CLEVELAND, Ohio — One of the most competitive high school wrestling tournaments in the country — the Walsh Jesuit Ironman — will return to Northeast Ohio for the 31st time this weekend, signaling the unofficial kickoff to wrestling season.
Over 600 wrestlers from over 150 schools all across the country convene for what some say is the unofficial national championships. It’s considered one of the top national wrestling tournaments, along with the Beast of the East Tournament at the University of Delaware and the Powerade Wrestling Tournament in Pennsylvania.
The Ironman will begin Friday at approximately 9:30 a.m. at Walsh Jesuit High School, and run through championship quarterfinals. It will conclude Saturday, beginning with the championship and consolation semifinals at 10:15 a.m. Placement matches are set to begin at 2:30 p.m., with the championship round slated to start at approximately 5:30 p.m.
The Women of Ironman tournament will begin on Saturday at approximately 2 p.m., and run through championship quarterfinals. It will conclude Sunday, beginning with the championship semifinals at 10:45 a.m. Placement matches are set to begin at 1 p.m. with the championship round slated to start at approximately 2:30.
The Ironman began in 1994 and has been held annually ever since, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The women’s tournament began in 2023, which coincided with the Ohio High School Athletic Association officially sanctioning girls wrestling.
Here are five things to know about this weekend’s tournaments:
Who are the top teams from outside Ohio?
The top national teams represented include defending team champions Faith Christian Academy (PA), defending runner-up Bishop McCort (PA) and defending third-place finisher Lake Highland Prep (FL).
Others to watch include: Malvern Prep (PA), Blair Academy (NJ), Delbarton (NJ), Christian Brothers Academy (NJ), Wyoming Seminary (PA), Brownsburg (IN), Marmion Academy (IL), Dublin Coffman, Massillon Perry, Crown Point (IN), Union County (KY), Stillwater (OK) and Edmond North (OK).
Who are the top wrestlers from outside Ohio?
The headliner is By Bassett of Bishop McCort at 150. He is a three-time Ironman champion looking to join David Taylor and Zahid Valencia as only the third four-time champion in tournament history.
Others expected to challenge for titles this weekend include:
Tyler DeKraker, Lake Island Prep (FL), 138
Jax Forrest, Bishop McCort (PA), 138
Melvin Miller, Bishop McCort (PA), 165
Nicholas Singer, Faith Christian Academy (PA), 175
Adam Waters, Faith Christian Academy (PA), 190
Jayden James, Delbarton (NJ), 165
Jordyn Raney, Union County (KY), 144
Jayden Raney, Union County (KY), 132
Michael Mocco, Cardinal Gibbons (FL), 285
Joey Bachmann, Faith Christian Academy (PA), 144
Aaron Stewart, Warren Twp. (IL), 175
Grey Burnett, Perrysburg, 126
Which Northeast Ohio teams are competing?
Schools from Cleveland.com’s seven-country coverage area include Barberton, Beachwood, Brecksville, Columbia, CVCA, Highland, Lake Catholic, St. Vincent-St. Mary, St. Edward, Streetsboro, Wadsworth and Walsh Jesuit.
Who are the top NE Ohio contenders?
Brecksville’s Rylan Seacrist, a defending state champion at 113, and St. Ed’s Karson Brown, a three-time state champion at 138, are potential title contenders from Northeast Ohio this weekend.
Others top local contenders include Highland’s Brandon Bickerton (120) and Austin Bickerton (126), Brecksville’s Jace Jett (150) and Zack Aquila (165), Beachwood’s Caleb Greenwood (165), Lake Catholic’s Danny Zmorowski (215), Columbia’s Bodey Gibbs (113) and Streetsboro’s Jarreau Walker (113).
What to know about the Women of Ironman
The top overall girls teams at the Women of Ironman include defending champions Bixby (OK) and defending runner-up Olentangy Orange, along with Wyoming Seminary (PA), Broken Arrow (OK) and Cleveland (TN).
The tournament will include following wrestlers ranked No. 1 in the nation by FloWrestling: Jaclyn Bouzakis, Wyoming Seminary (PA), 105; Taina Fernandez, Archbishop Spaulding, 140; Violette Lasure, Chestnut Ridge, 145; Deionna Borders, Berea-Midpark, 235.
Borders is a defending WOI champion and a two-time placer. She is also a defending state champion and three-time state placer.
Other local contenders include Lorain’s Cali Otero (100), Avon Lake’s Destiny Cabot (100), Perry’s Abby Cornwell (110), Brecksville’s Anna Madi (130), Keystone’s Sage O’Brien (145) and Black River’s Taylor Owen (155).
Northeast Ohio schools represented include Aurora, Avon Lake, Berea-Midpark, Black River, Brecksville, Keystone, Lorain, Shaker Heights and Walsh Jesuit.
