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Monday, March 8th, 2010

Welker goes beyond wildest dreams

Mercer Country trio wraps up stellar seasons, careers

By Gary R. Rasberry
Photo by Gary R. Rasberry/The Daily Standard

Celina's Codey Welker, right, looks for a way to break loose from Painesville Harvey's Ian Jones.

COLUMBUS - Codey Welker was in the perfect position for a storybook finish at the 2010 State Wrestling Championships.
The Celina grappler's opponent in the Division II 285-pound seventh-place match was the wrestler who beat him in his first match of the tournament, Ian Jones of Plainesville Harvey.
Although Welker was unable to get Jones back for the loss, as Jones scored the pin in 2:46, Welker is still happy with his effort, earning him All-Ohio status with an eighth-place finish in the tournament.
"He was a big kid," said Welker, who ends his season at 36-10. "It's kind of hard weighing about 240 and I have to wrestle the kids who weigh 280. That's a huge challenge."
On Friday, Welker talked about making it to state being a dream since entering seventh grade and wrestling. Now that the dream came true, and making it to the final eight and earning podium status, Welker is glad to have made it.
"A couple of weeks ago, I wouldn't have thought this would happen," said the MatDog senior, who compiled a career record of 94-51. "Last week, I was hoping I wouldn't come in and go two-and-out (in the double elimination tournament). Just so glad I could make it.
"I couldn't ask for any better results with what happened. (It would) be nice to get first."
Welker joins a group of Celina wrestlers that placed that doubled over the weekend. Welker becomes the second heavyweight wrestler to earn a spot on the podium. Rob Eyink placed fifth in 2003.
"It's so awsome (Alex) Dues and I were able to place at the same time. First time ever (two Celina wrestlers placed in same tournament)," said Welker. "I can't explain."
Welker was awed a bit by the crowd, which averaged over 12,000 the first two days, watching at the Schottenstein Center. Until the action starts.
"I'm walking out to the mat and see all those people and it's crazy," said Welker. "Once I get on the mat, it's pretty much me and the other guy. I don't even think about the people. I just don't believe looking up and seeing all the people watch high school wrestling, it's unbelievable."
Additional online stories on this date
GREENVILLE - Sunny days and cold nights. That's the ideal weather for maple sugaring at the Shawnee Prairie Preserve Nature Center, part of the Darke County Parks. [More]
Mercer Country trio wraps up stellar seasons, careers
COLUMBUS - While getting a win in his final match was not to be, Alex Dues has plenty to be proud of.
Dues became the first Celina wrestler to plac [More]
Mercer Country trio wraps up stellar seasons, careers
COLUMBUS - Talk about the perfect pre-match workout.
Before his seventh-place match on Saturday at the State Wrestling Championships, Trevor Kunk got the workout from his father. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Longtime Chickasaw mayor and village councilman Virgil H. Puthoff died Sunday morning at The Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, where he had been receiving treatment for heart problems.
A study will be conducted this spring on the most dangerous roadways in Mercer County, which includes an intersection where a 20-year-old Celina woman was killed 10 years ago today.
NEW KNOXVILLE - The president's wife visited this Auglaize County town over the weekend and entertained friends (circa mid-1800s) at the First Methodist Church.
So far, $161,100 has been raised toward the $500,000 needed to test sediment removal technology in Grand Lake, members of the nonprofit Lake Improvement Association (LIA) learned Saturday as they prepared to launch a "Save Grand Lake" marketing campaign.
Girls Basketball Division IV District Finals
LIMA - Two old tournament combatants renewed their postseason rivalry Saturday night at Lima Senior with a trip to the regional as the coveted prize.
Girls Basketball Division II District Finals
PAULDING - The Celina girls basketball team saw its season come to an end Saturday night, falling to the Wauseon Indians 57-47 in the Division II District final Saturday night at Paulding High School.
State Wrestling Notebook
COLUMBUS - After Codey Welker's last match on Saturday, the feeling didn't quite hit Celina wrestling coach Tim Doner.
It probably did Saturday night.
Weekend Roundup
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
The Coldwater girls bowling team finished seventh at the State Bowling Tournament held this past weekend at Shawnee Lanes in Chillicothe.