STATE WRESTLING: Ten from area win opening matches

COLUMBUS — Ten area wrestlers won their first round matches on the first day of the OHSAA state championships at the Schottenstein Center. Twelve more wrestlers lost their first match, but bounced back with victories in the consolation bracket. Those 22 wrestlers need just one win Saturday to clinch All-Ohio honors, which go to the top eight placers in each weight class. Five area Division III boys won their opening matches. Edison freshman Cohen Reer pinned Bryce Myers from Chesapeake in 1:06 in an opener at 106 pounds. Reer improved to 46-2 on the season. Monroeville's Owen Patchen pinned Ironton's Nate Sloan in 3:09 at 132 pounds. Patchen is 19-2. St. Mary Central Catholic's Ben James (40-3) scored a 14-3 major decision over Waynedale's Dalton Oberly to advance to the quarterfinals. At 157, St. Paul's Rafael Gross (44-6) won an 8-0 major decision over Dalton's Sam Ediger Port Clinton's Malakii Pinkelton won a 7-4 decision over Union Local's Brody Perzanowski. Pinkelton is 41-1. Three Division II wrestlers from the area won their openers. Clyde's Heath Norris pinned Granville's Nash Finley in 1:47. Norris is 41-6. Bellevue's Ben Jacobs (49-5) won a 10-4 decision against Minerva's Jason Sivy. At 165, Perkins' Law Davlin earned a quick 42-second pin against Lakeside's Isaac Coup. Davlin is 48-4. Two area girls advanced to Saturday's quarterfinals. Clyde's Mimi Greenslade pinned Olentangy's Skylar McCuen in 5:53 in the first round. Port Clinton's Michaela Stork won a 5-1 decision against Garrett Morgan's Johanna Bogan. Clyde's Avery Gaskalla, Vermilion's Cora Frederick and Sandusky's Britoriah Rollinson lost two matches to end their seasons. Seven Division II area competitors won in the first round of the consolation bracket: Bellevue's Landen Lewis (126) and Owen Sterritt (138), Clyde's Michael Gessner (144), Vermilion's Aiden Kyser (157) and Perkins' Braxden Martin (150), Boden Ballinger (190) and DeShaun Harper (215). Division III boys who lost their openers before winning in the consolation round included South Central's Wyatt Martin (113), Edison's Brayden Barker (120), Western Reserve's Jaxson Davidson (138), Port Clinton's Gavin Cornell (150) and Monroeville heavyweight Brycen Dunlap. Area boys who dropped their first two matches and were eliminated included Norwalk's Gavin Lepley (165) and Port Clinton's Elliot Laird (144) and Jace Cornell (157). Saturday's action begins at 9:30 a.m. with boys championship quarterfinals in Division III and II. The blood round — where wrestlers clinch podium finishes — follows at 10:50 a.m. Girls quarterfinals are scheduled for 12:50 p.m. The championship semifinals begin in all classes at 5:30 p.m.