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Athlete of the Week: Garfield's Aaron Yonker

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By Colin Harris | Staff Writer

It can be difficult to block out the voices when you are Garfield sophomore 160-pounder Aaron Yonker.

Yonker — the newly crowned Portage Trail Conference champion at 160 pounds — is currently the top-ranked Division III wrestler in his class according to the Brakeman Report, which is a respected talent evaluator for high school grapplers across the state.

Based on the report, being the top-ranked competitor in your weight class makes you the odds-on favorite to win the state championship, but Yonker said the hype is not exactly going to his head.

“When people think of you as a top competitor, you don’t want to let them down,” Yonker said. “That kind of thing just makes me work harder.”

The hard work has paid off for Yonker, who is currently 29-3 on the season after qualifying for the state championships as a freshman.

Yonker hasn’t just won this year, but the sophomore has showed his aggression and power with 14 of his wins coming from pins.

“At the PTC Tournament, Aaron had two major decisions,” said Garfield head coach Alan Harbert. “Winning decisively wasn’t new for Aaron. He hasn’t had too many close matches at all this season.

“His success is because of his hard work,” Harbert added. “He puts in time in the weight room, he’s there in the off-season with open mats and he is always drilling with his teammate, like Brakeman-ranked No. 2 at 180 Kevin Stock.”

Of Yonker’s three losses, two have come to Division-I competitors, including a projected state champion at the highest level in Ohio — Jacob Davis of St. Edward. Another defeat came to the third-ranked competitor in Division I — Roy Daniels of Olentangy Liberty.

Facing off against some of the best wrestlers in the state was the gameplan for Yonker and Harbert, who said he treats the regular season as one big training session for a much larger goal.

“We look the regular season as practice,” Harbert said. “We went to big meets at Wadsworth and Brecksville, because we wanted to get ready for the state tournament.

“No one remembers who wins a local meet, but they definitely remember who takes home a state championship,” Harbert said.

After advancing to state championships last season, the opportunity is there for Yonker to make a great deal of history for the G-Men.

As the favorite to win at 160 this year, a first-place finish would make him the first state champion in Garfield history.

Already the first Garfield wrestler to qualify for state as a freshman, Yonker could also become the first wrestler in school history to place at state three consecutive years.

Placing down at Columbus as a sophomore, junior and senior would be great for Yonker, but the top competitor at 160 said he is setting his sights a little higher.

“When I visualize my future, I see myself winning three state titles,” Yonker said. “I want to get my name on the wall down there (in Columbus), and I want to show people the things I have done.”

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Email: charris@recordpub.com;

Phone: 330-298-1123