BUCCANEER SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
Standing (L-R): Coach Tom Barbee, Art Sowers, Brian Olson, Scott Tayler, Bill Wise, Jason Kingrey, Craig Vanderhorst, Randy Kooser, Coach Jack Schwamberger. Kneeling (L-R): Rob Vanderhorst, Rich Phillis, Mike Howell, Mike Hagan, Mark Jacobs, Keith Ponchillia, Rodney Kimmel. Sitting (L-R): Chris Colbert, Brent Young, Jim Shields, Lee Yantis, Bryan Musgrave.
Since 1981, there have been 34 sectional champions come out of Covington High School. Eight Covington wrestlers captured the sectional title twice and two wrestlers did it three times.
In 1981, three wrestlers won sectional championships. Brad Hall (98 lbs.), Don Emenegger (132 lbs.) and Kirk Tisdale (155 lbs.). 1981 was followed up by one wrestler, Ryan Kimmel (138 lbs.), in 1982.
Four Covington wrestlers from one of the best wrestling teams in school history earned championships in 1983. Jim Shields (98 lbs.), Rob Vanderhorst (126 lbs.), Craig Vanderhorst (138 lbs.) and Jason Kingrey (167 lbs.) spearheaded a dominating class. Jim Shields, Craig Vanderhorst and Jason Kingrey earned back-to-back sectional championships in 1984 as they were joined by newcomer, Kent Musgrave (126 lbs.)
In 1985, Rob Vanderhorst (138 lbs.) won his second sectional title after failing the previous year.
Another strong group of wrestlers came along in 1986 and 1987 as two wrestlers won back-to-back sectional championships. Brian Olson (185 lbs.) and Scott Tayler (175 lbs.) were joined on the top podium by Mike Hagan (155 lbs.) in 1986 and Chris Nutter (119 lbs.) in 1987.
Two wrestlers from the 1988 team captured sectional gold. Tony Iddings (160 lbs.) and Tim Fitzpatrick (171 lbs.) represented the Buccs as sectional champions. Randy Sowers (160 lbs.) wrestled his way to a sectional title in 1989 to complete a decade of excellence.
The 1990s started with one wrestler becoming the first three-time sectional champion. Eric Vanderhorst won sectional titles in 1990 (152 lbs.), 1991 (171 lbs.) and 1992 (189 lbs).
No Covington wrestlers won sectional titles for three straight years from 1993-95, but Eric Hunt and Jason Durbin broke the streak in 1996. Hunt won his title at 145 lbs. while Durbin finished at the top spot at 189 lbs.
Two out of the next three years saw a Covington wrestler become a sectional champion as Noah Turner won a title at 152 lbs. in 1997 and Scot Fetters joined the list in 1999 at 215 lbs.
The next three years were dominated by Mike Stephan as he won titles in 2000 at 160 lbs., 2001 and 2002 at 171 lbs. Brandon Owens (171 lbs.) and Marti Finfrock (189 lbs.) joined Stephan on the victory stand in 2002 while Steve Batdorf won the 160 lb. class in 2001.
After a three-year drought, the Buccs finally recorded their 26th sectional champion in junior, Logan Brown in 2005. After an unbeated regular season, Brown continued his domination in the sectional tournament at 189 lbs.
Brown duplicated the feat in 2006 and then went on to become Covington’s first ever state champion and finish with a perfect 52-0 record.
The Buccs would go five years before seeing another wrestler claim a sectional championship as Andrew Dehart captured that title in 2011. Dehart would go on to finish third place at state that year to become Covington’s first four-time state qualifier.
In 2012 the Buccaneers had two wrestlers claim sectional championships, junior Kyler Deeter at 138 pounds and freshman Ben Miller at 160 pounds. The duo led the Buccs to a third place finish at sectionals as a team.
2013 was a historic season for the Buccs as they dominated the sectional tournament, tallying 228.50 team points to claim the first team sectional championship since 1986. The nearest competitor in the team standings was Versailles with 183.00 team points. In all, 11 of Covington’s 12 wrestlers qualified for the district meet as three earned sectional championships, five placed second, one took third and two placed fourth in one of the toughest sectionals in the state. Claiming individual titles that year were Ryan Ford at 126 lbs, Daniel Jennings at 145 pounds and Brian Olson, Jr. at 195 pounds.
As impressive as 2013 was, 2014 was even better as Covington put in a record setting performance at the Division 3 Sectional tournament, winning the 15-team event with 247 team points – the highest total scored in the five years that Lehman has hosted the event. In doing so, the Buccs set a new school record by qualifying all 13 of their competing wrestlers to Districts. Jarred Ganger (126 lbs), Ryan Ford (132) and A.J. Ouellette (195) each won individual titles for Covington.
In 2015, the Buccaneers had three individuals win sectional championships with Jarred Ganger (132), Ryan Ford (138) and Ben Miller (182). Ford became the third wrestler in Buccaneer history to win three sectional championships in a career, joining Eric Vanderhorst (1990, 1991, 1992) and Mike Stephan (2000, 2001, 2002).
In 2017 Lance Miller won a sectional title at 160 pounds and followed that up with a district championship and runner-up at state.
Covington had four sectional champions in 2019 as the team finished runner-up in the team standings. The individual sectional champions were Kellan Anderson (106), Cael Vanderhorst (113), Keringten Martin (152) and Gavin McReynolds (182). Anderson, Vanderhorst and Martin all eventually qualified for state with Martin taking 3rd at state and Vanderhorst 4th.
In 2020, Cael Vanderhost (120 lbs.) and Kellan Anderson (126 lbs.) both qualified for state for the third consecutive year and were projected to place in their respective weight classes. Anderson was a sectional champion at 126 pounds as well. Unfortunately, just days before the state tournament was set to begin, the state of Ohio cancelled the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic – taking away the opportunity ofr Vanderhorst to become just the third Buccaneer wrestler to place at state for the third consecutive year.
Wrestling returned in 2021 under “social distancing protocols” and the Buccaneers finished runner-up in the sectional with two wrestlers claiming sectional championships, freshman 106 pounder Michael Hagan and senior 138 pounder Cael Vanderhorst.
In 2022 the Buccaneers claimed their first sectional team title since 2014 and along the way had three sectional champions and qualified nine wrestlers to the district tournament. Winning sectional titles for Covington were sophomores Jericho Quinter at 113 pounds, Michael Hagan at 120 pounds and Chase Vanderhorst at 126 pounds. Hagan, a returning state placer from 2021, became a two-time sectional champion.
In 2023, Covington placed 4th out of 14 teams at a very strong Sectional tournament that included five teams that finished high at the state tournament. Six wrestlers qualified for Districts – Carson Taylor, Christian Clark, Michael Hagan, Jericho Quinter, Chase Vanderhorst and Caleb Ryman – while Aveyen Meek and Jack Blumenstock were district alternates. Vanderhorst won the sectional title at 132 pounds.
The following season in 2024, Chase Vanderhorst and Caleb Ryman won sectional titles – Vanderhorst at 138 pounds and Ryman at 144 pounds. Chase joined his father Eric Vanderhorst (1990, 1991, 1992), Mike Stephan (2000, 2001, 2002) and Ryan Ford (2013, 2014, 2015) as the fourth wrestler in program history to win three sectional titles in a career. As a team, Covington finished second out of 16 teams in the sectional tournament and a total of eight wrestlers advanced to districts – Chase Vanderhorst (1st at 138), Caleb Ryman (1st at 144), Carson Taylor (2nd at 113), Jericho Quinter (2nd at 1256), Michael Hagan (2nd at 132), Aveyen Meek (2nd at 165), Eddie Deaton (4th at 106) and Mason Epperson (4th at 175).
Standing (L-R): Coach Tom Barbee, Scott Tayler, Tim Fitzpatrick, Bill Wise, Rob Vanderhorst, Glenn Wilkop. Kneeling (L-R): David White, Rodney Kimmel, Mark Jacobs. Keith Ponchillia, Tony Iddings, Brent Young. Sitting (L-R): Chris Colbert, Lee Yantis, L.G. Henry, Ray Kimmel, Keith Musgrave, Bryan Musgrave, Jim Shields.
Standing Row (L-R): Rodney Kimmel, Mike Hagan, Brian Olson, Karsten Mueller, Art Sowers, Scott Tayler, Chris Colbert. Kneeling (L-R): Randy Sowers, Rob Anspach, Ernie Elliot, Tim Fitzpatrick, Keith Ponchilla, David White, Tony Iddings, L.G. Henry. Sitting (L-R): Doug Hartman, Gary Kesler, Lee Yantis, Keith Musgrave, Cory Smith. Not Pictured: Coach Tom Barbee, Ray Kimmel, Chris Nutter and Steve Hogue.
Standing (L-R): Coach Tom Barbee, Connor Ryan, Ryan Ford, Noah Weer, Alex Fries, Ian Fries, Brandon Magee, Jordan Wolfe, Daniel Jennings, Dustin Freeman, Michael Cox, Coach Eric Vanderhorst. Kneeling (L-R): Cole Smith, Justin Daniel, Gage Looker, Jake Sowers, Brian Olson Jr., Kyler Deeter, Brock Smith, A.J. Ouellette, Ben Miller.
Standing (L-R): Coach Tom Barbee, Seth Thomas, Carl Lankford, Ian Fries, Ben Miller, Brandon Magee, Ross Bowman, Coach Eric Vanderhorst, Coach Mike Stephan. Kneeling (L-R): Levi Brown, Luke Grieshop, Josh Sowers, Deron White, Lance Miller, Ryan Ford, Logan Fields, Gage DeHart, Bryce Keiser, Chandler Sampson. Sitting (L-R): Bowen Swank, Izaiah Brandon, Jarred Ganger, Coleman Ryan, Connor Ryan, Jared Ford, Joey Schmelzer, Alexis Roth, Mark Barga. Not pictured: Levi Winn.
Sitting (L-R) – Michael Hagan, Kaden Thompson, Carson Taylor, Brian Morrison, Jericho Quinter, Chase Vanderhorst. Kneeling (L-R) – Luke Brown, Zeb Woodward-Roeth, A.J. Garman, Jack Blumenstock, Jackson Shiverdecker, Aveyen Meek, Ashtin Gardner. Standing (L-R) – Megan Rose (Stats), Asst. Coach Gavin McReynolds, Connor Sindelir, Ricky Stephan, Jensen Wagoner, Hayden Barker, Scott Blumenstock, Izaiah Sherman, Caleb Miller, Kamden Hughes, Head Coach Eric Vanderhorst, Asst. Coach Lance Miller.
INDIVIDUAL SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
| WRESTLER | YEAR | WEIGHT |
| Brad Hall | 1981 | 98 |
| Don Emenegger | 1981 | 132 |
| Kirk Tisdale | 1981 | 155 |
| Ryan Kimmel | 1982 | 138 |
| Jim Shields | 1983 | 98 |
| Rob Vanderhorst | 1983 | 126 |
| Craig Vanderhorst | 1983 | 138 |
| Jason Kingrey | 1983 | 167 |
| Jim Shields | 1984 | 105 |
| Kent Musgrave | 1984 | 126 |
| Craig Vanderhorst | 1984 | 145 |
| Jason Kingrey | 1984 | 167 |
| Rob Vanderhorst | 1985 | 138 |
| Mike Hagan | 1986 | 155 |
| Scott Tayler | 1986 | 175 |
| Brian Olson | 1986 | 185 |
| Chris Nutter | 1987 | 119 |
| Scott Tayler | 1987 | 175 |
| Brian Olson | 1987 | 185 |
| Tony Iddings | 1988 | 160 |
| Tim Fitzpatrick | 1988 | 171 |
| Randy Sowers | 1989 | 160 |
| Eric Vanderhorst | 1990 | 152 |
| Eric Vanderhorst | 1991 | 171 |
| Eric Vanderhorst | 1992 | 189 |
| Eric Hunt | 1996 | 145 |
| Jason Durbin | 1996 | 189 |
| Noah Turner | 1997 | 152 |
| Scot Fetters | 1999 | 215 |
| Mike Stephan | 2000 | 160 |
| Brandon Owens | 2000 | 171 |
| Marty Finfrock | 2000 | 189 |
| Steve Batdorf | 2001 | 160 |
| Mike Stephan | 2001 | 171 |
| Mike Stephan | 2002 | 171 |
| Logan Brown | 2005 | 189 |
| Logan Brown | 2006 | 189 |
| Andrew DeHart | 2011 | 145 |
| Kyler Deeter | 2012 | 138 |
| Ben Miller | 2012 | 160 |
| Ryan Ford | 2013 | 126 |
| Daniel Jennings | 2013 | 145 |
| Brian Olson, Jr. | 2013 | 195 |
| Jarred Ganger | 2014 | 126 |
| Ryan Ford | 2014 | 132 |
| A.J. Ouellette | 2014 | 195 |
| Jarred Ganger | 2015 | 132 |
| Ryan Ford | 2015 | 138 |
| Ben Miller | 2015 | 182 |
| Lance Miller | 2017 | 160 |
| Kellan Anderson | 2019 | 106 |
| Cael Vanderhorst | 2019 | 113 |
| Keringten Martin | 2019 | 152 |
| Gavin McReynolds | 2019 | 182 |
| Kellan Anderson | 2020 | 126 |
| Michael Hagan | 2021 | 106 |
| Cael Vanderhorst | 2021 | 138 |
| Jericho Quinter | 2022 | 113 |
| Michael Hagan | 2022 | 120 |
| Chase Vanderhorst | 2022 | 126 |
| Chase Vanderhorst | 2023 | 132 |
| Chase Vanderhorst | 2024 | 138 |
| Caleb Ryman | 2024 | 144 |