COLUMBUS — It was all smiles for Benjamin Logan junior Raegan Hites when she finished wrestling Sunday here at the Ohio High School Athletic Association girls state tournament.
There were even a few tears of joy as she became the first state placer in Ben Logan girls wrestling program history. Hites placed fifth at 170 pounds inside the Jerome Schottenstein Center and it was difficult for her to contain her joy.
“It makes me feel pretty amazing,” said Hites. “To come out here and make history feels great.”
Hites won a first-round match and finished with a 4-2 record this weekend, while compiling an impressive 37-4 season record.
“I’m extremely proud of her,” said Ben Logan girls head coach Bryan Newland. “With it being a new program we weren’t sure what expectations to have. As the year went, we started to see the potential of what could be. We just took it one tournament at a time. We got here and took it one match at a time and set our goals higher and higher.”
Hites won her first-round match on Friday by pin. On Saturday morning, Hites lost in the championship quarterfinals to Mogadore’s Mia Gaetjens by a close 5-3 decision.
The Raider standout then rallied in her second-round consolation match Saturday to place. She met up with a familiar face in Indian Lake’s Tori Roby. Hites had beaten Roby at last week’s district tournament and was able to get another convincing win at the state meet.
Hites built a 4-0 lead over Roby before recording a fall in 2:50 to advance and lock up a spot on the podium. It also ended Roby’s tournament.
“She wrestled extremely well,” said Newland. “She wrestled very smart in most instances. Raegan pushed the pace, listened to her coaches well and wrestled her match every time.”
In the consolation quarterfinals, Hites delivered another thrilling win by edging Rocky River Luthern West’s Paris Willis 8-7. That pushed Hites up the podium and secured a top six finish.
“I just felt like I kept going even if I was scared,” said Hites. “I just kept going and pushed myself more than I thought I could.”
On Sunday morning, Hites squared off with Olentangy Orange’s Lydia Heinrich in the consolation semifinals. Hites was pinned by Heinrich in 1:43 to move her to the fifth-place match.
In her match for fifth place, Hites took on Ross’ Audrey Garcia. Hites would win the match by pin in 4:23.
“I felt like I set my pace and I wrestled my match against her,” said Hites.
Making Hites’ accomplishment more impressive is she hasn’t wrestled since junior high. She wrestled at camps as a freshman, but has not stepped on the mat competitively until this winter.
“It feels so surreal,” said Hites. “I know I have to work on a couple of things and get stronger. It’s all a new feeling for me to be thinking about next season and goals here.”
“I think we need to hit the weight room in the offeseason,” said Newland. “She was giving up quite a bit of weight this weekend. We need to continue to build since she hasn’t wrestled in three years and work at being on top of the podium next year.”
Indian Lake’s Maddie Miller also competed at the state meet at 235 pounds. The sophomore lost in the first round on Friday, but earned a consolation win.
Miller lost again on Saturday morning in the second-consolation round to Hamilton Township’s Audrina Pack by pin in 44 seconds. A win would have put Miller on the podium and a top eight finish.
By AARON LaBATT, For the Examiner