Charley Jones of New Richmond (top), shown here wrestling in the first round of the state tournament March 10, 2023, in Columbus, was among three freshmen from area Clermont County schools to qualify for the tourney. Photo by Brian S. Peterson.
The 2023 state wrestling tournament was one to remember. And the future? Yes, it’s shaping up to be unforgettable, too.
In the first Ohio High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Championships to include a girls division, Jesse Foebar of Clermont Northeastern won the girls state championship at 145 pounds Sunday, March 12 at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus.
A junior, Foebar returns next season, along with teammates Liberty Johnson and Janelle Donahue, who as freshmen qualified for this year’s state tourney at 125 and 130 pounds, respectively, helping the Rockets to a 13th-place tie in the team standings.
Still, when it comes to forward-looking optimism, the Rockets – and area girls wrestling programs – aren’t alone.
Jaden Owens of Goshen didn’t have the gaudy record of some of his fellow state competitors at 215 pounds. And he didn’t place, losing both of his matches at the state tournament. But the junior appears to be on an upward trajectory as he prepares for next season.
“He started training for next year before he left Columbus and he has been on the mat every chance he gets,” Goshen coach Dan Hill said.
“His record shows that it is most important to peak at the right time,” Hill added of Owens’ modest 19-15 season mark. “Jaden’s highlights come at the end of the season. He spent a big part of this year adapting to the speed and technique of the 215-pound weight class. I think the highlight for me was seeing him continue to do extra work when he wasn’t having the success in the middle of the season.”
Owens came on strong late, though, finishing fourth in the district tournament at Wilmington to qualify for the state tourney.
“I think going to state has lit a new fire in Owens,” Hill said.
Back on the girls side, all but two of the nine area Clermont County wrestlers who qualified for state this year will be back next season, led by Charley Jones of New Richmond. Jones finished seventh at 110 pounds as a freshman this season.
“I feel that Charley wrestled a good tournament. The two matches that she lost, she started out slowly and had issues coming back in the third period,” New Richmond coach Greg Minor said. “When she won her matches, she started off quickly and took control of the match. We are pleased with the overall effort. We look forward to her coming back next year and placing higher on the podium, possibly earning that championship spot.
“Charley had a positive season this year, wrestling a fourth of her season in some boys tournaments and then moving over to the girls tournaments,” Minor added. “We are building an all-girls schedule for next season, which will allow her to see more of her competition throughout the entire season. Charley is the first freshman in New Richmond’s wrestling program to qualify for state and also the first freshman in our program to place in state”
Along with Foebar and the freshmen trio of Jones, Johnson and Donahue, 2023 state qualifiers who will be back next season are junior Chloe Vining of Bethel-Tate (170 pounds), sophomore Kiara Martin of Batavia (190 pounds), and junior Shayne Manning of New Richmond.