Marysville’s Lincoln Heard (top) battles an opponent in this file photo. Heard finished second during the All-North tournament at Dublin Jerome on Saturday. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens)
Marysville High School’s varsity wrestlers finished third during Saturday’s 15-team All-North tournament at Dublin Jerome High School.
Upper Arlington captured top team honors with 191 points and Hilliard Darby was the runner-up with 167.
The Monarchs finished right behind Darby with 166.
Delaware Hayes was fourth with 159, followed by Olentangy Orange-133, Dublin Jerome-106, Coldwater-93, Westerville Central-84, Reynoldsburg-81, Westerville South-81, Grove City-79, Pickerington Central-72, Licking Heights-51, Logan-24 and Uniontown Green-nine.
A pair of Monarchs advanced to the championship finals and finished second.
Lincoln Heard of MHS dropped the 145-pound title bout to Mason McHugh of Upper Arlington by a 1-0 count.
Erryl Will (152) was pinned in 5:25 by Noah Ratliff of Reynoldsburg.
Other Monarchs placed as follows:
Third
-126: Nathan Thompson dec. Luke Goeschi (Reynoldsburg), 6-0;
-132: Josh Melms edged Ryan Blackerby (Hilliard Darby), 5-4;
-170: Parker Reese pinned Logan Moore (Westerville Central), 3:35;
-285: Zach McMinn dec. Garrett Meek (Pickerington Central), 4-0.
Fourth
-160: Colton Powers fell to Miles Pearson (Upper Arlington), 10-4 during the third-fourth match.
Fifth
-120: Emilio Guerrero pinned Eli Vikinofsky (Dublin Jerome), 2:18;
-182 Ben Bickerstaff put Coleton Fleury (Dublin Jerome) to the mat in 4:14.
Sixth
-126: Lincoln Witt fell to Ayden Boothby of Upper Arlington, 6-4, in the 5-6 battle.
“We finished in third place with a couple starters still out of the lineup,” said MHS head coach Shawn Andrews. “It was great to be in a tournament like this heading into the post-season.
“There are certainly positive takeaways, but an equal number of concerns,” he said. “There are 8-10 matches I think we were capable of winning that we didn’t.
“Getting that feedback now with time before the post-season to make adjustments is important.”
The Monarch varsity team will now have two weeks of preparation before the beginning of the Division I post-season.
MHS will host a sectional tournament on Saturday, Feb. 29.
The Monarch jayvees will host their season-ending tournament on Saturday, 10 a.m.
The Lady Monarchs will compete in a coaches association state tournament on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m.
That competition will be held at Hilliard Davidson High School.