Barnesville Leads Division III Ohio Mat Field; Sixteen OVAC Wrestlers Can Still Win Titles

COLUMBUS — Sixteen OVAC wrestlers won their first round matches Friday as the Ohio State Wrestling Tournament got underway inside Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University.

Division III

Barnesville, as expected, leads the field with 21.5 points and had five individuals advance in the championship bracket.

Still alive for titles are Johnathan Huntsman (113), Dakota King (138), Reese Stephen (150), Skyler King (157) and Ayden King (165). Battling in the consolation bracket are Karson Milhoan (144) and Hines Ford (175).

Huntsman, Stephen and Skyler King all won by falls, with King winning in 59 seconds. Dakota King had a technical fall and Ayden King a decision.

Stephen is a defending state champion.

Harrison Central and Union Local each had a pair of winners. The Huskies' Thomas brothers — Lucas (215) and Landen (285) both recorded pins, with the Jets' Gunnar Gossett (144) winning by decision and Brody Perzanowski (157) by pin.

Shenandoah's Tristen Rossiter (120) won by decision.

Division II

Steubenville sits in ninth place with 10.5 points.

Big Red winners included Cooper Smith (144), Brody Saccoccia (150) and Savier Faulks (157).

Smith earned a decision; Saccoccia recorded a technical fall; and Faulks pinned his opponent in 49 seconds.

Cal Beadling is still alive in the consolation bracket.

Beaver Local had a pair of winners in Robert Buchheit (132) and Ryan Chafins (157), while Justuse Fisher (106) and Gabe Morgan (175) bounced back with consolation wins.

East Liverpool's Tristan Eckles (113) advanced with a pin.

Girls

Steubenville's Talea Guntrum (110) advanced with a pin, as did East Liverpool's duo of Paige Cowan (110) and Makaya Newlun (145). Warren Locl's Kylee Tait (155) pinned her opponent in 30 seconds.

The tournament resumes today at 9:30 a.m. and continues through Sunday's championship finals.