Vikings win MOAC wrestling title for the family

CARDINGTON - For River Valley, it was all in the family.

The Vikings won the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Wrestling Championships, taking the Red Division title for the third straight year and fifth time in six years. It was the program's sixth Red crown and eighth overall in the MOAC since 1993.

And all three individual champions for the Vikings did it with family ties.

For freshman Mitchell Miracle, it was about accomplishing what his father did at RV a generation ago as a frosh. For Devin and Bryce Hessler, it was about keeping pace with a brother.

“My dad won it as a freshman, so I wanted to live up to him," Miracle said of his father Shawn, who was a standout wrestler in the 1980s in the former North Central Conference. "I have a little brother and hopefully he can win it, too.”

Miracle was sparked by upsetting one of the best wrestlers in the Central District in the semifinals when he beat Buckeye Valley senior Jordan Anthony, a former state qualifer, 16-6. He then pinned Harding's Mason Sparks in the finals at 1:37 to take the 126-pound title.

“I felt good and I just wanted to go out there and do my stuff. I did it and it felt good,” he said.

As for the Hesslers, both won championships as well. Devin took it at 145, while Bryce followed at 152.

“He’s good at everything," the junior Bryce said after taking a 9-8 victory over Pleasant's Brock Zugg. "Having him really helps out. He’s one of the best brothers you could ever have. Seeing my brother win tournaments like this made me want to do it.”

Like his younger brother, senior Devin had to go deep into overtime to outlast North Union's Trace Rasey 5-2.

“I had to make it interesting,” he joked about his long final bout. “It means a lot to me, especially because it’s my last year. Other years I took third, fourth, fifth. Coming out my senior year and hitting my 150th during the league is a big deal for me.”

In all, the Vikings saw nine wrestlers make All-MOAC by finishing first, second or third. The next closest school — North Union — had five.

“We placed 10 out of 13 kids today, which is nice," longtime RV coach Mark McGuire said. “We have one 106-pounder; we have one 113-pounder; we have one 120-pounder. We have no backups. We’ve got an extra 132 and an extra 145 and maybe an extra 160 and three heavyweights, so we’re not real deep or have tons of numbers, but the kids are there working really hard.”

The Vikings won the meet with 217 points to top North Union's 173.5. Pleasant was third in the Red Division with 146.5 points followed by Buckeye Valley's 124, Galion's 103, Jonathan Alder's 72.5, Harding's 50 and Fairbanks' 15. Northmor took the Blue Division championships with 146.5 points and was followed by Highland's 111.5, Fredericktown's 102.5, Cardington's 52, Centerburg's 51, Mount Gilead's 40, East Knox's 24 and Elgin's 13.

Wrestlers will now take aim at the sectional tournament, which will be Feb. 20 across the Central District. But until then the Vikings want to bask in how well the family did at the MOAC tourney.

“I want to say this is for Coach (McGuire)." Bryce Hessler said. "He’s been here forever. He’s one of the best guys I know. He’s got me to where I am now. Without this school and without this team, I wouldn’t be where I am. Having him as a coach means the world.”

Added Miracle: "We’re one big family.”

MOAC Wrestling Coaches Scholarship Fund

It's in its ninth year, but this is the first time the MOAC wrestling coaches gave away three $1,000 scholarships Saturday.

Pleasant's Noah Alexander, who finished third at 138, was one of the winners along with 220-pound Milan Pozderac of Fredericktown and Cardington's Jarrod Fair at 195.

“It means a lot. Both of my brothers in the past have won the scholarship," Alexander said. "Even though they won the tournament at the same time, it was tough not to do the same as them.”

Alexander will attend Dayton next fall and major in physical therapy with the goal of earning his doctorate. The MOAC wrestling coaches are the only ones in the league who offer scholarship money.

— Rob McCurdy

rmccurdy@gannett.com

Work 740-375-5158

Cell 419-610-0998

Twitter: @McMotorsport