WILMINGTON — Seven Clinton County won their first two matches Friday night at the Division II Southwest District Wrestling Championship at Wilmington High School.
Wilmington’s Carson Hibbs at 132, Clinton-Massie’s Grant Moorman at 138, Clinton-Massie’s Matt Martin at 144, Wilmington’s Thad Stuckey at 165, Blanchester’s Zane Panetta at 175, Lane Schulz of Clinton-Massie at 215 and Wilmington’s Brett Brooks at 285 all won their first two matches.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to the state tournament.
With a win in the first match on Saturday, each of the seven 2-0 wrestlers would qualify for the state.
Several other wrestlers are in the consolation bracket, still battling for a chance to get to Columbus. Cody Lisle, Gatlin Newkirk, Cole Moorman, Braden Rolf of Clinton-Massie, Hunter Smith, Nick Musselman, Tristen Malone, Jacob Lanham of Blanchester, Thane McCoy, Brayden Smith, Josh Snell of Wilmington.
All other wrestlers have been eliminated.
Returning state qualifier Hibbs won two very close matches — 2-1 TB over Caleb Wetzel of Marengo Highland and 31 over Tate Bein of Batavia. Hibbs and Bein went to sudden victory in the SBAAC tournament with Hibbs scoring the win there as well.
At 113, Gatlin Newkirk of Clinton-Massie defeated Hunter Smith of Blanchester 6-4 sudden victory in the opening round. Thane McCoy of Wilmington lost a second round heartbreaker 5-4 at 138 pounds.
Moorman had a pair of pins to advance while teammate Martin won 8-6 and had a pin in 3;12. Both face wrestlers from Graham in the next round. Stuckey was convincing in his two victories as was Panetta with a pin in 35 seconds and a 21-6 tech fall.
The big boys, Schulz and Brooks, looked good in advancing to the semifinals. Brooks won two matches that went the distance, 8-2 and 8-5.
