In a battle of two of the state’s top squads, the seventh ranked Olentangy Liberty wrestling team started fast, but visiting and sixth ranked Dublin Coffman finished with a flourish to escape with a 31-28 win Thursday night in Powell.

The Shamrocks, who maintained their perch atop the OCC-Central Division with the dual-meet win, won the first match of the night at 175 pounds. From there, though, the Patriots seemingly couldn’t lose.

Brady Quillin followed with a convincing 7-2 decision at 190 to even things, 3-3, before two time OHSAA state champion Dylan Russo picked up a first-period fall at 215 to put his team on top 9-3 just three matches in.

Heavyweight Luke Fleet picked up a first-period pin of his own to balloon the lead to 15-3 before Alexander Williams won 8-2 at 106, Jaxson Rosselli won 9-1 at 113 and Prestyn Parks used a late reversal to win 4-3 at 120 — the Patriots’ sixth straight win of the dual — and extend the Liberty lead to 25-3.

Coffman found its footing after that, winning four straight to pull within three, 25-22. Liberty’s Tyler Deericks won 4-1 at 150 to give his team some breathing room, but the Shamrocks won each of the final three, including a pin in the final match of the night, to escape with the three-point win.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Buckeye Valley continued its dominant defensive stretch Wednesday night in Delaware, cruising past visiting Columbus School for Girls 44-19.

The win was the Barons’ third straight during a stretch in which they’ve outscored their opponents 144-53.

BV set the tone with a 14-2 first quarter. Emily Huston, who shared top scoring honors with Ella Hazelrigg with 16 points, hit three three-pointers as part of the big opening quarter.

Carlie Osborne was also solid in the win, finishing with nine points.