Area wrestlers continue to battle their way through the state tournament as many have secured a spot in Sunday night’s finals matches.
LOUISVILLE
Louisville will have one wrestler representing the Leopards in the finals.
Defending state champ Dom Hoffarth (150 lbs.) will compete for a Division II state championship Sunday evening in Columbus.
Hoffarth earned a shot at a second title with a win over Indian Creek’s C.J. Spencer.
Dylan Rhoads fell in a close battle to Graham Local’s Brogan Tucker in the semifinals. Rhoads will now wrestle in Sunday morning’s consolation round. If he wins his first match of the morning, he’ll wrestle for third. If he loses, he’ll wrestle for fifth.
Louisville junior Kolten Barker won his first consolation match Saturday to secure a spot on the podium. He’ll wrestle for 7th on Sunday after losing to Howland’s Adam Heckman in the round three of consolation.
CARROLLTON
Carrollton juniors Josh Carman and Landon Jenkins will finish the tournament with All-Ohio honors.
Carman (138 lbs.) fell 7-5 to Columbus DeSales’ David McClelland in the semifinals. The match was tied 5-5 with less than :30 remaining in the third period. McClelland scored a pair of points on a later reversal to knock off Carman.
Carman will now wrestle again Sunday morning. If he wins his first match of the morning, he’ll wrestle for third. If he loses, he’ll wrestle for fifth.
In consolation action, Landon Jenkins won his quarterfinal match Saturday afternoon to secure a podium spot at 106 lbs.
Later in the day, Jenkins took down Wauseon’s Zavian LaFountain in the consolation match with a 4-2 decision. The Carrollton junior will place anywhere from 3rd to 6th on Sunday.
MALVERN
Malvern’s Tyson Clear has clinched a podium spot, becoming the school’s first All-Ohio wrestler since 1994.
Clear lost his quarterfinal round Saturday morning, but rebounded with a 4-2 decision over Rootstown’s Tristan McKibben in the consolation match to secure a spot on the podium Sunday.
Clear was dominant in the third round of consolation, defeating Centerburg’s LeMaster by pin :57 into the match. He’ll wrestle on Sunday with the chance to place anywhere from 3rd to 6th.
UNITED
United junior Dallas McCracken made school history when he became the first Eagle to win a match at the state tournament, but he has a chance to forever etch his name into the United history books now.
The United Eagle punched his ticket to the state finals with a 7-5 victory over Harrison Central’s Landen Thomas. McCracken was down 5-4 in the third period. He was awarded a technical-point to tie the match at 5-5. He then got a takedown with under :10 in the third period to claim the victory with a 7-5 decision.
UNITED GIRLS
United’s Auston Brown (125 lbs.) was pinned in the semifinal round by Harrison’s Raegan Briggs. Brown will wrestle again Sunday morning in the consolation rounds. With a win, she’ll move to the third-place match.
United’s Dakota McCracken (235 lbs.) defeated Berea-Midpark’s Deionna Borders with a :34 pin in the consolation match. With the win, McCracken advanced to Sunday’s matches where she can place anywhere from 3rd to 6th place.
MINERVA
Minerva’s Kaiden Haines (190 lbs.) path to a title came to an end at the hands of Columbian’s Max Ray who won the match with an 8-3 decision. Haines will wrestle in Sunday morning’s consolation rounds.
Hunter Dietrich will wrestle for a 7th-place spot Sunday morning after losing his third round consolation match to Columbian’s Landon Cook.
MINERVA GIRLS
Minerva senior Alaina Jackson continues to roll through the tournament, landing a spot in the girls 235-lb. finals match – a place she’s been before.
Jackson is a three-time state champion for Minerva and looks to become the school’s first four-time state champion in girls wrestling.
Jackson knocked off Harrison’s Jessica Edwards in the semifinal match by pinning her in 2:52. She’ll wrestle Sunday night for a shot at her fourth state title.
Minerva’s Jada Shafer defeated Nevaeh Rockhold of Warren (130 lbs.) in the consolation match to advance to Sunday’s rounds. She has the chance to place anywhere from 3rd to 6th.
CLAYMONT
Claymont’s Wyatt Shaw will represented the Mustangs in the 285-lb. Division II state finals match.
Shaw lost his semifinal match against New Lexington’s Zane Pletcher by a score of 9-7.
HARRISON CENTRAL
Harrison Central’s Lucas Thomas clinched a spot in the state finals with a pin in the third period of the 215-lb. semifinal match. Landen Thomas lost 7-5 in the semifinals to United Local’s Dallas McCracken.
ALLIANCE
Alliance’s Aidan Mozden will have a chance at wrestling from 3rd to 6th place Sunday after a win over Linden McKinley Marquis Lucas with a 16-3 major decision.
ALLIANCE GIRLS
Alliance’s Abigail Mozden (130 lbs.) will wrestle for 7th place after losing to Tippecanoe’s Emma Hanrahan in the consolation.
Alliance’s Jayda Patrick (155 lbs.) will wrestle for 7th place after losing by a 3-1 decision to Olentangy Orange’s Lydia Heinrich.