Riverdale freshman Phelps takes 5th place in state tournament

By WILLIAM FRANCISCUS

Times news bureau

COLUMBUS — Riverdale freshman phenom Grady Phelps secured fifth place in the state wrestling tournament for the Division III 132-pound weight class Sunday afternoon at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

“I’m just really proud of him,” Riverdale coach Paul Frey said. “He’s been working his whole life towards this, so fifth place as a freshman is quite the feat and he needs to enjoy this. He should be very proud of himself.”

After a tough loss in the consolation semifinal, Phelps (47-4) had to put the loss behind him and focus on getting fifth place.

“That match didn’t go the way he wanted,” Frey said. “But he’s just has to learn from it and he flushed it. He got his head screwed on right and went out there and grinded.”

In the fifth-place match, Phelps met up with Lake Catholic freshman Giovanni Magistrelli (42-19). Magistrelli took a 2-1 lead with an escape halfway through the second period, but Phelps got a takedown late in the period to take a 4-2 lead at the end of the second period.

From there, Phelps carried the momentum, added another takedown and was able to close out the match 8-4 to get fifth place.

“I just wanted to push the pace,” Phelps said. “I didn’t want to give him anything and wanted to put the pressure on him. Then he will act up and I’ll be able to score him.”

After losing in the opening round Friday, Phelps had to work his way through the consolation bracket. He advanced to the second day of the tournament with a pin Friday night.

In round two of the consolation bracket, Phelps was locked into a thriller with senior Kayden Welker (36-17) from South Range. Phelps got out to a 5-0 lead in the second period with a reversal and three-point nearfall, but Welker closed the gap with an escape and takedown to make it 5-4 heading into the third period.

Welker got another escape early in the third period to tie it at 5, leading to overtime. In the first overtime period, neither wrestler was able to score, but in the second overtime period, with Phelps starting on top, he closed it out with a pin in 6:20 to advance to the consolation quarterfinals and clinch a spot on the podium.

“He just was able to finish it out and was able to gut it out and come out with the win,” Frey said.

In the consolation quarterfinals, Phelps faced Clearview senior Chase Parker (22-9). Phelps got out to an early lead with a quick takedown and added another late in the second period for a 6-0 lead.

Parker made things close with a takedown in the third period, but Phelps prevailed 7-4.

“He has worked hard all year,” Frey said. “His hard work and dedication all year has helped him get to this point.”

In the consolation semifinals, Phelps faced a familiar opponent in Delta senior Richard Flores, who narrowly defeated Phelps in the district tournament semifinals, 4-3.

It was a slow start, but Phelps got a takedown to lead 3-0, but Flores (36-18) answered with a reversal to make it 3-2. Neither wrestler scored in the second period.

The third period was a battle as both wrestlers held their ground, but with about 30 seconds remaining, Flores scored the winning takedown and held on for a 5-3 victory.

“That loss, I don’t even know,” Phelps said. “I just lost; it was my fault. I just had to get focused and clear my anger, my head and just wrestle.”

While Phelps is happy with his performance and getting fifth, in the future, he wants to place even better.

“I’m happy with it because I am a freshman placing fifth,” Phelps said. “I probably could’ve placed higher but still fifth place is great for a freshman.”

With Phelps’ freshman season in the books, he will look to continue to improve over the offseason and with aspirations of climbing even higher on the podium.

“The future is bright for him,” Frey said. “We’re going to enjoy and celebrate this finish, but we’re going to get back to work and the goal for next year is to be on top of the podium for next year and years after.”

 

Individual results

132 — DeMarco (Graham) tf. Phelps (Riverdale) 16-1, Phelps p. Santana (Bridgeport) 2:32, Phelps p. Welker (South Range) 6:20 (OT1), Phelps d. Parker (Clearview) 7-4, Flores (Delta) d. Phelps 503, Phelps d. Magistrelli (Lake Catholic) 8-4.