Over 670 participants, including Walsh Jesuit junior Matt Fields, battled it out for a chance at a wrestling state title. The OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament took place at Ohio State’s Jerome Schottenstein Center from March 9-11.

When only a sophomore, Fields found himself on the heartbreaking side of a loss in the state finals match. Nearly a year later, determined to complete his dream, he had the opportunity to compete for a division one wrestling state title.

Entering the state tournament this year Matt had a record of 34-6 and a first place finish at the Canton Hoover division one district tournament.

Matt shared, “A lot of preparing for the state tournament was pushing myself until I felt like I was about to break, and then going even harder the next day. I got in extra workouts, lifts, trusted in the training I had been through, and just believed in myself.”

Matt, a veteran of the state tournament, knew just how much pressure there was at the state tournament, came mentally prepared to deal with it. Matt explained how he stayed so calm under enormous stress, “Throughout the state tournament I listened to music and hung out with my family and friends. I didn’t worry about my matches until I got there, and the experience I had the year before helped to relieve some of the pressure.”

Matt, in his first match Thursday night, earned a dominant win of 16-0. On Friday afternoon he wrestled in the quarterfinals match, against his familiar foe from Elyria, whom he had only beat once in his entire career. In a nail biter Matt emerged from the matt with a 3-1 decision, placing him into the semi-final bout. Later that same night Matt faced an opponent from Marysville whom he had beaten twice that year, and would beat a third time with a major decision of 9-0, placing him in the state finals for a second year.

The cheer of thirteen thousand fans, music, and smoke filled the air as the finalists from all three divisions stood on the mat across from one another. Matt’s opponent represented Mason High School; they had never met on the mat before, making the showdown a highly anticipated match.  Matt wrestled a scrappy match, but he remained in control the entire time, as he worked towards a 4-0 victory to capture his first state title.

As the wrestling season concluded it brought up the question of Field’s immediate future, “I plan on helping out with the junior high club for a couple weeks and then I’ll start to get ready for the freestyle season when I will try to earn myself an All American status in Fargo North Dakota.”