SpringfieldNewsSun.com

ST. PARIS — Never mind the debate about four-time state champion David Taylor's place among Graham High School's best wrestlers.

Falcons coach Jeff Jordan, himself near the top of that elite list with four of his own state titles, says you'd be doing Taylor an injustice by limiting the discussion to just one school.

"David Taylor is probably one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of Ohio wrestling," Jordan said. "He is just a great athlete, a great teammate and a great kid. We are really going to miss him around here."

One of the best in Ohio history certainly is good enough to be the 2008-09 News-Sun Area Wrestler of the Year. Taylor has a string of seven straight state titles, three in junior high and four in high school. He finished his remarkable career with an 180-2 record, after a 48-0 senior campaign that included a win over Lakewood St. Edward's Collin Palmer (who also became a four-time state champ last weekend).

Taylor is also the only four-time champion of the prestigious Ironman Tournament at Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit, widely regarded as the best preps tournament in the country.

So what does he do for an encore?

"I'm pretty confident I'll be redshirting, so I'll be starting over from scratch and building myself back up," said Taylor, who will be wrestling collegiately at Iowa State. "My goal is to be a national champ, and multiple titles would be nice."

That's not all.

"I'm looking at 2016; I want to make the Olympic Team and be an Olympic champ," Taylor said.

A lofty goal, but the reasons for his confidence are manifold.

"That's one of the things we talked about when I was being recruited," said Taylor, whose coach at Iowa State will be former four-time national champ and Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson. "He said, 'If there's a coach who can lead you to those goals, then it's me.'

"If I keep working as hard as I did in high school, I think I have a nice shot," he continued. "I think it is a realistic goal — unless something happens that my passion changes for the sport, which I can't see happening. I want to be the best. Ultimately, being the best means being an Olympic champ."

What makes Taylor successful?

"I think it's a combination of the passion I have for the sport and the determination to be the best," he said. "I don't just expect to win, but I expect to win and win by more than a couple of points. That's what drives me."

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0364 or krowe@coxohio.com.

NEWS-SUN ALL-AREA WRESTLING FIRST TEAM

103: Nick Brascetta, Graham, soph., 34-0

112: Isaac Jordan, Graham, fresh., 33-3

119: Sheldon Kegley, Graham, junior, 26-8

125: Zach Neibert, Graham, senior, 34-1

130: Felipe Martinez, Graham, fresh., 34-2

135: David Taylor, Graham, senior, 37-0

140: Jordan Deady, Triad, senior, 33-2

145: Brian Stephens, Graham, senior, 37-1

152: Huston Evans, Graham, fresh., 34-8

160: Peter Lewis, WLS, senior, 35-0

171: James Mannier, Graham, senior, 33-3

189: Max Thomusseit, Graham, senior, 35-2

215: Logan White, Graham, senior, 36-3

285: Aaron Howard, NE, junior, 35-8

SECOND TEAM

103: E.J. Mowen, Greeneview, senior, 32-2

112: Bryce Baker, M?burg, senior, 25-9

119: Britt Wooten, WLS, sophomore, 31-5

125: Tyler Sherrock, NW, freshman, 33-7

130: Nick Ziegler, M?burg, senior, 38-3

135: Brendon Klaus, M?burg, senior, 30-9

140: Matt Stephens, Graham, soph., 29-7

145: T. J. Rigel, Tecumseh, senior, 33-7

152: Justin Sneary, Tecumseh, senior, 27-7

160: Kyle Ryan, Graham, sophomore, 34-9

171: Cody Rodgers, M?burg, soph., 32-3

189: Zeke Eier, Tecumseh, sophomore, 25-8

215: Jacob Hamm, NW, junior, 38-5

285: Andrew Plant, Springfield, senior, 24-13

— Records are for regular season only.