Area wrestlers are advancing to day two of the OHSAA State wrestling tournament.
*NOTE: Wrestlers that won their opening match of the tournament advance to Saturday’s championship quarterfinals. Those who lost their first match had to wrestle a consolation match later Friday evening. Wrestlers that went 0-2 on day one have been eliminated. ALSO NOTE – Not all matches have been wrestled. Girls’ results will be published as they happen.
CARROLLTON
All four Carrollton state qualifiers won their opening matches of the tournament.
Carrollton senior Landon Jenkins (106 lbs.) his opening match by pin in :51 over Clyde’s Heath Norris. Jenkins will wrestle sophomore D.J. Otero of Lutheran West on Saturday morning. Otera entered the state tournament as the No. 3 seed from Kenston’s district.
CHS senior Kail Snair (113 lbs.) also won by pin over Brandon Day of Springfield Shawnee with one second left in the first period. Snair will wrestle Carter Trukovich of Galion in the quarterfinals. Trukovich is the No. 1 seed from Norwalk’s district.
Carrollton senior Levi Pidgeon (126 lbs.) defeated Josiah Puller of Wilmington by a 4-1 d decision. Wilmington was the No. 1 seed from the Wilmington district. Pidgeon is set to wrestle Myatt Nemitz from Perkins in the quarterfinal bout. Nemitz is the No. 2 seed from Norwalk’s district.
Carrollton senior Josh Carman was down 2-0 early in his 138 lb. match to Benjamin Logan’s Evan Carpenter. Carman went onto pin Carpenter :39 into the second period of the match. Carman is set to wrestle Jonathan Bissell of Jefferson Area in the quarterfinal. Bissell is the No. 3 seed from the Kenston district.
Carrollton’s lone girl wrestler, Riley Alborn (190 lbs) won her match by pin.
MINERVA
Minerva junior Hunter Dietrich (175 lbs.) advanced to day two of wrestling with a 6-4 decision over Gabe Miller. The MHS junior took control of the match in the final minute to secure the victory.
Minerva’s Mark Mueller fell 24-9 to Colyn Limbert of Buckeye in his opening match. Mueller lost his consolation match.
Minerva senior Joey Brocklehurst tasted defeat in his first match of the tournament, falling to Adam Heckman of Howland, being pinned in the second period. Brocklehurst won his consolation match 4-3 and will wrestle on day two.
As for girls wrestlers for the Lions, Bridget Hilliard (105 lbs) and Sarah Sphon (120 lbs) both won their opening matches.
MALVERN
Malvern senior Zach Babiczuk (215 lbs.) opened the tournament with a 10-3 decision over Fairless’ Collin Sullivan.
Malvern junior Tyson Clear (165 lbs.) defeated Brencyn Evans (Monroeville) with a 7-2 decision.
UNITED
United senior Dallas McCracken, last year’s DIII heavyweight runner-up, won his first match of the tournament with a pin over Clayton Downs of Garaway in 5:43.
MARLINGTON
Marlington’s Aiden Bean narrowly lost his first match of state, falling 3-2 to Wauseon’s Joseph Lugabihl. Bean advanced to day two of wrestling by winning his consolation match by pin.
LOUISVILLE
Louisville senior Kolten Barker was the only Leopard to win his opening match, defeating Dawson Brimmer of Clyde 8-4TB.
Kaiden Barker (113 lbs.) fell 6-4 in his opening match. Colton Rhoads (120 lbs.) lost 8-4 in his opening bout. Aric Criss was pinned in his first match at 132 lbs.
Kaiden Barker won his consolation bout. Rhoads and Criss both lost and have been eliminated from competition.
ALLIANCE
Johnny Beltz (144 lbs.) and Quinn Callock (165 lbs.) both lost their opening matches of the tournament.
Beltz lost his consolation match. Callock won.
Three of Alliance’s girls wrestlers won their opening matches. They include Avery Horning (115 lbs.), Abigail Mozden (130 lbs.), and Adilyn Mozden (145 lbs.)
Alliance’s Ashlynn Pennington (110 lbs.) lost her opening match but rebounded by winning her consolation match to wrestle on Saturday.
HARRISON CENTRAL
Harrison Central’s Lucas (215 lbs.) and Landen Thomas both won their first round matches of the OHSAA wrestling tournament by pin.
SANDY VALLEY
Sandy Valley’s Evan Natale (120 lbs.) won his first match of the tournament 10-8 over Waynedale’s Isaak Skelly.
Sandy Valley’s Asher Crissey was knocked out of the tournament, going 0-2 on day one.
CLAYMONT
Claymont’s Daniel McGarr (113 lbs.) won his opening by pin in 3:40 over Granville’s Nash Finley. He’ll wrestle in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
INDIAN VALLEY
All three of Indian Valley’s state qualifiers won their opening matches: 120 lbs. Nile Abbuhl (Indian Valley) dec. Colton Rhoads (Louisville) 8-4; 126 lbs. Leroy Steagall (Indian Valley) maj. dec. Kasey Clark (Mar. Highland) 12-2; and 215 lbs. Jaxon Burcher (Indian Valley) maj. dec. Adam West (Perkins) 10-2.
NEW PHILADELPHIA
Only one wrestler remains for New Philadelphia and that’s their heavy weight.
Garrett Dillon-Rine (New Philadelphia) dec. Dom Kroninger (Jonathan Alder) 7-4.
CANTON SOUTH
Canton South’s 106 lb. Dom Prosperi won his first match by pin.
At 113 lbs., Canton South’s Renzo Tello lost his opening round match but responded by winning his consolation match 7-2.