Monarch grapplers Jack Golla (top) and Erryl Will work on takedowns during a recent practice. Golla and Will are among the six MHS wrestlers who will compete in the Division I state tournament this weekend. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
The stage could not be bigger for six Marysville High School wrestlers.
Josh Melms (144), Jack Golla (150), Erryl Will (157), Brady Seger (165), Colton Powers (175) and Ben Bickerstaff (190) will each test their talents against the state’s best Division I grapplers in their respective weight classes.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s state tournament begins later today at The Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center.
Golla, Will, Powers and Bickerstaff are making their second trips to the state tournament.
It’s the first such journey for Melms and Seger.
During the initial match, Melms, a senior, will put his 29-8 season record up against Nick Humphrys, a Wadsworth junior who is 38-11.
Other first-round bouts for Monarch grapplers are as follows:
-Golla, a senior (47-7), will tangle with Lakewood St. Edward freshman Tyrel Miller (28-12);
-Will, a senior (28-6), will battle another fourth-year man, Cincinnati Moeller’s Brad Hornback (35-10);
-Seger is a junior with a 23-13 record. He will go to the mat against J.R. Reed, a senior from Stow-Munroe Falls (40-6);
-Powers, a junior with a 28-5 record, will face off against Springboro freshman Aidan Weimer (29-8);
-Bickerstaff will take a 32-10 record into the tournament. The MHS senior will go up against St. Ed sophomore Jonny Slaper, who stands at 20-3.
State tournament veterans Golla, Will, Powers and Bickerstaff talked with the Journal-Tribune about the upcoming competition.
“This is our second year for the state tournament, but our first for the Schottenstein Center,” said Golla.
The 2021 Division I state tournament was held at Hilliard Darby High School due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think it’s going to be important to win my first match,” Golla said. “That would set me up nicely for the remainder of the tournament and I can feed off that.”
If Golla loses a state match, he said it will be important to have a short memory.
“I will have to forget any losses and just keep going,” he said.
Will feels he received a good draw.
“I defeated Hornback during the state duals tournament,” he said. “However, there is going to be stiff competition, especially from James Scavuzzo of Medina Highland (40-3) and Jarrel Miller of Lakewood St. Ed (33-5).
“I have to keep moving and attack on my feet.”
“I’ve got to put the fact this is my first year at the Schott out of my mind,” said Powers. “I’m in a tough weight bracket.”
Powers said he is anticipating a second-round match against Luke Georg (33-3), a senior from Lakewood St Ed.
That battle will happen if Powers and Georg win their first-round bouts.
“I just have to keep wrestling the way I have,” said Powers.
Bickerstaff said competing during last year’s state tournament has given him much-needed experience for this year’s event.
“190 pounds is a strong weight class,” he said. “I can’t allow anything to get to me.
“If I lose a match, I have to battle back during the next one.”
Melms and Seger also talked about the season’s final tournament.
Melms wants to advance to Saturday’s rounds of competition.
“I will try to put myself in the best position to get to the second day of the tournament,” he said. “I need to win my first match on Friday to make to the next day.
“I think that first match will be good for me,” Melms added. “I feel I can come out on top.”
“It feels good advancing to the state tournament,” said Seger. “I know I’m going up against experienced (state) wrestlers and I have to take one match at a time.
“I need to wrestle well on my feet and go for my attacks.”
The Marysville High School program has a strong and proud history of sending athletes to the state tournament.
“The last year we didn’t qualify anyone to the state tournament was 2001,” said head coach Shawn Andrews.
The state tournament was not held in 2020, due to COVID-19.
The MHS coach said everyone wants to win the first match of the tournament.
“It’s nothing new from a planning standpoint,” said Andrews. “The guys, however, have to go out and compete match-by-match.
“All of our guys are capable of winning state matches and if you can put enough wins together, you can get to the awards podium.”
Although the OHSAA did a good job of conducting state tournaments at Hilliard Darby, Marion Harding and Sparta Highland high schools a year ago, Andrews is happy to be back in a familiar venue.
“We’re excited to be back at The Schott,” he said.
MHS’ Ben Bickerstaff “chokes” New Albany’s Jack Sautter during the Division I district tournament. Bickerstaff will begin competing in the state wrestling tournament later today at The Ohio State University. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens)
Monarch 144-pounder Josh Melms (top) has a wrist-ride on Hilliard Darby’s Nathan Morris during a district tournament match. Melms will compete in the D-I state tournament later today. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens)
Brady Seger of Marysville, front, attempts to remove the hand of Grove City’s Storm Beane from his leg during a Division I district match. Seger will compete, beginning today, during the D-I state tourney. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
Colton Powers (left), another Monarch state tournament qualifier, attempts to solidify a single-leg takedown against Dublin Coffman’s Mitchell Broskie. Action came during the Division I sectional tournament that was held at Marysville High School. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens)