COLUMBUS — Three down; one to go.
Clyde’s Garit Witt will wrestle in the state championship finals after defeating St. Paris Graham’s Johnny Shafer, by a 5-2 decision.
Last year Witt came up short in the semifinals, so coming back this year and advancing to Saturday night’s finals felt a little extra special for him.
“It feels so awesome,” he said. “Coming up a match short last year, and then coming down here and getting into the finals feels awesome.”
After a scoreless first period, Witt fell behind 1-0 when Shafer got an escape after choosing bottom to start the second period. After that, the Clyde senior got his offense rolling.
“I wanted to see how strong he was and what I could do,” Witt said. “I felt what I could do and then did it in the second period to get my points. I’m in the finals now, so I’ve got to be doing something right.”
After winning his quarterfinal match earlier in the day, Witt was nothing but a ball of energy leading up to the semifinal match Friday night. So much so, Clyde coach Bob Blackburn was wondering if he’d even have anything left to wrestle the match.
“He’s been a freakin’ pain in my hind end all day today,” Blackburn said. “He’s just been a ball of energy all day. I told my coaches I hoped he would have enough gas to go in his match tonight. I was afraid he’d wear himself out during the day.
“But he was excited. We fell a step short last year in this match, and we didn’t want to do that again this year.”
Witt will now wrestle Middletown Madison’s Nick Svarda in the championship match. As a senior, Svarda has put together a 44-1 record on the season.
Witt plans on coming out aggressive immediately in the finals.
“I’m going to come here tomorrow and be aggressive the whole time,” Witt said. “I’m not going to wait tomorrow; I’m going to do everything I have to do to win a state championship. That’s my goal, and that’s what I want to do. I don’t want anything less.”
Witt will take part in tomorrow night’s parade of champions and then will wrestle on the raised stage for the state title. Thinking about what’s in store for him tomorrow night is a bit overwhelming.
“I don’t know how it’s going to feel, but I know it’s going to be awesome,” he said. “I’m not sure there’s much in life that can beat that…as of right now for me.
“It’s definitely the best feeling of my life.”
Prior to his semifinal match, Witt weighed in for the final time this season, meaning he can basically eat whatever he wants tonight and tomorrow before his match. While he wants to be careful, there is one thing he’d like to do the night before the state finals.
“I’m not going to go crazy eating tonight because I don’t want to get sick for tomorrow,” he said. “I want to go to Red Lobster tonight, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen.”
The state finals are slated to begin Saturday night at 5:45 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus. The parade of champions will begin at 5:30 p.m.
