Marysville’s Brady Seger attempts to pin Dez Gatrell of Dublin Coffman during the recent Division I sectional tournament that was held on the Monarch mats. Seger is one of 13 MHS grapplers who will compete in the district tourney that will be held today and Saturday at Hilliard Darby High School. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens)
The Marysville High School boys wrestling program is certainly no stranger to district competition.
For years, the Monarchs have sent numerous athletes to the second of three levels for post-season competition.
The 2021-2022 Division I district tournament is no exception.
MHS will be represented by 13 athletes (out of 14 weight classes) when district action begins today at 4 p.m.
The event will be held at Hilliard Darby High School and feature two rounds of championship competition today.
The tournament will continue Saturday, beginning with consolation rounds at 9 a.m.
The tourney will proceed to semifinal and final matches throughout the afternoon.
The 13 MHS wrestlers tie the program with two other schools for the most who will take to the Darby mats.
Dublin Coffman and Olentangy Liberty have both qualified the same number of athletes to the district.
Upper Arlington and Olentangy Berlin are right behind the leaders with 11 apiece.
MHS head coach Shawn Andrews knows there will be plenty of strong competition during the two-day event.
“Dublin Coffman is the team to beat in the Central District,” he said of the Shamrocks who have spent the majority of the season as the No. 3-ranked D-I team in the state.
Still, Coffman isn’t the only school that will present challenges.
“Olentangy has some very good wrestlers,” Andrews noted about the Delaware County school the Monarchs defeated during the regular season.
“Teays Valley also has four guys who are in the top eight in their weight classes,” the coach added.
The Monarchs also have plenty of standout wrestlers of their own.
Athletes such as senior Jack Golla (150), senior Erryl Will (157), junior Colton Powers (175) and senior Ben Bickerstaff (190) each qualified for the Division I state tournament at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.
Others such as junior Brady Seger (165), senior Josh Melms (144), senior Lincoln Witt (138) junior Zach Pfarr (132), junior Ethan Skiles (113) and senior Emilio Guerrero (126) are either past district qualifiers and/or placers.
“We have a lot of guys with post-season experience,” said Andrews.
A number of MHS athletes will take solid won-loss records into the tournament.
Among them are Golla (42-6), Will (25-5), Powers (25-4), Melms (26-7), Bickerstaff (28-8) and freshman 106-pounder Ethan Heckel, who is 32-15.
Sophmore Stephen Garcia is a 215-pound district qualifier with a 26-17 mark.
In total, Monarch grapplers have posted a combined record of 311-147 so far this season.
The Monarch coach said his grapplers must attend to matters at hand when they are on the district mat.
“I expect our guys to focus on each match,” said Andrews. “You can’t get caught up in looking ahead in the bracket.
“You have to stay focused on what you can control,” he said. “You also want to try and earn bonus points, such as pins and near-falls when you can.”
The majority (seven) of MHS’ district qualifiers are seniors.
The Journal-Tribune talked with those fourth-year grapplers prior to the start of the tournament.
Will, Golla and Melms have each placed during district competition in previous seasons.
Will and Golla both finished third a year ago, while Melms was sixth as a sophomore.
Golla was fifth in the district a couple of years ago.
Each Monarch senior has a great deal of respect for his upcoming opponents.
“I think my toughest competition will come during my finals match,” said Will.
He anticipates he will face Connor Euton, a Westerville North senior (29-2), during the title match.
“It’s going to be a fight,” said Guerrero. “There are a lot of good guys in my weight class, especially my first-round opponent, Brennan Cernus.”
Cernus is a senior from Pickerington Central. He has a 26-2 record, while Guerrero is 23-10.
“I’ve got a lot of solid wrestlers in my weight class,” agreed Golla.
“I’m looking forward to a good scrap,” noted Joe Eley, who stands at 9-18 in the 120-pound bracket.
“It’s going to be a decent district tournament in my weight division,” said Bickerstaff.
“I have a lot of tough competition in my weight class,” said Melms. “I just want to place in the top four and advance to the state.”
The goal of competing next week during the state tournament at The Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center is on the minds of each MHS grappler.
“We all want to finish toward the top and become state qualifiers,” said Golla.
Wrestling is a goal-oriented sport and each of the Monarch seniors said it has helped them grow, not only as an athlete, but also as a person.
“Wrestling has shown me how to dedicate myself and work for my goals in life,” said Will.
Melms and Golla know life brings a series of ups and downs.
“Wrestling has taught us how to work through them,” both said.
“It’s helped me grow up both on and off the mat,” said Witt, who will take a 27-20 record into the district.