2012 Inductee Matt DePolo, 1999
Matt DePolo was a 1999 graduate of Bellevue High School, earning six varsity letters for the Redmen in the sports of baseball and wrestling.
DePolo lettered in baseball both his junior and senior seasons, batting .299 his senior season with 19 RBI’s. The team went 17-7 that season with Matt being named Honorable Mention All-Northern Ohio League.
The sport of wrestling was where Matt excelled, earning four varsity letters and helping to rewrite the record book. He was Oak Harbor Tournament champion both his sophomore and junior years, and the Avon Lake Tournament champion both his sophomore and senior years.
Closer to home, DePolo won Bellevue’s Bob Bailey Invitational three times in three different weight classes, 119 pounds as a freshman, 130 pounds as a junior, and 135 pounds as a senior. He was also Northern Ohio League champion both his junior and senior seasons, and was a state qualifier as a junior.
During his senior season at 135 pounds, Matt went 40-4 overall and was NOL, Sectional, and District champion before qualifying to the State Meet. At the State Meet, he became the fifth state wrestling champion in Bellevue athletic history, winning the state title just minutes before teammate Anthony Coleman also won a state title at 140 pounds. His career record of 113-22 was seventh on the all-time list when he graduated from BHS.
Matt then earned a wrestling scholarship to Cleveland State University where he lettered for four straight years. He led the team in wins during the 2004 season and was an Eastern Wrestling League placer during his career.
Matt and his wife, Melinda, and their newborn daughter, Madeline, reside in Bellevue. Matt is employed by Miller Cable of Green Springs. Both Matt and Melinda are also very active in coaching at the American Pride Gymnasium in Sandusky.