The Bethel-Tate wrestling team has had success over the last couple of seasons and head coach Tom Donahue believes that his team has what it takes to get back up to Columbus for the state meet.
“We’ve done pretty well so far this season,” Donahue said. “We finished first at Madeira, third at the Coaches Classic and we have 15 juniors on our team. We’re having a good season this year, but next year could be just as successful.”
Aside from the Madeira Invitational and Coaches Classic, the Tigers have also finished second at the Fenwick Invitational and just won the Batavia Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 4.
The Tigers had two wrestlers win their weight class at the Batavia Invite and four others finish second.
Leading Bethel this season is junior Chip Ratcliff. Ratcliff is 30-7 so far this season including some wins over some top wrestlers in the area as well as a win at Batavia.
“Chip Ratcliff wrestles at 132. He’s the highest ranked kid that we have, he was ranked 11th in the state in the latest rankings,” Donahue said. “He’s got some big wins under his belt this season. He beat the tough kid from Loveland, the placer from Mason, Gonzales, and he beat Brown from Lakota.
“I’m expecting him to do well in the post-season as well.”
Aside from Ratcliff, the Tigers get some of their senior leadership from Brandon Kahlenbeck. Kahlenbeck is 31-4 on the season so far and Donahue is looking for him to go upstate.
“We have three or four guys who I expect to make it to state this year. Kahlenbeck finished third at the Coaches Classic and Miami Trace,” Donahue said. “He’s been bouncing back and forth between 113 and 106 pounds, but he’s already won at Madeira and Edgewood.”
The third upperclassman Donahue is expecting to make his way to Columbus is junior Brian Carter who wrestles at 126 pounds.
“Carter is 24-11 this year. He’s finished sixth at the Coaches Classic, but he’s a returning district qualifier along with (Ratcliff and Kahlenbeck),” Donahue said.
“Carter is peaking at the right time. He had some losses earlier in the season that he probably shouldn’t have lost, but he’s wrestling the best he has all year at the right time.”
On Donahue’s periphery of possible state qualifiers are freshman Aric Peters at 120 pounds and Jon Ward at 195.
“Peters and Ward are on my bubble (as far as state).” Donahue said. “Those are my expectations for them, so they’ll probably have to upset some people, but I believe they can get upstate.”
Peters has gone 27-5 in his freshman season and Donahue believes that he is really coming into his own as the postseason approaches and he is pleased with how Peters had transitioned to high school wrestling.
Ward missed a few matches because of injury, but has had a good season thus far going 24-6. Donahue and Ward both had high hopes for Ward’s junior season and believe that he can get back to state this year.
Finally for Bethel, Kian Mollette is a returning district qualifier in the heavyweight division who Donahue believes can get upstate if he can get the right draw and is able to wrestle well.
The Tigers begin their trek back to state with sectionals taking place on Feb. 17 and 18.
