Three Wrestlers Secure Spots at Ohio State Tournament

Three local wrestlers have earned their places in the Ohio High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament. Nate Sloan from the Ironton Fighting Tigers, Bryce Myers from the Chesapeake Panthers, and Enoch Patterson from the Symmes Valley Vikings all secured top-four finishes in their weight classes during the Division III Southeast-East District tournament held over the weekend.

Sloan’s Second Trip to State

Nate Sloan is making his second consecutive appearance at the state tournament after finishing fourth in the 132-pound weight division last season. In the recent district meet, Sloan began with a commanding 23-6 technical fall victory over Jakob Kreptowski of Harrison Central. Despite a setback against Cooper Schlegel of Marion Elgin, where he lost 7-0 in the quarterfinals, Sloan rebounded with a 5-0 technical fall win over Chris Adamik of Newcomerstown. He later secured a 10-7 decision against Raiden Boney of Nelsonville-York, which placed him in the third-place match. Though he fell 14-8 to Owen Simpson of Sandy Valley, his fourth-place finish was sufficient for state qualification.

Patterson’s Cinderella Season

Enoch Patterson’s journey is particularly remarkable as he wraps up a standout season with Symmes Valley, which is participating in wrestling for the first time. He placed second in the 165-pound weight class. Patterson opened his tournament with an 18-10 major decision win over Tre Smith of Madison Plains. He then triumphed in a nail-biting quarterfinal match against Richard Welshans of Martins Ferry, winning 17-16, and followed that with a 6-5 victory over David Warner of Adena in the semifinals. Although he lost the championship match 10-9 to Carson Campbell of Northmor, Patterson’s performance has been a highlight of the season.

Bryce Myers also showcased his talent at the tournament. Competing in the 106-pound division, he began with a pin against Mason England at the 3:40 mark of his opening round. After a close quarterfinal loss to Easton Stephen of Barnesville, Myers moved to the consolation rounds. He pinned Wyatt Paisley of Coshocton in just 1:23 before overcoming Owen Hatfield of Ridgewood with another pin at 4:32. Myers reached the third-place match, where he ultimately lost 8-2 by technical fall to Bryce Brooks of Garaway.

The state tournament is scheduled for March 12-14, 2026, at the Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University. This event promises to highlight the skills and dedication of high school wrestlers from across the state, and the achievements of Sloan, Myers, and Patterson reflect the growing strength of their respective programs.