Strong showing for area wrestlers at state

COLUMBUS — A rotal of 10 area wrestlers won their first-round matches on Friday at the Division III OHSAA wrestling state championships. Edison's Mason Hermes got things going right away for both the Chargers and area athletes at 106 pounds inside the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus. The nephew of head coach Davy, Hermes picked up a 7-3 victory. He was pinned by his opponent, Nolan Fraley of Mechanicsburg, in just 30 seconds earlier this season. "Mason has really matured since the beginning of the year, mentally more than anything," coach Hermes said. "… It's a big moment. A freshman, an underdog, and to be able to step out there and win is huge. "It's a big win no matter what. And all six of these kids know we also need it for the team race." The Chargers' four standouts — Abe Hermes (126), Marcus Medina (157), Kohen Horvath (165) and Luke James (175) — all won their first-round matches. Abe Hermes trailed 7-6 with 50 seconds left before a takedown and turn moved him on. "Same thing he did last year," coach Hermes said. "Navigated the bracket. Not always pretty, but it doesn't need to be." Xander Gfell-King (113), the only Edison wrestler to drop his opening match, won 4-2 in the consolation bracket to stay alive. "The kid he had first round is gonna be in the state finals," coach Hermes said. "Did a nice job bouncing back." In addition to Edison's five wrestlers who advanced to the championship quarterfinals, another four area competitors won to start their tournament. Monroeville's Owen Patchen was a 6-0 winner at 106. South Central's Diton Farnsworth needed just 40 seconds for a pin at 113. St. Paul's Casper Caizzo went up double digits before a third-period pin at 132. Monroeville's Ashton Homan took an 11-0 major decision at 138 to start his state-title defense. Another six area Div. III wrestlers won their first consolation matches to stay alive heading into Saturday: Gfell-King, Monroeville's Landen Roeder (144), St. Paul's Rafael Gross (157), Monroeville's Brencyn Evans (165), Plymouth's Noah Robinson (215) and Monroeville's Brycen Dunlap (285). In the girls action later Friday, Western Reserve senior Kelsey Lasch moved on. She won her opening 115-pound match. She dominated in an 8-0 shutout of a district runner-up. --- Area wrestlers on Day 1 at state DIVISION IIIFirst round (Round of 16)106: Mason Hermes (Edison) dec. Nolan Fraley (Mechanicsburg), 7-3106: Owen Patchen (Monroeville) dec. Carter Thomas (Northmor), 6-0113: Bronson Begley (Alter) tech. fall Xander Gfell-King (Edison), 15-0113: Diton Farnsworth (South Central) pin Colin Hering (Berkshire), 0:40120: Logan Dean (Bethel-Tate) pin Cameron Wagers (Plymouth), 2:21126: Abe Hermes (Edison) dec. Nolan Earles (Preble Shawnee), 11-7132: Casper Caizzo (St. Paul) pin Ethan Haer (Tuslaw), 4:23138: Ashton Homan (Monroeville) maj. dec. Chris Bezzeg (Perry), 11-0144: Gunnar Gossett (Union Local) dec. Landen Roeder (Monroeville), 6-5157: Marcus Medina (Edison) pin Quinten Harrison (Elgin), 1:40157: Brody Perzanowski (Union Local) pin Rafael Gross (St. Paul), 3:32165: Kohen Horvath (Edison) maj. dec. Sam Mentzer (Pleasant), 10-2165: Tyson Clear (Malvern) dec. Brencyn Evans (Monroeville), 7-2175: Luke James (Edison) pin Antonius Bertone (Perry), 0:27215: Drake Bennett (Miami East) tech. fall Noah Robinson (Plymouth), 19-2285: Trenton Brooks (Brookville) dec. Brycen Dunlap (Monroeville), 2-1 OT Consolation Round 1113: Xander Gfell-King (Edison) dec. Gavin Bolock (Union Local), 4-2120: Ethan Amens (Northmor) dec. Cameron Wagers (Plymouth), 8-4144: Landen Roeder (Monroeville) pin Tyler Paulus (Rootstown), 1:58157: Rafael Gross (St. Paul) pin Jack Kerridge (Valley View), 2:33165: Brencyn Evans (Monroeville) pin Landon Younker (Parkway), 0:56215: Noah Robinson (Plymouth) dec. Jordan Folmer (Keystone), 10-5285: Brycen Dunlap (Monroeville) pin Jase Norman (Caldwell), 6:30 GIRLS First round (Round of 16)115: Kelsey Lasch (Western Reserve) maj. dec. Kayla Grooms (Adena), 8-0 *Register sports writer Billy Heyen contributed to this story*