finals to claim the crown.
Laymon finished the season with a 50-3 record and holds the #1 pound-for-pound ranking in the Class of 2028.
Kyler Crooks (Graham)
Photo: Amelia Tucker
Kyler Crooks earned a 4th-place finish at 165 pounds in Division 3, navigating what was widely considered the deepest bracket in the division. His run to the podium featured a tech fall victory over two-time state placer Collins (Waynesville).
Earlier in the season, Crooks claimed the Wadsworth GIT title, one of Ohio’s toughest tournaments, by pinning two-time state placer and eventual Division 1 third-place finisher Lincoln Gardner (Olentangy Liberty) in the finals.
His only two in-state losses this season both came in overtime—one against the Division 2 state champion and the other against the Division 1 fourth-place finisher.
Crooks finished the season with a 41-6 record and is ranked as the #6 pound-for-pound wrestler in the Class of 2028.
Carolyn Geckler (Massillon Perry)
Photo: Akron Beacon Journal
Carolyn Geckler of Massillon Perry dominated the 115-pound state bracket, securing three first-period falls before capping off her championship run with a major decision in the finals.
Not only is Geckler the top freshman in Ohio, but she is also the top pound-for-pound returning girls wrestler in the state and ranks inside the top 10 nationally in her weight class.
Her dominance extends beyond the high school season—Geckler won the U15 Pan American Championships this summer and carried that momentum into the season. She placed 3rd at the Ironman Tournament and went undefeated in-state, collecting wins over two returning state champions while competing at both 115 and 120 pounds.
Geckler finished the season with a 41-2 record and holds the #1 pound-for-pound ranking in the Class of 2028.
Boys All-Ohio Freshman Team
106
1st: Loc Webber (Dublin Coffman)
2nd: Bodey Gibbs (Columbia)
3rd: Andrew Mlynarczyk (St. Edward)
HM: Sam Adams (Massillon Perry)
HM: Lucas Schulz (Brecksville)
HM: Bodie Raymond (Indian Valley)
113
1st: Tommy Wurster (Dublin Coffman)
2nd: Connor Whitely (St. Edward)
3rd: Oliver Lester (Olentangy Liberty)
HM: Tanner Cochrane Columbia)
HM: Xavier Pollard (Louisville)
HM: Lucas Shore (Miami East)
120
1st: Maddox Laymon (Sheridan)
2nd: Joshua Sheets (Columbus DeSales)
3rd: Cole Speer (Brecksville)
HM: Caleb Curry (Elder)
HM: Ryan Morgan Jr. (Archbishop Alter)
HM: Chase Davis (Perrysburg)
126
1st: Cooper Schlaegel (Elgin)
2nd: Tyler Ineman (Lake Catholic)
3rd: Josiah Sims (Brush)
HM: Colton Nixon (Martins Ferry)
HM: Gamble Gossett (Union Local)
HM: Gavin Watson (Archbishop Moeller)
132
1st: Urijah Lopez (Perrysburg)
2nd: Thomas Lindsay (Bishop Watterson)
3rd: Grady Phelps (Riverdale)
HM: Giovanni Magistrelli (Lake Catholic)
HM: William Schork (St. Edward)
HM: Sebastian Schmeltzer (Waynedale)
138
1st: Tommy Rowlands (Bishop Watterson)
2nd: Anthony Oscar (Clear Fork)
3rd: Andrew Ramos (Massillon Perry)
HM: Gordon Cyrus (Huntington)
HM: Mathias Hill (Canton McKinley)
HM: Tuff Hutcheson (Ashland)
144
1st: Cole Winemiller (Graham)
2nd: Andrew Moro (Brecksville)
3rd: Colton Morris (West Salem Northwestern)
HM: Mason Hill (Cambridge)
HM: Reed Bodie (Columbus DeSales)
HM: Gavin Luikart (Elgin)
150
1st: Jake Hughes (Beaver)
2nd: Kam Stout (Claymont)
3rd: Jonas Mannier (Graham)
HM: Law Davlin (Perkins)
HM: Keyno Mendez (Wapakoneta
HM: Logan Haer (Tuslaw)
157
1st: Marcus Nagel (Delta)
2nd: Graham Moyer (Northmont)
3rd: Maddox Kidd (Waynedale)
HM: Xaviere Harden (Berea-Midpark)
HM: Cody Roberts (Mayfield)
HM: John Davidson (Pickerington North)
165
1st: Kyler Crooks (Graham)
2nd: Budder Manley (Bidwell River Valley)
3rd: Keegan Andrews (Marysville)
HM: Carter Wickes (Brunswick)
HM: Tyler Soeder (Brecksville)
HM: Ben Mitchell (Lake Catholic)
175
1st: Jakob Hoke (Graham)
2nd: Gunner Taylor (Delta)
3rd: Eli Wright (Westfall)
HM: Liam Dillon (Massillon Jackson)
HM: Bradley Barr (Indian Valley)
HM: Lukas Grillis (Medina Highland)
190
1st: Brydon Feister (Archbishop Hoban)
2nd: Xander Horak (Massillon Perry)
3rd: Paul Tepley (CVCA)
HM: Carter Lester (Lima Central Catholic)
HM: Andrew Lowther (Akron SVSM)
HM: Luciano Traczyk (Mayfield)
215
1st: Knox McKibben (Harrison Central)
2nd: Braylon Wright (Dublin Coffman)
3rd: Landon Echelberry (Findlay)
HM: Aaron Rapp (Indian Lake)
HM: Eli Showalter (Logan)
HM: Randy Madison (Loveland)
285
1st: William Patrick (Celina)
2nd: Caden Orr (Archbishop Moeller)
3rd: Sawyer Bockelman (Liberty Center)
HM: Alex Estrada (Canton Central Catholic)
HM: Reid Byers (Fairfield)
HM: Tyre Bush-Freeman (Aiken)
Girls All-Ohio Freshman Team
Note: The Girls’ division does not include honorable mention selections because it consists of only one division, whereas the Boys’ has three divisions, allowing for a broader selection pool.
100
1st: Ja`Leia Mitchell (Northmont)
2nd: Cali Otero (Lorain)
3rd: Sara Whitlach (Tuscarawas Valley)
105
1st: GG Dominish (Perry)
2nd: Bailey Hilliard (Minerva)
3rd: Triniti Bechstein (Elmwood)
110
1st: Natalie Wise (Cloverleaf)
2nd: Reagen Hudson (Monroe)
3rd: Scout Phillips (Mechanicsburg)
115
1st: Carolyn Geckler (Massillon Perry)
2nd: Emma Gorrell (Warren)
3rd: Meredith Greenslade (Clyde)
120
1st: Civil Pumphrey (Paulding)
2nd: Aaliyah Frederick (Chaminade-Julienne)
3rd: Bri Popovich (Cuyahoga Falls)
125
1st: Kayleigh Wiseman (Tuscarawas Valley)
2nd: Bella Hughes (Benjamin Logan)
3rd: Audrey Crooks (Maysville)
130
1st: Loraine Durham (London)
2nd: Leannah Swiger (Akron Springfield)
3rd: Skylar McCuen (Olentangy)
135
1st: Brooklyn Whited (Logan)
2nd: Haylynn Littleton (Harrison)
3rd: Paityn Crank (Carrollton)
140
1st: Bridgette Rice (Delphos St. John’s)
2nd: Trinidee McKenzie (Warren)
3rd: Rielle Hawkins (Elyria)
145
1st: Abigale Torres-Miller (Poland Seminary)
2nd: Isabella Williams (Brookfield)
3rd: Evie Pfliederer (Calvert)
155
1st: Vivi Legato (Archbold)
2nd: Reghan Koch (Austintown-Fitch)
3rd: Britoriah Rollison (Sandusky)
170
1st: Amari Johnson (Brush)
2nd: Maddie Turner (Norwood)
3rd: Holley Schroeder (Gibsonburg)
190
1st: Caroline Purdham (Clyde)
2nd: Johanna Bogan (Garrett Morgan)
3rd: Torri Lewis (Loveland)
235
1st: Saniya Erzhanova (Mason)
2nd: Madi Ford (Olentangy Orange)
3rd: Violet White (Eaton)
Ohio All Freshman team members were selected using the following criteria:
- Final Elo Ratings – the top freshmen were selected from each weight
- Wrestlers were then moved up or down in the list based on:
- Head-to-head wins
- Common opponent results
- State and district achievements