by JOHN HOWLEY / sportingpumpkin.com
The first step to the state tournament was completed this weekend as wrestlers across the state took part in sectional tournaments.
Forty-one wrestlers from the five area schools extended their seasons by qualifying to next weekend’s district tournaments and six of them go as a sectional champion.
McDanel takes title as 10 Vikings advance
NEWARK — Teays Valley had eight athletes wrestling for first place Saturday as the Vikings finished second at the Cenral District Division I sectional at Newark High School.
The Vikings finished Saturday’s action with 216 points but that wasn’t nearly enough to threaten sectional champion Olentangy Liberty. Liberty had 10 champions and advanced all 14 of its wrestlers to the district as the team racked up 322.5 points.
Of the eight Vikings in the finals, only Cam McDanel was able to come out with a championship. The three-time state qualifier took the title at 190 pound with a 30-second pin, a 20-4 tech fall and got the title after Liberty’s Brady Quillin forfeited the finals.
Placing second for the Vikings were Gunner Havens (113 pounds), Josh Zimmer (120), Roman Younger (138), Wesley Henderson (144), Aiden Kennedy (157), Gavin Karshner (215) and Joey Thurston (285).
All but Henderson lost to a Liberty wrestler.
Also moving on for the Vikings are Austin Blackburn who finished third at 165 pounds and Owen Robinett who finished fourth at 150 pounds.
The Vikings will compete at the Hilliard Darby district tournament Friday and Saturday.
Team scores: 1. Olen. Liberty 322.5; 2. Teays Valley 216.0; 3. Newark 145.0; 4. Olentangy 142.5; 5. Del. Hayes 140.0; 6. Gah. Lincoln 125.0; 7. Big Walnut 116.5; 8. St. Charles 51.0; 9. New Albany 49.0; 10. Licking Hts. 24.0; 11. Mifflin 0.0.
Click here for complete results.
Braves, Tigers advance 17 from Southeast District sectional
GALLIPOLIS — Logan Elm had three wrestlers win their weight classes at Saturday’s Southeast District Division II sectional as the Braves finished second, only a few points behind New Lexington.
New Lexington finished with 190 points and Logan Elm had 179.5 points. Circleville finished in a tie for fifth with 138 points.
Along with the three champions, the Braves had six other wrestlers advance.
Circleville had three wrestlers finish second and five more qualify to the district.
LE’s Blaine Holzschuh won a 5-3 decision over Circleville’s Landen Zarbaugh to win the 120-pound title. Gavin Hoover took the 126-pound title with a technical fall and Hunter Schoenborn won a major decision to claim the 150-pound title.
Dawsen Hudson advanced by finishing second at 106 pounds.
“We’ve been stressing how important sectionals are and getting out and getting good draws for districts. I’m really happy with the way we wrestled today,” Logan Elm coach Jake Daniels said. “Dawsen at 6, had a really tough kid, the second-ranked kid in the state and he only lost 5-0. Compared to the last time he wrestled that kid where he got stuck in the second period, that’s a big improvement.
“Blaine beat (Zarbaugh) who he lost to three times previously this year in close matches. Gavin did his thing in the finals and beat a kid we saw earlier in the year a little bit worse than he did before and Hunter did his thing against a Chillicothe kid. I’m really happy for the guys today.”
Also qualifying to the district tournament for the Braves were Brady Allen (3rd at 138 pounds), Ayden Hudson (4th at 113), Austin Cordle (4th at 165), Bryce Perkins (4th at 175) and Conner Green (4th at 285).
Along with Zarbaugh, Circleville also had Jacob Johnson (132) and Noah Jones (190) take second.
Andrew Siembida qualified to the district tournament placing third at 106 along with Ayden Blue (3rd at 175), Trent Fulgham (3rd at 285), Mark Brunner (4th at 144) and Logan Holbrook (4th at 157).
The Braves and Tigers will be competing in the district tournament at Steubenville High School Friday and Saturday.
In getting ready for next weekend, Daniels said he doesn’ want to see any of his wrestlers ease up.
“The big thing is to just keep doing what we’re doing and not be satisfied. This is just a stepping stone. The ultimate goal is to get to the big show,” he said. “The state is where we want to be. Districts are great but state is what we want.”
Team scores: 1. New Lexington 190.0; 2. Logan Elm 179.5; 3. Athens 154.0; 4. Sheridan 141.5; 5. Circleville 138.0; Hillsboro 138.0; 7. Chillicothe 96.0; 8. Waverly 83.0; 9. Vinton County 51.5.
Click here for complete results.
Mustangs second as 10 qualify
HEATH — Antony Hoty won his weight class while Gage Bolt and Hunter Probasco placed second to help Westfall finish second at the Central District Division III sectional held at Heath High School.
Elgin won the team title with 214 points and the Mustangs tallied 181.5 points for second.
Hoty pinned his way to the title at 113 pounds as he won his three matches in a total of 73 seconds.
Bolt lost a 9-5 decision to place second at 165 pounds and Probasco was pinned in his match’s final second to finish second at 285.
Also qualifying to next weekend’s Division III District Tournament at Harrison Central High School are Noah Furniss (3rd at 103), Wayne Kitchen (3rd at 138), Joey Wright (3rd at 144), Bryce Wickline (3rd at 175), Wes Moats (3rd at 190), Wyatt Ward (4th at 132) and Timothy Ward (4th at 150).
Team scores: 1. Elgin 214.0; 2. Westfall 181.5; 3. John. Northridge 145.5; 4. Newark Cath. 134.0; 5. Utica 110.0; 6. Liberty Union 94.0; 7. Ready 92.0; 8. Zane Trace 86.0; 9. Huntington 73.0; 10. Paint Valley 53.0; 11. Col. Academy 40.0; 12. Heath 25.5; 13. East Knox 18.0; 14. Chil. Southeastern 7.0; 15. Cristo Rey 0.0.
Click here for complete results.
Four Aces move on to the district
MORRAL — Peyton Beavers claimed the 150-pound championship to lead a pack of four Aces who qualified to next weekend’s district tournament.
Marion Pleasant won the Division III Sectional Tournament held at Ridgedale High School with 216 points. AC finished sixth with 103.5.
Beavers was the top seed in the 150-pound bracket and lived up to the ranking by pinning all three of his opponents.
Landon L’Huillier finished second at 138 pounds and Bodie Martin was second at 144 pounds.
Jacob Durr will round out the AC contingent at the Harrison Central district tournament after placing third at 120 pounds.
Team scores: 1. Pleasant 216.0; 2. Mechanicsburg 172.0; 3. Northmor 143.0; 4. North Union 137.0; 5. Centerburg 107.0; 6. Amanda-Clearcreek 103.5; 7. West Jefferson 98.0; 8. Madison-Plains 86.5; 9. Fredericktown 70.0; 10. Grandview Hts. 57.0; 11. Cardington-Lincoln 32.0; 12. Fairbanks 30.0; 13. Del. Christian 18.0; Mount Gilead 18.0; 15. Ridgedale 4.0.
Click here for complete results.
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