Marysville’s Josh Melms (top) has an arm bar on an opponent in this file photo. Melms is one of the Monarch wrestlers who will begin Division I district competition today at Hilliard Darby. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens)
The Division I district wrestling tournament this weekend will be the final stop before athletes from around the state of Ohio contend for state individual honors.
The Marysville High School mat program will be represented by a number of grapplers when the district tournament begins later today at Hilliard Darby High School.
Action is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
The first round, which features championship preliminary bouts, will run from 4-7 p.m.
Championship quarterfinals are slated for 7:30-10 p.m.
Competition will resume on Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m.
The first round of consolation matches will go from 9-11 a.m., followed by round two from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Championship semifinals and the third consolation round will be contested from 1-3 p.m.
The fourth consolation round battles will go from 3-4:15 p.m.
The Parade of Champions will be held at 4:45 p.m., and precede title bouts.
Championship matches will begin at 5 p.m.
Opening-round bouts for the Monarchs are as follows (along with season records):
-120: Lincoln Witt (19-15) vs. Davante Cooper (Dublin Coffman), 25-14;
-126: Nathan Thompson (26-12) vs. Yaniel Castillo (Columbus Walnut Ridge), 30-11;
-132: Joshua Melms (19-9) vs. Owen Perry (New Albany), 28-18;
-138: Lincoln Heard (31-10) vs. Zack Miller (Olentangy Orange), 26-11;
-145: Jack Golla (23-12) vs. Matthew Howard (Dublin Scioto), 16-11;
-152: Erryl Will (33-6) vs. Kyle Coffey (Pickerington North), 18-13;
-160: Colton Powers (23-16) vs. Mitchell Broskie (Dublin Coffman), 30-7;
-170: Christian McCartney (17-7) vs. Wyatt Gregory (Mt. Vernon), 33-10;
-182: Ben Bickerstaff (28-16) vs. Ajay Locke (Lancaster), 32-5;
-220: Joseph Palmer (17-16) vs. Joe Huber (Dublin Jerome), 35-6;
-285: Zach McMinn (37-10) vs. Omari Green (Central Crossing), 37-3.
The top four athletes in each weight class at the conclusion of the double-elimination tournament will advance to next week’s state tournament at The Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center.
Advancing to a top four place will be a step-by–step process for the Monarchs.
“We expect our guys to compete for the next point and the next position,” said Marysville High School head coach Shawn Andrews. “We have talked all year about how to mentally approach matches and that is our focus going into the district tournament.
“Our guys are as physically ready as they can be,” he said. “Now is the time to perform.
“In the end, it is about taking it one match at a time and capitalizing on our opponents’ mistakes,” said Andrews. “We have to win the match within the matches.”
By that, the Monarch boss said his athletes will have to concentrate on being the first one to score and score the final point of any period.
“Can you also ride a guy out with 20 seconds to go in the match is another factor,” said Andrews. “These are all the little things that create opportunities for success.”
Marysville has placed in the top six of the district tournament for the past 20 years.
MHS won six team titles from 2003 to 2014.
The Monarch coach feels his squad can finish in the top five of the team standings.
Dublin Coffman and Lancaster appear, at least on paper, as the favorites to claim top team honors. Both squads qualified 13 athletes in the tournament.
Olentangy Liberty will be represented by 12 and MHS has the above-mentioned 11.
Delaware Hayes qualified eight to the district, but could have the highest number of potential finalists of any team, according to Andrews.
He said the Monarchs aren’t concerned about team accolades.
“We aren’t really focused on that right now,” he said. “We are focusing on individual guys.
“If they do their job and do their best, then the team stuff takes care of itself.”