The Olentangy Liberty and Olentangy wrestling teams got their postseasons started in style, finishing first and second, respectively, at Saturday’s Division I sectional tournament in Newark.
The Patriots, thanks in part to four individual champs and a pair or runner-up finishers, secured top honors with 214.5 points. The Braves, with three champs of their own, finished with 166 points while Lancaster smoothed out the top three with 155.5.
Liberty standouts included Lucas Uliano (126), who finished first with a 6-1 win over Lancaster’s Jacob Reed; Connor Brady (160), who pinned the Gales’ Dillon Strang in 3:22 to finish first in his weight class; Carson Kharchla (170), who picked up a first-period pin in his final against Teays Valley’s Hunter Young; and Kaden Tong (220), who nabbed first-place points in his weight class.
Jayce Fitzpatrick (145) and Ben Cox (195) were also solid, finishing second to pad the Patriots’ point total.
The Braves were boosted by Jacob Sherman (120), Nick Varanelli (132) and Colton Doup (182). Sherman outlasted Lancaster’s Aiden Agin 7-6 in overtime to nab sectional bragging rights, Varanelli doubled up Hilliard Darby’s Ben Brown to win his weight class and Doup beat the Vikings’ Liam Willson 4-2 to win his.
Watkins Memorial Sectional
Zach Williams, Emmett Cain and Jacob McCloskey all won sectional titles to lead Delaware Hayes to runner-up honors at Saturday’s Division I sectional tournament at Watkins Memorial.
Williams (138) knocked off Hilliard Bradley’s Zander Ellison 5-3 in his final, Cain (160) pinned Watkins’ Jeff Cameron in 3:56 and McCloskey (195) picked up a solid 10-3 decision over Gahanna Lincoln’s Nate Garbark.
Mason Sutandar (170), Corbin May (182), Nathan Robinson (220) and Zachary Pokorny (285) were also steady for the Pacers, each finishing second in their respective weight classes.
Big Walnut was also in action, finishing ninth overall.
Ryan Colletta led the Golden Eagles, winning an individual sectional title at 152 with a 4-2 overtime decision over Walnut Ridge’s Sihlas Padmore.
Upper Arlington Sectional
Rocco Torio and Tristan Bluntschly won their respective weight classes and Matt Hipsher finished second in his to lead Olentangy Orange at Saturday’s Division I sectional tournament in Upper Arlington.
Torio (132) beat UA’s Jesse Bowers 15-5 in his final while Bluntschly pinned the Bears’ Gavin Shafer in 1:17 to cruise to his sectional title.
The Pioneers finished second as a team, collecting 184.5 points. Upper Arlington won the team title with 237 while Pickerington Central finished third with 172.
Licking Valley Sectional
Buckeye Valley’s Ethan Szanati picked up top honors in his weight class and Olentangy Berlin’s Ian Stokell and Corey Hill finished third to lead their respective teams at Friday and Saturday’s Division II sectional tournament in Newark.
Szanati (120) cruised past Highland’s Gavin DeAngelo 9-1 in the final to secure his sectional title. The Barons finished 15th as a team with a combined 49 points.
Stokell (145), meanwhile, handled BV’s Jacob Smothers 18-2 in a third-place match while Hill (160) outlasted London’s Darian Huff 5-4 to highlight the Bears’ effort. Berlin, competing in its first-ever sectional, finished fifth overall with 111.5 points.
Madison-Plains Sectional
Josh Proper secured runner-up honors at 113 to highlight Delaware Christian’s effort at Saturday’s Division III sectional tournament at Madison-Plains.
The Eagles finished 11th as a team, collecting a combined 25.5 points.