2026 Boys Wrestling State Program Preview
The state championship matches will be held on Sunday, March 15. It is the second-latest date on the calendar for the state finals to be held in the close to 90 years of the OHSAA state wrestling tournament. In 1985, the bouts were held on Saturday, March 16. On that day, Erik Burnett won the second of his four state titles for Oberlin, when he beat Mark Marinelli 7-4 in the Class AA final at 105 pounds.
Fast forward four decades later. Erik’s nephew Grey Burnett is one of three wrestlers at least halfway to winning four state titles in their high school career. Grey, a junior competing for Perrysburg in Division I at 126 pounds, seeks a third title in as many seasons. Also seeking a third title is fellow junior Michael Boyle (Columbus Bishop Watterson), while Karson Brown (Lakewood St. Edward) is after his fourth title this weekend. In addition, two-time state champion Nathan Attisano (Xenia Legacy Christian Academy) has multiple state titles entering the tournament. Boyle is in Division II at 215, Brown is in Division I at 138, and Attisano is in Division III at 132.
Eighteen additional wrestlers won state titles last year and are seeking to repeat. In Division I: Rylan Seacrist (Brecksville-Broadview Hts.) and Loc Webber (Dublin Coffman) at 113 pounds, Mason Rohr (Massillon Perry) at 144, and Kane Shawger (Cincinnati St. Xavier) at 150. In Division II: Jarreau Walker (Streetsboro) at 113, Gavin Genovese (Peninsula Woodridge) at 120, Maddox Laymon (Sheridan) and Bronson Begly (Kettering Archbishop Alter) at 132, Louden Dixon (Millersburg West Holmes) at 157, Rod Owens (Archbishop Alter) at 190, and Brydon Feister (Akron Archbishop Hoban) at 285. In Division III: Bodey Gibbs (Columbia Station Columbia) at 113, Spencer Shore (Casstown Miami East) at 120, Scott Fuller (Genoa Area) at 126, Jordan Neal (Lima Central Catholic) at 144, Edward Kessen (Delphos St. John’s) at 150, Caleb Greenwood (Beachwood) at 157, and Danny Zmorowski (Mentor Lake Catholic) at 215. It should be noted that Laymon, Dixon, and Fuller each lost in the district final this past weekend.
In addition, four wrestlers also seek to regain state titles that they won in 2024, but did not win last season. Brandon Bickerton (Medina Highland) in Division I at 113 pounds, Joseph Curry (Newark Licking Valley) in Division II at 126, Blake Bartos (Medina Buckeye) at 138, and Michael Frye (Columbia) in Division III at 120. Among this group, Bickerton lost 2-1 to Seacrist in his district finals bout at Perrysburg; while Frye placed fourth at district losing twice, each by one point.
DIVISION I
For a second straight year, St. Edward will not enter the state tournament with the most qualifiers. The Eagles also failed to win their district for the first time since 2014, and it’s back to 1996 for a time prior. With that noted, five district champion individuals put them in reasonable position to win an 11th consecutive state title when the event was contested, and 27th in the last 29. Brown anchors that quintet, which also includes junior Yung Driscoll (150) as well as returning state placers Andrew Mlynarczyk (106), Frankie Pieffer (190), and Aiden Peterson (215). Among their other six qualifiers, returning state placer Conner Whitely (126) finished district runner-up to Burnett, while returning state placer Jacob Kiehl (144) advances after a fourth-place finish.
Winning the district title at their home site over St. Edward was Perrysburg. The Yellow Jackets advanced 12 wrestlers to state, which ties the school record they set last year. Seeking an elusive state team title after four runner-up finishes in the previous 12 years, Perrysburg had just two champions out of 10 district finalists, Burnett and returning state runner-up Alex Denkins (132). Among their eight runners-up were three-time state placer Ayden Dodd (120), returning state placer Urijah Lopez (138), and now two-time state qualifier Noritsugu Saito (190); while returning state placer Connor Bagdonas (113) took third.
Dublin Coffman won an eighth consecutive district tournament at Hilliard Darby, a stretch during which they have finished top eight at state each year, including a third-place finish in 2022 that was best for a Central District team in either single-class or the big-school division. The Shamrocks are led by a state-high six district champions: Webber, now two-time state qualifier Oliver Lester (120), returning state runner-up Tommy Wurster (126), 2024 state placer Blaze Van Gundy (132), along with two-time state placers Eli Esguerra (157) and Greyson Woodcock (165). Among their other four qualifiers are returning state placer Michael Feeney (190), a district runner-up; along with now two-time state qualifiers Isaiah Callahan (144) and Braylon Wright (285).
Also winning five district tournament weight classes were Brecksville and Massillon Perry. Brecksville qualified 11 out of Perrysburg with Seacrist, returning state placer Cole Speer (144), sophomore Drew Moro (157), 2024 state placer Zack Aquila (165), and senior Cole Ditzig (285) winning titles; while returning state placers Lucas Schulz (132) and E.J. German (215) are among six other qualifiers. In winning the district tournament at Wadsworth, last year’s state tournament runner-up Massillon Perry qualified eight to state. Weight class champions for the Panthers were returning state champ Mason Rohr and returning state placer Brennan Warwick (175) as well as two-time state placers Lincoln Rohr (126), Liston Seibert (132), and Caige Horak (190); also making his second state tournament appearance is Cameron Plotts (150).
After two years in the big-school division where returning state champions did not feature in the same weight class, Seacrist and Webber lock horns this week at 113 pounds. The pair featured in probably the best Ohio vs. Ohio match of the 2025-26 season, when Webber knocked off Ironman champion Seacrist 9-8 in overtime. During the match, he rallied back from a 7-2 deficit with two takedowns in the last minute of regulation to force sudden victory. Then in the overtime, Webber earned the victory when Seacrist was penalized for fleeing the mat.
The pair is joined by 2024 state champion Brandon Bickerton. As a result, this is just the fourth known time in the history of the state tournament where three returning and/or previous champions are in the same bracket. The 2008 Division III 145-pound weight class and 2014 Division II 126-pound class were won by one of the returning champions, while the Division II 119-pound weight class from 2004 was won by the previous champion. Looking at the bracket, Webber and Bickerton are in the same half, with returning state placer Bagdonas is the same quarter as Webber. Seacrist is in the opposite half, with only Zac Dodt (Thomas Worthington) – who lost to Webber in the district final – joining him as a returning medalist.
Returning state champion Mason Rohr is the anchor figure at 144 pounds, which features the most returning and/or previous state medalists in the big-school division with eight in all. Rohr faces one of them in the opening round in Kiehl, who placed fourth at state last year. In that half-bracket, district champion Speer is the other returning medalist. Three-time state placer Huggy Williams (Powell Olentangy Liberty) anchors the other half, but could face two-time state placer Kolten Mellon (Wadsworth) in the opening round. Two-time state placer Marshall Morency (Cincinnati Anderson) is the other district champion in this weight class, and could face either returning state placer Alec Criss (Louisville) or three-time state placer Garrison Weisner (Oregon Clay) in the quarterfinal.
The second-most prior state medalists in a Division I weight class is the six competing at 132 pounds. Returning state placer Caleb Curry (Cincinnati Elder) and Seibert are the district champions in the upper half of the draw, with a possible quarterfinal involving Seibert and William Schork (St. Edward). Two-time state placer Alex Denkins and 2024 state placer Van Gundy are the district champions in the lower half. Denkins has 2024 state placer Blake Frantz (Wadsworth) as a potential quarterfinal opponent, with Van Gundy drawn to face returning state placer Schulz in the opening round.
There are no returning state medalists joining three-time state champion Brown in his half-bracket at 138 pounds, as he seeks to become Ohio’s 36th four-time champion, and the fifth from St. Edward. Two-time state placer Mason Bauer (Ashland) and Urijah Lopez – who was pinned by Brown in the district final – both placed third at state last year, and could meet in the semifinal. This pair met earlier in the season in the final of the Grizzly Invitational, a match won by Lopez 4-1 in overtime.
For two-time state champion Burnett, the 126-pound weight class features three other returning state placers, each of whom occupies one of the remaining quarter brackets. Burnett and two-time state placer Lincoln Rohr are the district champions of the top half-bracket, while returning state runner-up Tommy Wurster and returning state placer Conner Whitely could meet in the other semifinal; Wurster beat Whitely one month ago at the OHSWCA State Duals via rideout in the ultimate tiebreaker.
Another potential weight class of significant interest is 120 pounds, which has four returning state medalists. Two-time state placers Colin Broxterman (Cincinnati Elder) and Austin Bickerton (Medina Highland) occupy different quarters of the upper half-bracket. Broxterman enters state off a 10-2 district final loss to fellow two-time state placer Demarco Kates (Cincinnati Colerain), a result that reversed both the sectional final and the SWOWCA Classic final, while Bickerton won his district final by forfeit over three-time state placer Ayden Dodd. Broxterman could face district champion Oliver Lester in the quarterfinal, an opponent he beat six weeks ago 5-2. Dodd could face district champion Taegan Gilmore (Medina) in the quarterfinal, an opponent he beat almost two months ago in the Maumee Bay Classic final; while Kates could face Bradley Bauman (St. Edward), one of the state’s best freshmen in his quarterfinal bout.
DIVISION II
Bishop Watterson capitalized on the drop of St. Paris Graham Local down to Division III last year, as the Eagles won their program’s first state tournament title. This year’s edition qualified a school-record eight to the state tournament, a group led by the Ohio State commit Boyle. Also winning district titles were A.J. DeMassimo (285) as well as returning state runners-up James Lindsay (150) and Tommy Rowlands (157), while returning state placer Thomas Lindsay (138) is among their additional qualifiers.
However, it is returning state runner-up Columbus St. Francis DeSales that has advanced the most wrestlers to state in Division II. The Stallions – who have now beaten Bishop Watterson to win titles at the OHSWCA State Duals, sectional, and district tournaments – qualified a school-record nine. Out of their eight district finalists at Wilmington, Mark Mobley (106), returning state placer Josh Sheets (126), and freshman Greyson Debevoise (138) won titles; with Debevoise beating Lindsay 2-1 in the final. Returning state runner-up Joel Welch (165) was the lone Stallions’ state qualifier to not make the finals. Should Columbus DeSales win state, it would be their fourth in program history to go with those won in 1971, 1974, and 1977; while the Stallions have been runners-up on seven occasions including last year.
Led by a pair of returning state champions in Begley and Owens, Archbishop Alter advanced seven to state out of Wilmington, which the third-most in this division. Joining Begley and Owens as a district champion was Henry Craiglow (113), who is making his second state tournament appearance, something that also can be said for Ryan Morgan (138).
The next most advancers to state by a team in Division II is five. Schools included in this group are Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary; Lisbon Beaver; Bellville Clear Fork, champion of the Norwalk District; Chesterland West Geauga; and New Lexington, champion of the Gallia Academy District.
With a pair of returning state champions and six additional wrestlers that have previously placed at state, the 132-pound weight class is probably the featured one in this division. Returning state champion Bronson Begley and Cannan Smith (Chillicothe), who placed third in both 2023 and 2024, are the district champions in the lower half-bracket; while two-time state runner-up Gradey Harding (Galion) and returning state third Rocco Czarnecki (Cuyahoga Falls CVCA) are the district champions drawn to the upper-half.
Czarnecki could face 2024 state placer Dareyan Egner (Franklin) in the quarterfinal, while Harding could face returning state champion Maddox Laymon (Sheridan) in that round, with Laymon coming off a 9-8 loss in the district final at Gallia to Smith. Laymon and Harding both lost close matches to Denkins in finishing second and third respectively at the Maumee Bay Classic two months ago. Smith does not have another returning placer in his quarter, while Begley is drawn to face 2024 state placer Daniel McGarr (Uhrichsville Claymont) in the opening round, and could then face two-time state placer Carter Stuckey (Wauseon) in the quarterfinal.
Three weight classes in this division feature a pair of undefeated wrestlers. At 215 pounds, two-time state champion Boyle and returning state placer George Eggers (Napoleon) – who at 55-0 entering the tournament has the most wins in Ohio this season – have both yet to lose this season. The pair are in opposite halves of the draw, with the weight’s only other returning state placer Chase White (Madison) joining Eggers as a district champion in the bottom half-bracket.
At 285 pounds, Cash Patrick (Celina) and returning state placer Logan McClellan (Dresden Tri-Valley) enter the tournament undefeated, and are in opposite half-brackets. Three wrestlers join McClellan as returning state placers in this weight class: last year a state champion, Brydon Feister is the other district champion in McClellan’s half of the draw; after losing by pin to Patrick in the Norwalk District final, state placer Jaxin Stancombe (Mansfield Madison Comprehensive) could face McCellan in the quarterfinal; while Deangelo Spear (Canton South), who was pinned by Feister in the semifinal at Kenston, is in the other quarter of the top half that Patrick anchors.
Neither of the undefeated wrestlers at 144 pounds is among the five returning state placers in the field. Owen Weaks (Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan) enters with a 51-0 record, and faces returning state placer Michael Gessner (Clyde) in the opening round, with the winner of that bout possibly facing two-time state placer Cooper Smith (Steubenville) in the quarterfinal. Returning state placer Anthony Oscar (Clear Fork) is the other district champion in that half, and he could face 2024 state placer Taggart Wade (St. Vincent-St. Mary) in the quarterfinal. Two-time state placer Tyson Spicer (New Lexington), who won his district final by forfeit over Smith, and Anthony Trentanelli (Perry) are the district champions in the lower half; Trentanelli did not compete in a match until the sectional tournament, as he was recovering from an injury that kept him out the whole regular season.
Two additional weight classes return seven wrestlers that have placed at state, second-most in the division. At 138 pounds, three-time state placer and 2024 state champion Blake Bartos is the anchor figure. He could face a pair of wrestlers with just two losses prior to state just to make the semifinal: Evan Warren (Gallia Academy) in the opening round, and then now three-time state qualifier Josiah Puller (Wilmington) in the quarterfinal. In the other quarter of the Bartos half-bracket, Ryder Alberty (Galion) and Thomas Lindsay face off in an opening round battle of returning state placers.
In terms of the team trophy hunt, Ryan Morgan could play a key role despite coming in as a district fourth. His opening round bout is against 2024 state placer Joseph Lugabihl (Wauseon), with returning state placers Desmond Childers, Jr. (Copley) and Cael Lowdermilk (Carrollton) featuring in the other opening round bout of that quarter. Debevoise is the district champion in other quarter of that half-bracket, and he could face returning state placer Zander Joltin (West Geauga) in the quarterfinal.
At 150 pounds, six of the seven returning state placers reside in the top half-bracket. The district champions are returning state placer Chance Schlauch (Perry) and three-time state placer James Lindsay, who is also a two-time state runner-up. Schlauch could face either returning state placer Gavin Miller (Ontario) or three-time state placer Robert Buchheit (Lisbon Beaver) in the quarterfinal, while Lindsay could face either two-time state placer Braxden Martin (Sandusky Perkins) or returning state placer Harrison Ratliff (New Lexington) in the quarterfinal. Martin and Ratliff met in the semifinal at Medina in late December, Ratliff winning 12-2 on that occasion. The lone returning state placer in the lower half is Ben Jacobs (Bellevue), who pinned Martin in the district final at Norwalk; the other district champion is Marshall Laishley (Cambridge), who reversed losses to Buchheit from the OVAC and sectional final with a 4-3 win in the Gallia Academy final.
DIVISION III
Graham is seeking to win the state tournament team title for a 25th consecutive time in which the event has been contested. The Falcons advanced nine to the state tournament from Troy, including five champions: freshman Cooper Breslin (113), sophomore Logan Souders (215), along with returning state placers Jake (165) and Danny (190) Hoke as well as Kyler Crooks (175). Among others to qualify for state are returning state runner-up Blaine DeMarco (132) and returning state placer Cole Winemiller (150). It should be noted that they did not enter three-time state placer Jake Landis (126) into the state series, while returning state placer Baden Root (120) was eliminated at the district tournament.
The battle for second in this division has the potential to be interesting. Apple Creek Waynedale, winners of the OHSWCA State Duals in Division III when Graham opted up to Division I, advanced a school-record ten to the state tournament at Independence. State tournament debutants Branton Tapp (106) and Brandon Walters (285), along with returning state placer Isaak Skelly (126), were district champions. Among their other state qualifiers, Brock Beckler (120), Sebastian Schmeltzer (132), Stephen Patterson (138), Riley Greathouse (144), and Dalton Oberly (150) have previously placed at the state tournament.
Advancing the next most to state is Sugarcreek Garaway, which advanced a school-record eight. However, the Pirates were only able to finish second at the Coshocton District, as returning state placer Mitchell Tetreault (150) was their lone district champion. Qualifying seven each to state were Rossford District champions Archbold and Coshocton District champions Barnesville.
Barnesville was led by three district champions in returning state placers Colt Carpenter (144) and Hines Ford (190) as well as freshman Jaxon Aberegg (120). Four freshmen are among the seven Blue Streaks making it to state, with their lone district champ being freshman Ty Bosco (120).
Lake Catholic, which was runner-up to Waynedale at Independence, has five returning state placers among their six qualifiers to state. That puts them right in the midst of the race for a team trophy, even facing a numerical disadvantage in total qualifiers.
Winning district titles for the Cougars were Timmy Mazur (132), who had bonus point victories over a pair of returning state placers on Saturday; two-time state placer Tommy Slack (150); and returning state champ Zmorowski. Tyler Ineman (138) advances as a district runner-up, while two-time state placer Chance Wuhr (113) and Giovanni Magistrelli (144) each took third. The only other team to advance five or more to state was Delta, with all five Panthers making it to the district final, including four as champions. That quartet includes two-time state placer Tyler Barnes (126), who beat returning state champion Scotty Fuller 4-2 in the final at Rossford.
Two-time state champion Attisano is the anchor figure at 132 pounds, one of two weight classes in the small-school division with six wrestlers that have previously placed at state. Interestingly he is the lone returning placer in the top half of the draw, though Mazur – the other district champion in his half – is a rather dangerous semifinal opponent. In the lower half, returning state placer Cooper Schlaegel (Marion Elgin) and two-time state placer Owen Patchen (Monroeville) are the district champions. Schlaegel could face either two-time state placer Blaine DeMarco or three-time state placer Kaden Lawson (Massillon Tuslaw), while Patchen could face returning state placer Sebastian Schmeltzer (Waynedale). However, Schmeltzer faces Jordan Henderson (Lewistown Indian Lake) in the opening round, who beat DeMarco at both sectional and district after losing to him the last Saturday of the regular season.
The 138-pound weight class also features six returning state placers, with three of those placers in each half of the bracket. Returning state runner-up Antwain Adams (Lima Central Catholic) enters as district champion, and then could face Stephen Patterson in the quarterfinal, while Tyler Ineman sits in the other quarter of the top half-bracket. Returning state placer Damian Kemble (Ravenna Southeast) won the district at Independence with narrow wins over Patterson in the semifinal and Ineman in the final. He is without a returning placer in his quarter, while the other quarter in the bottom half features returning state placers in Colton Nixon (Martins Ferry) – champion of the Coshocton District – and Grady Phelps (Mt. Blanchard Riverdale).
However, the weight class with the most returning state placers in this division is 150 pounds, as returning state champ Edward Kessen is one of eight competing here. Kessen could face returning state placer Colton Morris (West Salem Northwestern) in the quarterfinal, while returning state placer Tetreault is the other district champion in the bottom half-bracket. Ben James (Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic) was champion at the Rossford District, but he will face Dalton Oberly in the opening round in a battle of wrestlers that placed third at state last year; the winner of said bout could face returning state placer Cole Winemiller in the quarterfinal. Two-time state placer Tommy Slack is the other district champion in the top half, where he could face returning state placer Sulaiman Muhammed (Dayton Northridge) in the quarterfinal.
An interesting mix of youth and experience is present at 113 pounds, where Bodey Gibbs – who won state last year as a freshman – and three freshmen are the district champions. Gibbs needed the alternating tiebreakers to beat two-time state placer Chance Wuhr in a district semifinal at Independence on his way to the title. The other returning state placer in this weight class, three-time state placer Braedyn Tammarine (Liberty Center) lost 9-3 to Meeker in the Rossford district final, which reversed a 6-1 win two months earlier in the semifinal at Perrysburg. Meeker and Wuhr could meet in a quarterfinal, with fellow freshman Jayce Nixon (Martins Ferry) the other district champion in the top half-bracket. Tammarine could meet the freshman Breslin, who was champion at the Troy District, in a quarterfinal bout, with Gibbs is the other district champion of the bottom half.
The lone undefeated wrestler in the small-school tournament is returning state champion Spencer Shore, who is 41-0 entering the 120-pound state tournament. Freshman Ty Bosco is the other district champion in the bottom half-bracket, and he could face either two-time state placer Brock Beckler or 2024 state place Ethan Amens (Galion Northmor) in the quarterfinal. Two-time state placer Derion Williams (Garfield Heights Trinity) and freshman Jaxon Aberegg are the district champions in the other half-bracket, though Aberegg has an interesting opening round match against 2024 state champion Michael Frye.
Three additional weight classes feature five returning state placers each: 126 pounds, 144, and 157. Each also has a returning state champion in the field.