Edison, Monroeville eye top 10 finishes

Two area powerhouse wrestling programs are again strongly represented at the Division III state championships this weekend. Edison — the defending state team champions — is again looking for a big weekend. Nearby Monroeville is also in position to finish among the top teams in the state as well. The Chargers have four participants this year. This marks the 11th straight year that Edison qualified at least four wrestlers to state, though four is tied with 2018 and 2023 for the lowest total in that stretch. But among those four are two defending state champions and two state placers. At 138 pounds, senior Abe Hermes (48-6) has been the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the state all season by the borofanohio.net rankings. Hermes won a state title in 2023 at 113, and was third last season at 126 and fourth as a freshman at 106. Looking for his fourth state placement, Hermes — who opens against Nelsonville York's Holden Hodgson in the first round — is also the projected state champion by borofanohio.net. Meanwhile, Luke James is 42-0 at 175 and is also favored to win another state title for the Chargers. James won his title last season at the same weight. He was third at 157 in 2023 and fifth at 165 in 2022, as he also seeks a fourth All-Ohio finish. James will open against Burton Berkshire's Person Garling (30-16). Sophomore Mason Hermes returns to state for the Chargers at 113 pounds. He placed eighth at 106 a year ago, and is projected to finish sixth by borofanohio.net this weekend. Hermes (47-9) faces Independence's Mitch Meyer (27-14) in the first round. Junior Xander Gfell-King is back at state for Edison at 120 pounds. A year ago, he placed sixth at 113. He is 30-7 this season and faces West Union's Ethan Cantrell (38-5). As far as the team race, borofanohio.net projects the Chargers to finish fifth with 59 points. After qualifying just two wrestlers in a seven-year span (2014-20), Monroeville is sending at least three wrestlers or more for a fifth consecutive year this weekend. Further, all four wrestlers in action for the Eagles this weekend are also returning state placers. That includes sophomore Owen Patchen (23-5) at 120, who was seventh a year ago at 106. Patchen opens against Bridgeport sophomore Robert Weekley (34-9) and is projected to be in the seventh-place match by borofanohio.net. At 150, senior Landen Roeder (45-8) opens against Akron Manchester's Phil Partin (20-7). He placed third last season for the Eagles, and is again projected to be in that third-place match this weekend. Senior Brencyn Evans is back in Columbus for Monroeville at 190 pounds. He faces St. Paris Graham's Chett Mannier (36-10) in the first round. Evans placed seventh at 157 two years ago for the Eagles, and is projected to be in the fifth-place match this weekend. Junior Brycen Dunlap again qualified for state for the Eagles at 285. He is 45-11 this season and opens against Northwestern's Caden Holliday (44-7) in the first round. Dunlap placed seventh a year ago, and is again projected to be in that match again this weekend. Monroeville is predicted to score 34 points and finish ninth in the team standings. Also from the area, Willard junior Jose Figueroa (39-8) opens against Caldwell's Jesse Pemberton (41-5) in the first round at 106 pounds. At 120, South Central senior Diton Farnsworth (45-8) faces Apple Creek Waynedale's Isaak Skelly (47-1) in his opening round match. Farnsworth earned his 150th career win last weekend at the Rossford district. Western Reserve senior Drake Munroe (36-9) is also a state qualifier at 144 pounds. He will face Sugarcreek Garaway's Mitchell Tetreault (41-7) in his opening round match. Action gets underway at 1 p.m. Friday inside the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus and continues through the 8 p.m. hour Sunday night with the conclusion of the championship matches across all three divisions.