It is amazing to see what God has done with the Wrestling Program at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy over the past nineteen years. This program has truly been blessed by God and it is to Him that we give all of the Glory for anything that is accomplished on or off of the mat! CVCA Wrestling started with a vision by a great man and has continued on to influence the lives of hundreds of young men. Along the way, CVCA Wrestling has crowned a Four Time State Champion and one of Ohio's Greatest Wrestlers Ever and changed the lives of countless athletes, parents, and coaches. With a Top-Four State Tournament Team Finish in each of the last four years, the Lord is still doing amazing things at CVCA..
The CVCA Wrestling Program was founded by Coach Al McIntosh in 1990. The team wrestled a completely JV Schedule as a club team for the 1990-91 season. Against Ravenna's JV Team, Peter Gore was the first ever athlete to win a match as a CVCA Wrestler. During the school's first Varsity season in 1991-92, CVCA recorded its first Varsity Dual Meet Win over Gilmour Academy. During Coach McIntosh's third year at CVCA, Mark Curry (Sectional 4th) was the first ever CVCA wrestler to qualify for the District Tournament in 1993. During the 1993-94 season a transfer Junior from Central Hower High School named Damion Lester became CVCA Wrestling's first ever State Qualifier and Placer. Damion became a two-time State Placer for CVCA, placing 3rd at 145 lbs. as a Junior in 1994 and again he took 3rd at 145 lbs. as a Senior in 1995.
Dave Bergen stepped in as Head Coach for the 1995-96 season. During this year Senior Doug Jenison earned CVCA's third individual state placement by placing 6th at 189 lbs. Also, during this year a promising young 7th grader named Harry Lester (Damion's younger brother) joined CVCA's wrestling program. The following year showed continued success for the CVCA Wrestling program and produced another State Placer in Senior John Christian placing 6th at 189 lbs. in 1997.
The 1997-98 season became a milestone season as CVCA crowned its first ever State Champion and acheived a top ten team finish at the State Tournament. Harry Lester, as a freshman at 103 lbs., compiled a 43-1 record and became CVCA's first State Champion. Also, finishing as a State Runner-Up that year was Junior Andy Vogel at 135 lbs. The team finished 9th in the state in Division III. Over the next few years, CVCA would become one of the most elite wrestling programs in the entire state.
In 1999, CVCA crowned two State Champions in Sophomore Harry Lester at 112 lbs. and Senior Andy Vogel at 145 lbs. on their way to a Fifth place finish at the State Tournament. During this year CVCA also welcomed Varsity Assistant Coach Joe Boardwine to the coaching staff.
CVCA continued its run of success during the 1999-2000 season crowning two more State Champions in Juniors Harry Lester at 119 lbs. and Chris Smolk at 171 lbs. The team also featured a freshman standout named Matt Smilek who placed 3rd at 103 lbs. and another State Qualifier in Senior Jarrad Turner. In 2000, CVCA Wrestling finished as State Runners-Up, which at the time was the school's highest state finish in any sport .
2000 OHSAA Division III State Runner-Up Team
By 2000-01 one of the staples for the CVCA Wrestling program became the extremely tough schedule. CVCA still continues to wrestle one of the toughest schedules in the entire state of Ohio with the philosophy that tough competition and adversity prepares athletes for competing at the highest level and unconditionally serving the Lord. The 2000-01 schedule featured the toughest tournaments in the area in the Walsh Ironman Tournament, Medina Invitational Tournament, and Top Gun Tournament. CVCA hosted several very tough Home Dual Tournaments featuring some of the strongest teams throughout the state and even bringing in a nationally ranked team from California. The team also traveled out of state to wrestle in one of toughest dual tournaments in the state of Kansas. During this season CVCA finished an impressive Third at the prestigious Walsh Ironman Tournament (behind St. Edward's and Blair Academy), and Team Runners-Up at the Medina Invitational and Top Gun Tournaments.
At the State Tournament in 2001, CVCA crowned three state champions in Seniors Harry Lester at 130 lbs., Brett Smilek at 135 lbs., and Chris Smolk at 171 lbs. The team also placed three other wrestlers in Freshman Steve Blunk 2nd at 125 lbs., Senior Paul Charvat 3rd at 112 lbs., and Sophomore Matt Smilek 6th at 119 lbs. Harry Lester became the states 10th Four Time State Champion compiling a 164-2 record while at CVCA.
With the programs run of State Champions CVCA began to gain National Recognition being ranked in the nation by USA Today in 2000-01. Senior Harry Lester was even reconized with a full page article in Sports Illustrated in February of 2001.
Harry Lester in Sports Illustrated February 2001
CVCA continued its success over the next few years. Placing at the state tournament for the Royals in 2002 were Juniors Matt Smilek 3rd at 130 lbs. and Matt Sammons 3rd at 140 lbs. As Seniors in 2003, the same two wrestled in the state finals with Matt Smilek bringing CVCA home yet another State Title winning the championship at 152 lbs. Matt Sammons finished 2nd at 145 lbs.
CVCA welcomed its third Head Wrestling Coach for the 2003-04 season in Coach Don Lorence. Justin Tripp become the first CVCA State Placer under Coach Lorence placing 4th at 171 lbs. in 2005. After moving up to Division II, CVCA placed three wrestlers at the State Tournament in 2006. Junior John Weakley became CVCA's 10th State Champion by winning the Division II Championship at 189 lbs. Also placing were Senior Justin Tripp 3rd at 171 lbs. and Junior Thomas Windom 5th at 140 lbs.
Two-Time State Champion John Weakley
The 2006-07 season proved to be another great year as CVCA entered the Division II State Tournament with a District Runner-Up team finish and with four District Champions. The team finished 4th in the State with five State Placers. Leading the way was Senior John Weakley winning his second State Championship at 189 lbs. Also placing for the Royals were Seniors John Sinchok 5th at 171 lbs., Ryan Oddo 6th at 215 lbs., and Thomas Windom 7th at 145lbs.; and Junior Jared Kusar 7th at 152 lbs.
This 2007-08 season marked another great finish for the Royals. The team finished 4th in the State in Division III with Six State Placers. Leading the way for the Royals were Senior Jared Kusar 3rd at 152 lbs., Freshman Alex Utley 3rd at 160 lbs., Juniors Shelton Morris 4th at 125 lbs., Greg Hojnacki 7th at 189 lbs., and Tyler Powers 8th at 130 lbs., and Sophomore Brandon Sommers 5th at 119 lbs.
CVCA returned four state place winners for the 2008-09 season, and it proved to be one of the most successful in CVCA Wrestling history. The team finished in 3rd place at the state tournament with a record breaking Seven State Place Winners. The team won the District Championship for the first time in school history and won the Sectional Championship for only the third time in school history. They also finished as Undefeated PAC-7 League Champions.
CVCA also crowned the school's 12th State Champion in Senior Tyler Powers at the 135 lbs. weight class. Sophomore Alex Utley also wrestled in the state finals finishing in 2nd place at 160 lbs. Senior Greg Hojnakci at 215 lbs. and Junior Zak Vargo at 125 lbs. both finished in 3rd place. Sophomore Seth Powers was 4th at 112 lbs. Junior Brandon Sommers finished in 6th place at 130 lbs., and Freshman Michael Ratay took 7th at 103 lbs.
2009 State Champion Tyler Powers
The 2009-10 team had one of the top seasons in CVCA Wrestling Histroy. The team started off the season in early December with a dual meet with the mighty Lakewood St. Edward and finished as State Runners-Up in March. Along the way the school's 13th State Wrestling Champion was crowned in Freshman Nathan Tomasello at 103 lbs. Junior Alex Utley at 171 lbs. finished as State Runner-Up for the second year in a row. Two great Seniors finished as multiple time State Placers. Zak Vargo was 3rd at 135 lbs and Brandon Sommers was 5th at 145 lbs. Also, Sophomore Matt Meadows was 8th at 160 lbs. Ten years after the team's first State Runner-Up finish in 2000 the team finished as State Runners-Up once again in 2010.
2010 OHSAA Division III State Runner-Up Team
For being a relatively young program (founded in 1990) CVCA Wrestling has produced some great wrestlers. Over the years CVCA has crowned 13 State Champions, 48 State Placers, 58 State Qualifiers, 30 District Champions, 53 Sectional Champions, and 121 District Qualifiers. With five former state placers returning for the 2010-11 season, it looks to be another exciting year for CVCA Wrestling.
Many CVCA Wrestling Alumni have moved on to do great things in the sport of wrestling. Four Time CVCA State Champion Harry Lester is a Two Time World Bronze Medalist, and considered one of the best Greco-Roman wrestlers in the world. 1999 CVCA Graduate and State Champion Andy Vogel went on to become a Three Time All-American at Messiah College, and is currently the Head Wrestling Coach at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. John Christian, a 1997 Graduate and CVCA Wrestling State Placer went on to become a Division One NCAA Qualifier for Campbell University in 2000. 2000 CVCA Graduate Jarrad Turner went on to wrestle at Penn State University. Jarrad has coached wrestling at the collegiate level at Kent State University, Washington & Jefferson College, and is currently coaching at Mercer University in Georgia. 2007 CVCA Grad and State Placer, John Sinchok, wrestled for Campbellsville University and was a 2008 University Greco-Roman All-American. Many other CVCA Wrestlers have continued their wrestling careers after CVCA: Damion Lester & Doug Jenision (Mount Union College), Chris Smolk (Columbia University), Justin Tripp (Notre Dame College) Thomas Windom (Kent State University), Matt Darnell (University of Pittsburgh), John Weakley (The Ohio State University and Oklahoma University), Jared Kusar (The Ohio State University), Michael Hojnacki (Messiah College), and Tyler Powers (Campbellsville University) just to name a few.
2009-10 CVCA Senior State Placers Zak Vargo and Brandon Sommers have received scholarship offers to wrestle in college. Zak has received an offer to wrestle for Lake Erie College and Brandon has received an offer to wrestle for Cleveland State University.
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