Licking County wrestlers go live throughout summer

GRANVILLE — Landen Cahill has missed only one Wednesday this summer, and to no one’s surprise it was because he was wrestling elsewhere.

The weekly Licking County competition night is just one way the Licking Heights junior is making sure he leaves no stone unturned. Cahill will be one of the Licking County League’s top returning wrestlers next winter as he pursues a trip to the Division I state championships.

“It’s a great experience, and it gets all of us better,” said Cahill, who was attending a high-level camp at Pursuit Wrestling Center in Lewis Center last week. “Opportunities like these are ones you can’t pass on.”

On Wednesday, wrestlers descended upon Granville. The summer’s ninth and final night will be held next Wednesday at Licking Valley.

Wrestlers of all ages are welcome. Granville coach Kyle Bergeron led Wednesday’s contingent through drilling, sparring and live competition.

“Big props to (Watkins middle school coach Eddie Jayne),” Bergeron said. "He’s the organizer behind this. I can’t thank him enough. It shows the camaraderie around the league. We are proud of Licking County wrestling. Every year we go to the state tournament, and we make noise.”

Cahill, the reigning LCL champion at 126 pounds, was tripped up in the challenging district tournament at Hilliard Darby in February. On Wednesday, he was partnering with wrestlers of all shapes and sizes.

“I have been working on a few moves I want to incorporate into my arsenal, but a lot of it just staying in shape,” Cahill said. “I have been going to camps around the area to get better competition around my size to know what I need to do to get to the next level.”

Several of Bergeron’s Granville wrestlers were in attendance, including his son, A.J., and Max Miller, who each will be freshmen next fall. Heath sophomore Landon Roush was drilling with freshman teammate Chris Baker, and Heights sophomore Cooper Ray joined Cahill.

Only a couple of youth wrestlers participated Wednesday, but it is a rare chance for younger competitors to share the mats with their older brethren. Northridge seventh grader Quinn Smith stepped up and drilled with a few of the incoming freshmen.

“Little kids are impressionable, and there’s no doubt they look up to the older kids,” Kyle Bergeron said. “When they get an opportunity to see how they drill, how they go live and can kind of soak that in, that’s inspiring the younger generation.”

ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com

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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County wrestlers go live throughout summer