Minerva senior Hunter Dietrich left everything on the mat in the final match of his high school wrestling career, securing a fifth-place finish at the OHSAA state tournament with a 12-8 victory over West Geauga’s Brian Denamen in the 165-pound division.
The moment was bittersweet for Dietrich, who has dedicated 12 years to the sport and finished his career with an impressive 151-39 record.
“It was an emotional match,” Dietrich said. “After all these years, all the hard work, it’s tough knowing this is the last time I’ll wrestle for Minerva. But I wanted to finish strong and not end on a loss.”
Dietrich’s journey through the tournament began with a dominant first-round performance, pinning Wauseon’s Kahle Albright in just 1:19. In the quarterfinals, he secured a hard-fought 3-1 decision over Salem’s Aiden Stecker to advance to the semifinals.
However, in the semifinals, Dietrich fell to Reading’s Gage Murphy, who went on to win the state championship with a pin. Dietrich dropped into the consolation bracket, where he faced Beaver Local’s Evan Ours in the consolation semifinals, falling by an 8-3 decision.
Determined to finish his career on a high note, Dietrich rebounded in the fifth-place match, defeating West Geauga’s Denamen in a thrilling 12-8 decision.
“Perseverance is everything in wrestling,” he said. “You have to push through losses and come back stronger. That’s what I tried to do today.”
Dietrich is now a three-time state placer, a feat that speaks to both his talent and dedication. But beyond personal accolades, he credits the brotherhood of Minerva wrestling and the unwavering support of the Minerva community for helping him reach this point.
“Our community is incredible,” he said. “Hearing them cheer us on at state, knowing they’re behind us—it means everything. Wrestling at Minerva is about more than just competing; it’s about family.”
As he looks ahead to his next steps, Dietrich isn’t entirely sure what the future holds. But one thing is certain—his legacy at Minerva is secure.
“I’ve given this sport everything I have,” he said. “Whatever comes next, I know wrestling has shaped me into the person I am today.”
Sabatin Earns Eighth in First State Tournament Appearance
Minerva junior Hatcher Sabatin also made his mark on the state tournament, battling his way to an eighth-place finish in his first trip to the event.
Sabatin started strong, pinning Brookville’s Trenton Brooks in just 33 seconds in his opening-round match. However, in the quarterfinals, he suffered a setback, falling to Hawken’s Will Greenberg in just 30 seconds.
Undeterred, Sabatin bounced back in the second round of the consolation bracket, pinning Defiance’s Alex Hinojosa in 2:00 to keep his tournament run alive. He then faced Jaxin Stancombe of Madison Comprehensive in the third consolation round but was pinned in 1:00, dropping him into the eighth-place match.
In his final match, Sabatin fell to CVCA’s David Grimes by pin in 27 seconds, securing an eighth-place finish. Despite the challenges, Sabatin said the experience was both difficult and rewarding.
“It was tough, but I had a lot of fun being here,” he said. “I wasn’t able to make it last year, but I came to support my friends, and this year, I finally got to compete. It was an incredible experience.”
Sabatin acknowledged the emotional toll of close matches and losses but emphasized the importance of learning from them. With one more season ahead, he already has his eyes on bigger goals.
“I need to get healthy first,” he said, referring to an upcoming meniscus surgery. “But once I recover, I want to make it back to the state tournament next year and try to go undefeated in the EBC.”
With a year of experience now under his belt, Sabatin is motivated to return stronger in his senior year, hoping to climb higher on the podium.