OCC wrestling preview: Ashland targets sixth title in eight years

MANSFIELD – Goal No. 1 every season for the Ashland wrestling team is to win the Ohio Cardinal Conference, maybe never more so than this winter.

The Arrows are still smarting about losing last year’s title by 1.5 points to West Holmes, knowing they easily would have won for the sixth time in seven years had one of their stars, Roman Parobek — a state qualifier last season — not been absent because of illness.

So the wait to collectively raise their index fingers in another OCC title celebration is killing the Arrows. And they certainly look poised to take it out on everyone else.

Gone is state runner-up Brady Welch, maybe the most talented Arrow to ever don a singlet. He was likely denied two state titles by injuries and a massive roadblock in two-time champ Brody Conley of Tiffin Columbian, who finished his own stellar career with 119 consecutive victories.

But Ashland returns three state qualifiers, a state placer and a state alternate from a team that finished fourth in the State Duals, won the J.C. Gorman Invitational for the fifth straight year, won a Division II sectional title and advanced 11 wrestlers to districts.

“Our No. 1 team goal, which I’m sure is the same for most OCC teams, is to bring home a conference championship,” said coach Sean Seder, in his ninth year at the helm. “Individually, we have multiple wrestlers who have hopes of placing at the state tournament in their respective weight classes. Wrestling in Columbus has become our biggest individual goal the past couple of seasons.”

As much as they hope to restore order, so to speak, after what went down last year in the OCC meet, maybe even a bigger challenge for Ashland, in terms of the State Duals and the postseason, is bumping up to Division I.

Whatever happens, Ashland will be battle-tested when it’s time to perform at that level.

‘“We have a buzzsaw of a schedule,” said senior 165-pounder Jon Metzger, coming off a 60-match season in which he won 50 of them. “It’s just a grind. It takes a little bit to get into it, but once you’re into it your body adjusts.”

Metzger, the winningest wrestler in the area last season, leads Ashland’s returnees after winning Gorman, OCC and sectional titles. He’s a three-time state qualifier and made it on the podium last year, finishing fifth at 157.

Also back for their senior seasons are Parobek and his identical twin Milan at 126 and 132, respectively, after going a combined 75-19. A top-notch senior class also includes state alternate Korbyn Jones (120), coming off a 34-13 season, state qualifier Cayden Spotts (215, 34-17) and heavyweight Hayden Hensel (29-16).

Junior Angelo Seitz (175) is another Arrow with state meet potential after compiling a 38-12 record last season.

Going strictly by the state rankings posted by analyst Billy Schaefer on his borofanohio.net site, Ashland has the upper hand over West Holmes in the OCC. The Arrows have four ranked wrestlers in DI in Roman Parobek (11th), Milan Parobek (13th), Metzger (5th) and Seitz (14), with Spotts just outside the top 20.

West Holmes has two: Cole Porter (175) is 19th and Elisha Baldridge (215) is seventh.

What does it mean? Maybe everything, maybe nothing. As we saw last season, things outside a team’s control can impact the league race.

“I feel like this year we have a good amount of hammers,” Seder said, “but we don’t have a 106 or 113 yet. We usually have a million lower weights. We have about 10 guys from 170 to 215 this year. From 120 to 132 should be good and then from 150 up should be really solid.”

Here’s a closer look at how the other area teams in the OCC shape up:

Mansfield Senior

The Tygers may not have the depth to keep up with the Arrows, but they do have two wrestlers who are good bets to reach the state meet podium.

Seniors Mekhi Bradley (215) and Leo Hess (175) are poised for big years. Bradley placed seventh en route to a 39-8 finish and Hess missed by one match of making it to Columbus. They are fifth and seventh, respectively, in the state rankings.

The key for Bradley is developing more of an offensive arsenal. He won three matches at state last year, but scored only three points in each win.

Offense isn’t a problem for Hess, 31-6 a year ago. He’s hoping that his 15-0 technical fall in the preseason all-star meet is a sign of things to come.

“He’s pushing the pace and wants to be unstoppable this year,” said coach Jesse Palser, a former state runner-up for the Tygers. “He and Mekhi can be good role models because we’ve got a young team this year.

“We need them to push the younger guys so that when they’re seniors, we can keep building.”

Palser is also looking for a breakout winter for 157-pounder Nole Ward after an injury-marred junior season. Another to watch is freshman heavyweight Kevin McDowell because of what Palser calls “a lot of good instincts and athleticism.”

Also penciled into the lineup are Devin Phillips (106), John Kahl (120), Christian Douglas (126), James Davis (132), Ohio Barber (144), Isaiah Darson (150), Nole Ward and Kayvon Smith (157), Zion Brown ad Trenton Cain (165), Leo Hess, Gage Stevens and Alijah Scott (175), Maurice Bradley and Jeremiah Lyons (190), Mekhi Bradley and Joseph Profitt (215) and Kevin McDowell and Christian Greene (285).

“We had a very new team last year with only four wrestlers having experience,” Palser said. “Many of them returned this season, so there is more experience now. All of the seniors are motivated and ready to have a good season.”

Madison

Information on the Rams was not available, but it’s not exactly a secret that the program boasts one of the best wrestlers in not only the area but the state in senior 190-pounder Hunter Hutcheson.

A projected state champion this season, Hutcheson was one of the more remarkable stories of last season. The Gorman, sectional and district champ went 3-2 in the state meet, somehow retaining his focus and composure after a gunman on the highway randomly shot at cars. That included the team van that Hutcheson was riding in on the trip to Columbus.

Fortunately, he came out of that scary situation unscathed and finished the season 39-6. It’s his health now that is a little bit of a question mark.

Hutcheson has been recovering from knee surgery, but might be back in time for Saturday’s Tom Ellis Invitational at Madison.

In addition to Hutcheson being ranked No. 1 at 190, teammate  Michael Thomas is ranked 16th at 132. Also keep an eye on Dominik Whitesel. He was the only Ram to compete in the preseason all-star meet, nipping Ontario’s Dylan Ford 4-3 at 175.

Lexington

The Minutemen lost only two wrestlers to graduation, but return only two starters. That tells you something about the numbers problem Lex has been dealing with the last few years.

Things are beginning to change for the better under new coach John Watkins. It looks like the Minutemen will be able to fill every weight class but 106.

Maybe the biggest addition is Jonathan Watkins, an assistant on his father’s staff with a link to the glory days when the program was a state power The younger Watkins was a two-time state qualifier and a state placer who went on to become a national qualifier in college for Indiana Tech.

His knowledge should be invaluable in the practice room.

Right now the lineup looks like this: Kyler Lamb (113), Avery Miley (120), Jadyn Maynard (126), Vincent Hardin (132), Brandon Reeves (138), Adon Mateo and Taylor Giddens (144), Cayden Kunkle and Mason Frost (150), Trevor Worley and Brayden Vance (157), Kolton Clever (165), Caleb Steensland (175), Cole Eichorn and Cameron Muncy (190), Dominic Mampieri and Nate Taylor (215) and Evan Porter, Zeke Wolf and Tommy Schafer (285).

“We are young and the kids are both enthusiastic and hard working,” John Watkins said. “Having more kids in the program creates a more competitive atmosphere. Some of the kids really committed to the offseason program.”

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: OCC wrestling preview: Arrows target a sixth title in eight years