Garaway wrestlers finish tied 17th at 44-team Brecksville Invitational

Garaway High School's wrestling squad tied for 17th place in a 44-team field at the Brecksville Invitational Holiday Tournament, held Dec. 29-30. The Pirates' team finish places them roughly in the top 40 percent of a large regional draw and highlighted pockets of strong individual performance as the season reaches midseason competition.

The top individual result for Garaway came from junior Matthew Frey, who finished fifth in the 175-pound bracket. Classmate Thomas Grimm added a sixth-place finish at 215 pounds, giving the Pirates two top-six placers on the weekend. Those placings reflect the program's ability to produce competitive depth in the upper weight classes even against a crowded field.

Photo caption: Matthew Frey wrestles in the 175-pound bracket at the Brecksville Invitational.

Finishing 17th of 44 teams is a useful benchmark for Garaway as the program evaluates momentum and match experience heading into league and postseason play. In tournaments of this size, team placings often hinge on a handful of pin or sudden-victory results, so individual podium finishes such as Frey’s and Grimm’s both score valuable points and serve as signal performances for coaches and teammates.

For Holmes County fans, the results matter beyond the scoreboard. Large invitationals expose student-athletes to a wider range of styles and tournament pacing, which can sharpen match-readiness for district and regional qualifying meets. The Pirates’ showing suggests the program is competitive regionally and that several wrestlers are gaining the experience needed to move up in seeding and confidence as the season progresses.

Coaches will likely use film and match data from Brecksville to tighten technique and conditioning in practices this week. For local supporters, the tournament results point to the athletes most likely to carry the team's scoring load in upcoming duals and postseason tournaments, and they help prioritize attention at the upcoming home duals where community backing tends to lift the squad.

Our two cents? Keep coming out to the mat and backing the Pirates in the gym and stands. Individual finishes like Frey’s and Grimm’s are the building blocks of a stronger team showing later in the season, and the more local support they get now, the better their chances to turn good weekend results into sustained momentum.