LOCKING HORNS — Big Red’s Peyton Tuttle and Toronto’s Josh Fancher battle in a 285-pound match during Friday’s OVAC Wrestling Tournament action. Tuttle prevailed, 2-1, in the ultimate tiebreaker. -- Kim North

WHEELING — It’s been a while since Wheeling Park has claimed the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Ron Mauck Wrestling Championships team title, but the Patriots put themselves in a position to do so with an outstanding performance during both sessions on Friday.

Piling up 13 victories (11 pins) during the afternoon rounds and adding 10 more wins at night, Brian Leggett’s matmen tallied 173 points to easily out-distance University High by 33.5 entering Saturday’s action as the 68th edition winds down its three-day stay inside WesBanco Arena.

“We came out in the first session and wrestled really well,” Leggett said. “We knocked off some guys that were seeded higher than us. I was also happy with our performance in tonight’s quarters.”

The Patriots have nine semifinalists in Noah White (106), Adam Carman (113), Jack Lowe (126), Nate Shelek (132), Bradyn Lucas (138), Cody Taggart (145), Quinton Velas (152), Gabe Carman (160) and Erick Brothers Jr. (220).

They also have 13 placers as Carter Lucas (120), Jameson Maynard (170), Hunter Nixon (182) and Brody Cottrill (195) all came through with triumphs in the “blood round.”

Leggett said he was surprised with the efforts of Lucas and Lowe.

“Bradyn just beat a kid that he lost to at the Park Duals and we all know what Jack can do, so now everyone else is seeing how good he is.”

Brothers Jr. is a man on a mission. The two-time West Virginia state champion junior has only spent 48 seconds on the mat in three bouts.

The second-place Hawks have six in the semis, while defending champion Parkersburg South, which sits in fourth with 123, has seven, including Gage Wright (170) who tied the national record with a three-second pin in the second round.

Steubenville is third with 128 points and has five semifinalists. Cameron, which has already sewed up the Class 1A/2A title with 78 points, has four semifinalists, as does Beaver Local which made its move to the top of the Class 4A charts.

“We had a really good day,” first-year Steubenville head coach Lucas Huffman allowed. “We’ve got five in the semis, so we’ll see what happens.”

All 14 top seeds advanced to the semis, as did the numbers 2 and 3. However, there were several closes calls, especially at 285 where the top two eked by.

River’s top-seeded Marshall Bier trailed No. 9 Landen Thomas, of Harrison Central, before putting Thomas on his back at 5:35. No. 2 seed Peyton Tuttle, of Steubenville, slipped by Toronto’s seventh-seeded Jason Fancher, 2-1, in the ultimate tiebreaker.

At 145, No. 2 Cody Taggart, a defending champion from Wheeling Park, needed overtime to best Union Local’s seventh-seeded Nathaniel Gibson, while unseeded Dorian Jackson, of Beaver Local, advanced to the semis after upsetting the No. 2 seed in the second round.

John Marshall’s Klypsan Wallace was one of a handful of No. 5 seeds that posted upsets. He scored a takedown in the waning second to nip Wheeling Park’s Hunter Nixon, 5-3, at 195.

“That was a great win by Klypsan,” John Marshall’s Ryan Asbury said. “He had lost to him earlier in the season. In fact, that is his third revenge win.”

On the strength of four semifinalists, Beaver Local leads the Class 4A race with 114 points, which is 23.5 better than Indian Creek. St. Clairsville is third with 87. The Redskins have three remaining alive for titles, while the Red Devils have a pair.

“We’ve done pretty well,” Indian Creek’s Brandon Pendleton said. “This is a tough tournament.”

Indian Creek has four left in the consolation bracket.

St. Clairsville’s Joel Sansone was a little disappointed with his team’s performance.

“Those two guys are wrestling well,” he said of semifinalists Gannon Kazmirski (113) and Caden Stout (152). The Red Devils have three left in the consolations.

Martins Ferry leads the Class 3A race over Barnesville, 82-77.

“It’s a pretty close race,” Martins Ferry’s Chad Ware said. “It’s going to come down to whoever wins the close matches.”

The Purple Riders have two semifinalists in Dylan (113) and Zak Dobson (220), while Jason Mahoney (106) also reached the awards podium.

The Shamrocks have four semifinalists, but no other wrestler still alive.

“We’ve got our four ‘studs’ left,” Barnesville’s Jayson Stephen said. “We had a match where we were ahead in the third period, but couldn’t hold on. We’ve got to win those matches.”

Wrestling resumes at 11 a.m. Saturday with championship semifinals and fifth- and semifinal consolation bouts. The introduction of the finalists and special awards ceremony begin at 3:30 p.m., with the championship finals and matches for third-fifth- and seventh-places starting at 4 p.m.

68th Annual OVAC Ron Mauck Wrestling

Championships (at WesBanco Arena, Wheeling)

TEAM SCORES: 1. Wheeling Park 173; 2. University 139.5; 3. Steubenville 128; 4. Parkersburg South 123; 5. Beaver Local 114; 6. John Marshall 113.5; 7. Indian Creek 90.5; 8. St. Clairsville 87; 9. Martins Ferry 82; 10. Cameron 78; 11. Barnesville 77; 12. (tie) Dover, Oak Glen 63.5; 14. Shenandoah 55; 15. Morgantown 52; 16. Warren Local 50; 17. Brooke 48; 18. Harrison Central 45; 19. Southern Local 43.5; 20. Wellsville 38; 21. River 35; 22. Edison 32; 23. Cambridge 30; 24. (tie) East Liverpool, Union Local 29; 26. Caldwell 27; 27. Shadyside 22; 28. Bridgeport 21.5; 29. Linsly 21; 30. Buckeye Local 18.5; 31. Fort Frye 17; 32. Toronto 15; 33. Marietta 14; 34. Bellaire 13; 35. (tie) Paden City, Weir 8; 37. Steubenville Catholic 5; 38. Beallsville 2; 39. (tie) Hundred, Madonna, Monroe Central 0

Scores by Classes

Class 5A

1. Wheeling Park 173; 2. University 139.5; 3. Steubenville 128; 4. Parkersburg South 123; 5. John Marshall 113.5; 6. Dover 63.5; 7. Morgantown 52; 8. Warren Local 50; 9. Brooke 48; 10. Marietta 14

Class 4A

1. Beaver Local 114; 2. Indian Creek 90.5; 3. St. Clairsville 87; 4. Oak Glen 63.5; 5. Harrison Central 45; 6. Edison 32; 7. Union Local 29; 8. Cambridge 30; 9. East Liverpool 29; 10. Weir 8

Class 3A

1. Martins Ferry 82; 2. Barnesville 77; 3. Shenandoah 55; 4. River 35; 5. Linsly 21; 6. Buckeye Local 18.5; 7. Fort Frye 17; 8. Bellaire 13

Class 1A/2A

1. Cameron 78; 2. Caldwell 27; 3. Shadyside 22; 4. Bridgeport 21.5; 5. (tie) Southern Local, Toronto 15; 7. Wellsville 12; 8. Paden City 8; 9. Steubenville Catholic 5; 10. Beallsville 2; (tie) 11. Hundred, Madonna, Monroe Central 0