Ashburn, McGraw Punch Tickets to Nationals as JCU Wrestling Shines at Regionals

3/2/2024 7:40:00 PM | By: Joe Ginley '16, SID

Aiden Ashburn won the 174 pound bracket for JCU.

ADA – Two Blue Streaks are headed to La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Five members of John Carroll Wrestling placed at the NCAA Central Regional Championships this weekend, and two finished in the top three to punch tickets to the big dance.

Aiden Ashburn and Patrick McGraw are bound for the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.

Final Brackets

Ashburn proved to be the star of the weekend for the Blue Streaks. The sophomore won the 174-pound bracket in impressive fashion, roaring for a Regional Championship. McGraw notched a third-place effort and will head to the National Championships for a third straight season.

As a team, the Blue Streaks finished in seventh place in the team standings at Regionals, which was hosted by Ohio Northern University at the ONU Sports Center.

Aiden Ashburn will be making his premier on the national stage following a fantastic weekend at 174. Following an opening bye, the Westlake native kickstarted things with a pin in 2:39. The sophomore roared into the semifinals by defeating Raymond Arebalo of Wabash, the top seed, in a 4-2 decision. Ashburn then punched his ticket to the final with a narrow 5-4 conquest of Albion's Owen McDaniel. And to finish things off, Ashburn won via medical forfeit for his first career Regional crown.

Patrick McGraw gets to go to the big show again following a third-place effort at 157. The Saint Ignatius grad opened with a bye and then a 15-0 tech fall over Zeke Poulos of Muskingum. Olivet's Ramiro Guerrero was his next victim, as McGraw pinned him in 4:15. But his quest for the title ended next, with an 8-4 decision loss to Wabash's Tim Smith. His back against the wall, the Chardon native pulled out an 8-2 decision to get to the third-place match. And with a spot to Nationals on the line, McGraw dominated in a 17-2 tech fall victory over Jayden Jones of host Ohio Northern.

Bear Horgan had a shot at glory. The freshman started off well at 184, with a 13-5 major decision over Jermaine Poynter of Mount St. Joseph to start. A dramatic bout with Heidelberg's Adam Medeiros followed, as Horgan snuck by with a 12-9 sudden victory. The Surprise, Arizona native then ran into the top-seeded Charles Baczek of Wabash, losing by pin. Horgan bounced back with a 7-4 decision over Remingto Bauer of Baldwin Wallace. But with third place and a ticket on the line, as Dylan Wellbaum handed him a 16-7 major decision. It was a good run despite the tough ending.

Jesse Kanatzar also fell just short of Nationals. The junior began with an 8-4 decision, but dropped a 6-3 decision to Wilmington's Caleb Tackett. In the consolations, the Tallmadge native caught fire, with an 11-8 decision, then a pin in 4:39 over foes from Case Western Reserve and Ohio Wesleyan. Jackson Beck-Calvert of Adrian was his next foe, and it proved to be a close one, a 12-10 win for Jesse. In a rematch with Tackett, Kanatzar got the last laugh, with a clutch 3-1 decision. Unfortunately, his quest for a Nationals bid ended there with a 4-0 decision loss.

Kyle Bizjak also placed for the Blue Streaks, tallying eighth place at 149 pounds.

Ashburn and McGraw will compete at the NCAA Division III Championships from March 15-16 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. More to come.

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