State Wrestling Preview: McClain’s Ethan Hill returns to state at new weight class

McClain senior Ethan Hill will compete at the 2024 OHSAA Division II State Wrestling Championships, starting March 8 at the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus. (HCP Photo/Stephen Forsha)
GREENFIELD — When it comes to wrestling at the high school level, McClain senior Ethan Hill has proven why he’s one of the very best in the state of Ohio. All throughout his career, he’s been versatile as he’s had success in varying weight classes, qualifying for the 2024 OHSAA Division II State Wrestling Championships held at the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, on the campus of The Ohio State University.
Hill also has overcome some setbacks this season as the 285-pound weight class wrestler was injured twice this season. He battled back from a shoulder injury in December and a knee injury later in the season — where he still wrestled for another 30 or so seconds and gained the win, at Logan Elm — to qualify for state for a second consecutive year.
“I got injured twice this year, and my second injury, I honestly thought was going to be season-ending. I messed up my knee. I’m happy that it wasn’t. Now, I’m ready to finally get up on that podium,” Hills said of his injuries and his final goal of his high school wrestling career. “My shoulder injury happened at the dual against Chillicothe in December. The knee injury happened right at the end of January.”
There were a couple trains of thought for Hill when he was rehabbing his injuries. One was it was tough to watch practices, and secondly, Hill was relieved he was able to rehab and continue with his senior year of wrestling, as the injury in January left him off the mat and out of competition until the Frontier Athletic Conference tournament.
“There was a lot of rest and a lot of practices just watching people wrestle, and I was kind of mad that I couldn’t wrestle,” Hill said. “Then again, I honestly saw it as a relief because one moment, I thought my high school career might be over, and then I got another chance at doing it, so it was kind of like a weight being lifted off my shoulders.
“As for my shoulder (injury), I was probably out for two weeks. The injury in January, my knee, was about a month, because I didn’t wrestle all the way up until (the conference meet in February). I had to do a lot of conditioning when I came back. My gas tank was pretty bad when I came back. It is challenging … it could be worse, but it definitely was difficult.”
Hill got his start in wrestling at a young age. Being a fan of the WWE style of professional wrestling, plus being a self-described “hyper kid,” Hill said his father saw a flyer for youth wrestling and wanted him to “give it a shot.” From there, after eventually finding a passion and love for the sport as he reached his middle school years, Hill said “he hasn’t stopped since.”
Second-year McClain wrestling head coach Gary Ryan spoke about how Hill has gained confidence from the start of his junior year until now at the end of his senior season.
“Last year was my first year coaching, and at the beginning of the season you could tell, last season, he had zero confidence in himself. Once he got past that, he was a completely different kid,” Ryan said. “That's how he came in this year. He came into the season with the same mindset. He was planning on winning instead of trying to win, like he already thought he was going to win.
“I think that helped him a lot. The injuries did put him down. I'd say in the past month, he’s turned it around again. He actually started doing the same work like he was last year, and that's what got him back to the state tournament. It was being able to get past the injuries instead of dwell on it and let him end the season.”
Assistant coach Caleb Cooper also spoke about Hill and what he’s seen from him in his first season on the coaching staff for McClain wrestling.
“The only style I've seen of him is a heavyweight starting out this year. He has changed a lot from the beginning of the year to right now,” Cooper said. “Some things that I wouldn't say it was sloppy, but just slight things to change, he’s really picked up. He’s willing to put in the work at times, if something needs adjusted.
“I'm super proud of him. He's really kicked it up, especially this last month. I've seen the group every practice. I would have been proud of him at the end of sectionals if he would have never even made it there. Making it to the state tournament as a two-time state qualifier, that’s a big accomplishment. You’re one of the top 16 in the state. Hands down, that’s where you’re at. I’m super proud of him. He's worked his butt off this year, and dealt with injuries.”
As a junior, Hill qualified for state at the 215-pound weight class, winning the Frontier Athletic Conference championship, plus that same year was second place at sectionals, fourth place at districts and he also wrestled two matches at state.
“Last year, at 215, he was fast and he was a bigger 215, and that's where his success came from last year,” Ryan said. “I think this year, heavyweight is more like a chess match. At any minute you put 285 pounds in the wrong position, you're going to lose. (Ethan’s) match IQ is very smart when it comes to wrestling. He will take a risk when he needs to, but other than that, he knows what he's going to do before he does it. I'm pretty sure he plans his matches out.
“He's really hard on himself. I've seen him come off the mat more upset with himself sometimes after a win than a loss because he never feels like he competed the way he should. I think that can be a good thing or a bad thing, but it's worked for him so far.”
This season (2023-24) Hill is returning to state, but at the 285-pound weight class, and he’s found success at that class as well, entering the state tournament with a 25-3 overall record. He was district runner-up (Gallia Academy Region), and before that he was the Frontier Athletic Conference champion and won a sectional championship.
“Last year, it kind of seemed like a far-out thing to qualify (for state), but this year it felt more like an expectation rather than just a distant dream,” Hill said of the differences of making state from his junior year compared to his senior year.
This postseason, Hill — who has over 100 career wins — started with the FAC Tournament where in the semifinals he won via pin fall at 3:58 over Miami Trace’s Joshua McGraw, and he followed that with a finals win over Washington’s Brady Bohrer in 3:55 by pin fall.
After having his arm raised as FAC champion for a second time in his high school career, Hill battled to a sectional championship in the Gallia Academy 2 bracket on Feb. 24.
Entering the sectional tournament as the No. 1 seed in the 285-pound class, Hill received a first-round bye, followed by a quarterfinal victory against Tanner Key of GAHS at 1:11. Next was a semifinal victory against Bohrer of Washington by a 5-2 decision. In the finals, Hill defeated Waverly’s Davey Adkins by a 7-2 decision.
The following weekend on March 1-2, Hill wrestled four matches in two days at districts at Gallia Academy, finishing 3-1 and qualifying for state once again. In the opening round, Hill won by pin fall (:23) versus Devin Waggy of Morgan High School. In the quarterfinals, Hill won against Ian Lawson of Hillsboro by pin fall at 4:57.
The semifinal round of the district tournament — held at Gallia Academy H.S. — saw Hill win by a 2-1 (tiebreaker) decision over Mason Wilt of St. Clairsville. In the finals, Hill’s eight-match postseason win streak was ended, falling to Garrett Dillon-Rine of New Philadelphia (who is now 47-3 overall) by pin fall at 2:30.
“I haven’t really stopped to think about it much until this week,” Hill said of his championships won at the FAC Tournament and sectionals. “At the time, I was just thinking about the next thing. Thinking about it now, I’m pretty happy that it happened.
“Like I said before, thinking that my season could be over, making it back to Columbus was another weight off my shoulders.”
Looking at the early part of Hill’s high school career, during his freshman year he wrestled at 182 pounds, as he was fourth place at the FAC and fifth place at districts. His sophomore year, Hill jumped up to the 190-pound class, where he was third place in the FAC, fourth place at sectionals, and he wrestled in the second consolation round at districts.
The aforementioned junior season for Hill included his first FAC championship (215), second place at sectionals and fourth place at districts.
“I think it was partially just growing, but my freshman year it was either cut the weight or not start,” Hill said of being in a different weight class in each of his four years of high school wrestling. “I feel like being at those lower weight classes was harder than being at the heavier weight classes because I made decently big cuts my freshman and sophomore year. I would come in like the low 200s and make it down to the 170s, 180s.
“I never wrestled low weight classes, but it seems like a lot more speed, and 190 and 215 was a pretty good combination of speed and strength. There’s still speed components at heavyweight, but it seems more like technique and strength.”
When asked what his favorite weight class to wrestle in, Hill thought for a second, smiled and said the following:
“I like eating, so I guess being a heavyweight is fun,” Hill said with a laugh. “I liked last year, too, because I started getting my strength and wasn’t at heavyweight, so there was a lot more speed. I kind of grew into it.”
Coach Ryan said he’s proud of Hill and of how he’s handled and overcome his injuries to make it back to state.
“One thing I'm proud of him about is the pressure he had on him before the season started to make it back to the state tournament, and then to have injuries he had, he easily could use those as a way out for the season and a way to get rid of all that pressure. But instead, he healed up and made it back,” Ryan said. “Anyone who’s come in here in the past two years knows Ethan's one of the hardest workers. When it’s needed, he’s one of the hardest workers in the room, and I mean, they see his results. Hopefully it helps grow the program and influence kids that are already in it.”
Hill is scheduled to wrestle junior Jeffery Blair of Chaminade Julienne in Round 1, as Blair is 41-3 overall this season and was ranked No. 3 from the Wilmington Region. Hill is seeded No. 2 from the Gallia Academy Region. The boys Division II Championship Prelims are scheduled to start March 8 at 2:20 p.m.
“I always want to set my expectations high to where even if I don’t make it, I still have done all this. If I keep expectations high up here, I’ve still done a decent thing,” Hill said. “Every match, I go out there expecting to win, but stuff happens. I always have expectations up here [high], so I’m always looking to win. Wrestling at state just feels like you’re a little speck with all these different mats around you, all these different whistles, all the cheering. You feel like you’re just a little tiny sliver in the tournament.
“Last year was kind of like a feeling-out thing, looking to see how everything was. This year, going in, I already know what it’s like, so it’s more focused on the actual wrestling part. Last year, I think I got too much into my head going into it.”
Hill also said there were a lot of people to thank and wanted to say “thank you” to all of those who have been a part of his wrestling career.
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