Watterson's Boyle, Coffman’s Esguerra win U.S. Open wrestling titles

Ashlynn Brokaw (Mount Vernon) beat Emma Gorrell (Warren) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 110 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Oliver Lester (Dublin Coffman) defeated Bradley Bauman (Lakewood St. Edward) in the Division I state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 120 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Ashlynn Brokaw (Mount Vernon) beat Emma Gorrell (Warren) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 110 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Ashlynn Brokaw (Mount Vernon) beat Emma Gorrell (Warren) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 110 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Oliver Lester (Dublin Coffman) defeated Bradley Bauman (Lakewood St. Edward) in the Division I state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 120 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Oliver Lester (Dublin Coffman) defeated Bradley Bauman (Lakewood St. Edward) in the Division I state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 120 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Joe Curry (Licking Valley) defeats Carter Trukovich (Galion) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 126 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Joe Curry (Licking Valley) defeats Carter Trukovich (Galion) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 126 weight class, March 15, 2026.

James Lindsay (Watterson) defeats Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 150 weight class, March 15, 2026.

James Lindsay (Watterson) defeats Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 150 weight class, March 15, 2026.

James Lindsay (Watterson) defeats Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 150 weight class, March 15, 2026.

James Lindsay (Watterson) vs. Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 150 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Nora Johnson (Bishop Hartley) lost to Emma Shephard (Massillon Perry) in the girls state wrestling tournament in the weight class, March 15, 2026.

Tommy Rowlands (Watterson) lost to Jake Hughes (Lisbon Beaver Local) in the Division II state wrestling tournament in the 157 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Tommy Rowlands (Watterson) lost to Jake Hughes (Lisbon Beaver Local) in the Division II state wrestling tournament in the 157 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Reese Thomas (Jonathan Alder) defeats Naomi Gearheart (Ashland Crestview) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 145 weight class, March 15, 2026.

KyLee Tibbs (Gahanna Lincoln) defeats Vivienne Legato (Archbold) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 155 weight class, March 15, 2026.

KyLee Tibbs (Gahanna Lincoln) defeats Vivienne Legato (Archbold) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 155 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Mackenzie Carder of Olentangy Orange defeated Cami Leng of Marysville in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Mackenzie Carder of Olentangy Orange defeated Cami Leng of Marysville in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Mackenzie Carder of Olentangy Orange defeated Cami Leng of Marysville in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Michael Boyle of Watterson defeats George Eggers of Napoleon in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Michael Boyle of Watterson defeats George Eggers of Napoleon in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Oliver Lester (Dublin Coffman) defeated Bradley Bauman (Lakewood St. Edward) in the Division I state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 120 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Ashlynn Brokaw (Mount Vernon) beat Emma Gorrell (Warren) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 110 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Best photos from 2025-26 central Ohio high school winter sports

Oliver Lester (Dublin Coffman) defeated Bradley Bauman (Lakewood St. Edward) in the Division I state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 120 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Ashlynn Brokaw (Mount Vernon) beat Emma Gorrell (Warren) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 110 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Best photos from 2025-26 central Ohio high school winter sports

Ashlynn Brokaw (Mount Vernon) beat Emma Gorrell (Warren) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 110 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Best photos from 2025-26 central Ohio high school winter sports

Oliver Lester (Dublin Coffman) defeated Bradley Bauman (Lakewood St. Edward) in the Division I state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 120 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Best photos from 2025-26 central Ohio high school winter sports

Oliver Lester (Dublin Coffman) defeated Bradley Bauman (Lakewood St. Edward) in the Division I state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 120 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Best photos from 2025-26 central Ohio high school winter sports

Joe Curry (Licking Valley) defeats Carter Trukovich (Galion) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 126 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Joe Curry (Licking Valley) defeats Carter Trukovich (Galion) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 126 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Best photos from 2025-26 central Ohio high school winter sports

James Lindsay (Watterson) defeats Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 150 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Best photos from 2025-26 central Ohio high school winter sports

James Lindsay (Watterson) defeats Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 150 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

James Lindsay (Watterson) defeats Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 150 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

James Lindsay (Watterson) vs. Beau Nezbeth (Beloit West Branch) in the Division II state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 150 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Nora Johnson (Bishop Hartley) lost to Emma Shephard (Massillon Perry) in the girls state wrestling tournament in the weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Tommy Rowlands (Watterson) lost to Jake Hughes (Lisbon Beaver Local) in the Division II state wrestling tournament in the 157 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Best photos from 2025-26 central Ohio high school winter sports

Tommy Rowlands (Watterson) lost to Jake Hughes (Lisbon Beaver Local) in the Division II state wrestling tournament in the 157 weight class, March 15, 2026.

21 / 23

Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

Reese Thomas (Jonathan Alder) defeats Naomi Gearheart (Ashland Crestview) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 145 weight class, March 15, 2026.

22 / 23

Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

KyLee Tibbs (Gahanna Lincoln) defeats Vivienne Legato (Archbold) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 155 weight class, March 15, 2026.

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Highlights from Ohio high school wrestling OHSAA state championships

KyLee Tibbs (Gahanna Lincoln) defeats Vivienne Legato (Archbold) in the girls state wrestling tournament to win the championship title for the 155 weight class, March 15, 2026.

Led by title performances from Watterson’s Michael Boyle and Dublin Coffman’s Eli Esguerra, central Ohio wrestlers impressed at the U.S. Open Championships held Aug. 21-26 in Las Vegas.

Boyle, a junior who has won three OHSAA Division II state titles, finished first at 97 kilograms (approximately 213 pounds), beating Robert Platt 11-2 in the U20 freestyle finals. Platt is a redshirt freshman wrestler at North Carolina.

Boyle, who has committed to Ohio State, will next compete in the World team trials finals May 29-31 in Geneva, Ohio.

Watterson's Michael Boyle, a three-time state champion, won a U20 freestyle title at the U.S. Open Championships.

Esguerra, a junior, won the U20 Greco-Roman title at 72 kilograms (159), defeating Indiana’s Hunter Sturgill in the first two matches of a best-of-three final. Esguerra also went 4-2 in freestyle competition.

Esguerra, who finished third at 157 in the Division I state tournament this winter, earned a spot on the U20 Greco-Roman World team. The World Championships are Aug. 16-23 in Bratislava, Slovakia.

“Eli had a phenomenal Greco tournament,” Coffman coach Chance Van Gundy said. “He’s such a Greco specialist.”

Rylen Wax, an eighth grader in Dublin, won U17 titles at 45 kilograms (99) in freestyle and Greco-Roman, earning berths for the World team competition July 27-Aug. 2 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Here is a look at central Ohio’s other top performers:

• Tommy Wurster, a sophomore at Coffman, finished third in freestyle and fourth in Greco-Roman at 60 kilograms (132). Wurster is a two-time Division I state runner-up.
• Chase Randolph, a seventh-grader in Dublin, finished first in U15 freestyle and sixth in Greco-Roman at 57 kilograms (126).
• Spencer Davern, who is home-schooled and trains with Beast Mode Wrestling Club at Coffman, won U15 freestyle and Greco-Roman titles at 85 kilograms (187).
• Elijah Bushy, who trains with Beast Mode Wrestling, finished first in U15 Greco-Roman and third in freestyle at 62 kilograms (137).
• Coffman sophomore Loc Webber went 3-2 in U20 freestyle at 57 kilograms. Webber finished third at state at 113 this winter and won a state title at 106 as a freshman.
• Also for Watterson in freestyle, Tommy Rowlands went 4-2 at 71 kilograms (157) and Thomas Lindsay went 3-2 at 65 kilograms (143). Rowlands is a two-time state runner-up and Lindsay finished fourth at 138 this past season. Both are sophomores.

High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be reached at fdirenna@dispatch.com and at @DispatchFrank on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Two central Ohio high school wrestlers win U.S. Open championships