Clint Abbott's

Semi Final Matches (and a few consolation)
This is by far my favorite round of wrestling in any tournament. This is the round when the matches are more explosive. I would like to see more tournaments feature these matches by only using two mats during this round. (Especially the Ohio State Tournament) I have selected several matches that should be very entertaining semi final matches. Good luck to all wrestlers, congratulations to all placers, and thank you to everyone that made this event possible this year so these athletes can put their talents on display.

106
Davis vs Rossiter (Although Davis is unbeaten and the favorite, Rossiter is very talented and should not be overlooked)

White vs Pettit (Both are pinners, with Pettit wrestling less than 1 period of wrestling in his 3 bouts during this tournament. White has wrestled a tough schedule and that may be the difference in this match. This should be a fun match to watch between two freshman that are sure to have a great career)

113 Both of these matches could go either way.
Carman vs Kazmirski (Carman is looking to take advantage of his first opportunity to wrestle in OVAC tournament, while Kazmirski is looking to make his last opportunity count.)

Ward vs Cook (Ward is undefeated at 14-0 and has wrestled well this tournament. Cook has been scoring alot of points this tournament and on the season has much more mat time than Ward with 25 matches already this season. This one will come down to a third period takedown)

(Consolation) Hayley Snyder vs Bowersock- (The OVAC first female placer looks to continue her winning streak in a 1st round rematch where Bowersock won 8-0)

120
Pauley vs Saccoccia- (Both Freshman look to make the finals. I am sure these two will meet many more times in their high school career)
(Consolation) Stansbury vs Lucas (2 unseeded wrestlers that have put together a great tournament)

126
King vs Hoge (King can score alot of points fast and is always looking for the fall. Hoge wrestled 132 early in the season and has been on a streak since dropping to 126)


132
Shelek vs Salsberry- (This could be the best match of the semi-finals, both are previous OVAC finalist)

Martin vs Stephen (Both wrestlers had nice wins in the ¼ finals. Martin put together an 8-4 win over a tough Kanyuch and Stephen shut down the offense of Garcia with a 7-0 win.)

138
King vs Jones (King can score from anywhere and is always dangerous, while Jones looks more to control the match, this could be a very fun match)

145
Felix vs King- (Felix is undefeated, very talented, and the favorite to win this weight, but don't count out the Freshman King. He has wins over some high level of competition this season)

Jackson vs Taggart- (Jackson is looking to be an unseeded wrestler in the finals. His win over Spencer was impressive. Taggart looks to make the finals and claim another OVAC title.)

152
(Very deep weight class, both matches should be close. I would not be surprised to see any of them in the finals. I would like to see a Stout and Paterra matchup. I recall there their last match at OVAC in 2020 ¼ finals as a 12-7 win for Stout in an high scoring and explosive match) 138 in 2020 was a loaded weight class: Shelek(WP), Palmer (BL), McCommas (BVL), Stout (ST. C) Paterra (IC) Williams (EL) Wiley (Cald) Muldrew (Steub)

Stout vs Childers

Velas vs Paterra

160
Hagedorn vs Carman (Carman won the last match 6-2, I look for Hagedorn to keep it close and look for a late takedown)

170
Wellings-Osha vs Kiser (I do not know what to expect from this match as I have not had the chance to watch either of them wrestle, but on paper it looks to be a great match. Both seniors only have one loss on the season and had dominant wins in the ¼ finals)

(Consolation) Sayre vs Maynard (Sayre is very strong and the Freshman Maynard has a bright future, should be an interesting match)

182
Edwards vs Kenworthy ( I expect a low scoring, defensive match that will be determined by an escape in overtime)

(Consolation) Nixon vs Llewellyn (Senior vs Freshman)

195
Kehler vs Kinney (Kehler is an undefeated Freshman, with all of his wins in this tournament coming via fall within the first minute, is looking to make the finals and possible start the road to a four time champion, but Kinney the Senior is a previous placer and has wrestled some tough competition in his career that experience may be the difference in this match.

220
Thomas vs Dobson- (This match features two wrestlers with only one loss between them. Thomas 13-1 and Dobson- 23-0, however that loss for Thomas was to Dobson in a 9-6 decision. Both also have pinned their way into the semi finals)

285
Bier vs Turney (This is a match between a pinner and a grinder. Bierr has all pins in this tournament and Turney has won two overtime matches)
 

Top 9 team Seeds

2022 OVAC Officials

Jack Regis -- Martins Ferry, OH

Thomas Regis -- Martins Ferry, OH

Jim Copney -- Wheeling, WV

Tucker Brown -- Wheeling, WV

Derrick Stickles -- New Cumberland, WV

Shane Kildow -- Belmont, OH

Kevin King -- Wheeling, WV

Harry McDonald -- Lewis Center, OH

Stephen Stoffel -- Charleston, WV

Brian Cunningham -- New Cumberland, WV

James Robson -- Dillonvale, OH

Jared Leasure -- Caldwell, OH

Jermey Callen -- Clendenin, WV


Ray Anythony -- Columbia Station, OH Public Relations

Steve Kish Jr. -- Reunion Committee

Bill Welker -- Media Relations
 

2020  Bierkortte Award (MVP) Logan Ours BvL

By KIM NORTH
Times Leader Sports Writer

WHEELING -- Depth is a vital part of any athletic team. It was a key element Saturday in Wheeling Park ending nearly two decades of frustration at the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Ron Mauck Wrestling Championships.
With only two individual titlists, the Patriots piled up enough points in the first three sessions to overcome a terrible semifinal showing and then rolled to a convincing, 278-228.5, wire-to-wire victory over runnerup University to win not only the coveted overall team title for the first time since 2005, but also the Class 5A crown as the 68th edition capped its three-day stay inside WesBanco Arena.
âThis is a great team to coach. They love wrestling and want to win,ã Wheeling Park head coach Brian Leggett said of his squad which also captured the Wheeling Park Duals several weeks ago inside the same building. âWe put in a solid two days, but things didnát go to well early on today. However the kids bounced back and won some big consolation matches for us.ã
Winning their weight classes were senior Nate Shelek (132) and junior Bradyn Lucas (138). Shelek, a runnerup last season, held off Parkersburg Southás Ryan Martin 13-9 while Lucas decisioned Barnesvilleás Skyler King, 12-7.
âIt doesnát surprise me because they are practice partners and they get after it in the (wrestling) room,ã Leggett said about Shelek and Lucas.
The Patriots depth included a runnerup, four third-placers, two fourths, a fifth, two sixths and one seventh.
âOur team is still young,ã Leggett added. âWeáve got a lot of freshmen in the lineup that wrestled really well here.ã
Steubenville had a pair of titlists in Brody Saccoccia (120) and Peyton Tuttle (285). Saccoccia earned a 7-3 nod over Parkersburg Southás Brent Bosley and Tuttle pinned Universityás Corbin Turney in 3:58.
âWe knew that one was going to be a battle,ã first-year Steubenville head coach Lucas Huffman said of Tuttleás match. âPeyton wrestled a good, smart match.ã
Big Red finished a point behind Parkersburg South (108-107) and finished fourth overall, but Huffman was pleased.
âBrody earns everything he gets,ã Huffman said of Saccoccia.
âIám extremely proud of our team top to bottom,ã he noted. âWe just asked the kids to go out and compete, and they did. Iám extremely happy.ã
Barnesville captured the Class 3A title behind the championship performance of Dakota King (126) who posted a 19-4 technical fall over Steubenvilleás Cal Beadling. The Shamrocks also had a runnerup, a third and a fourth.
âWeáve got a good core of kids and battled through some adversity. Iám proud of them,ã Barnesvilleás Jayson Stephen said. âWe came in here thinking we could be a top 5 team and we lost some matches in the àblood roundá that we should never lose. That canát happen.ã
The Shamrocks tallied 118.5 points to 97 for runnerup Martins Ferry.
Oak Glenás Logan Davis (106) got the finals started with a 4-0 blanking of Cameronás Slaton Pettit.
âLogan wrestled well. He was the No. 1 seed coming in and did what he had to,ã Oak Glen head coach Patrick McGillian said of Davis. âHe was pretty flawless in the finals. Iám proud of him.ã
The Dragons did get a champion in senior Ian Bush (182). The two-time OVAC and two-time defending W.Va. state champion is a WVU recruit. He pinned Cambridgeás Caden Kenworthy in 3:03.
âWe knew coming in that we had a pretty good chance at winning our class,ã Cameron head coach Tim Jones allowed. âWe challenged the kids to show up, and they did. Even the guys that didnát place fought hard. Definitely a team effort.
âItás going to be hard when he wrestles his last match for us,ã Jones said of Bush, who pinned his way through the tournament to win the Hercules Award. âHe is something special.ã
Capturing titles for Indian Creek, which finished second to Beaver Local in the Class 4A race, set a school milestone Saturday.
âThis was a special weekend for us because weáve never had two individual champions in school history,ã Indian Creekás Brandon Pendleton said. âThis is a good group of guys that weáve been focusing on doing things for the first time with. I couldnát be any more proud of them.ã
Standing atop the podium were Dom Paterra (152) and Austin Starr (195). Paterra knocked off top-seeded Caden Stout of St. Clairsville, 3-2, while Starr blanked Universityás Brock Kehler, 7-0.
Also winning titles were St. Clairsvilleás Gannon Kazmirski (113); Universityás Luca Felix (145); Beaver Localás Logan Ours (160); Parkersburg Southás Gage Wright (170) and Harrison Centralás Lucas Thomas (220).
Kazmirski, the fourth seed, made a second-period escape hold up in a 1-0 win over John Marshallás Ethan Cook. Felix topped Beaver Localás unseeded Dorian Jackson, 10-3. Ours, who was voted the Bierkortte Award winner by tournament coaches, pinned Universityás Dakota Hagedorn in 2:53, and Wright scored a fall in 5:34 over Universityás Elijah Wellings-Osha. Thomas shocked a lot of people when he pinned Wheeling Parkás Erick Brothers Jr. in 5:22 trailing 5-2.
âGannon winning isnát really a surprise to me,ã St. Clairsvilleás Joel Sansone said. âWhen we lost to Cook last week in the finals at Cameron by a 2-1 score in overtime on a fleeing the mat call, I told him he would see him (Cook) next week at OVACs when it matters.ã
âLucas earns every bit of what he got tonight,ã Harrison Centralás Bill Bryant said of his third seed. âHe works a lot harder and puts more time in in the (wrestling) room than anybody on the team. He puts in a ton of mat time. He traveled this summer to make himself better.ã
Thomas is the Huskiesá first champion since Doug Eddy in 2012.