The high school wrestling season does not take a break for the holidays as a couple of exciting tournaments are scheduled before the ‘Big Ball’ drops to signal the start of 2018 at midnight on Jan. 1.

The biggest of the biggest — the 27th annual Wheeling Park Duals — is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 28 and Friday, Dec. 29 inside WesBanco Arena. Thirty-two teams are entered this year and the action promises to be non-stop.

“This is an outstanding venue for the fans because they will be able to witness each and every dual meet,” Steve Shaffer, former long-time Wheeling Park assistant coach and founder and director of the Duals. “There’s not a bad seat in the house.”

Teams from the OVAC entered this season are Brooke, Buckeye Local, East Liverpool, John Marshall, Morgantown, Oak Glen, Steubenville, University and the host Patriots.

Teams from outside the Ohio Valley include Avon Lake, OH; Bethel-Tate, OH; Carrollton; Clermont Northeasterm OH; Dover; Edgewood, OH; Maderia, OH; Massillon Jackson; Massillon Washington; Cincinnati St. Xavier; and Waynedale, OH, to just name a few.

Wheeling Park athletic director and assistant principal Dwaine Rodgers said, “the Park Duals will now not only become a mat sport spectacle for area wrestling fans, but it will also spotlight the many amenities of downtown Wheeling.

“We are so fortunate to have the services of WesBanco Arena general manager Denny Magruder, as well as Tim McCormick and the Ohio County Commission, and Frank O’Brien with the Wheeling Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, as they have been so supportive and feels the Duals will further promote the sport of scholastic wrestling and its participants in the Ohio Valley.”

Doors will open to spectators at 8 a.m., with wrestling to begin at 9. Each round will last no longer than 90 minutes, allowing the action to move without delays … keeping fan enthusiasm at a premium.

Dr. Bill Welker will again serve as the tournament’s rules interpreter. Working the event as referees are Buzz Evans, Larry Harding, Chris Diserio, Ken McWilliams, Joe Skoff, Mike Stalnaker, Heath Jenkins, Richard Crosier, Shane Kildow, Babe Sidon, James Taylor, Jeremy Callen, Tim Collins, Hayden Stewart and Ed Bishop.

Not to be overshadowed is the Americas Best Value Inn Tournament at St. Clairsville High School on Friday, Dec. 29 and Saturday, Dec. 30.

Teams entered include Buffalo (W.Va.) Linsly, Madonna, Meadowbrook, Monroe Central, Newark, Shenandoah, Southern Local, St. Clairsville, Tallmadge, Toledo Start, Toronto, Wellsville and Williamstown (W.Va.).

Action begins on that Friday at 11 a.m., with action beginning that Saturday at 10 a.m. The championship finals are set for approximately 4 p.m.

North Canton Hoover Wrapup

AT NORTH CANTON, Wheeling Park had a quartet of placers in the highly competitive 58th annual North Canton Hoover Invitational over the weekend. The Patriots tied for 10th with Olentangy, both had 101.5.

Taking third was John Nash (160). Finishing four were Kaleb Simpkins (170) and Dylan Wood (220), while Austin Loew (195) was fifth.

Steubenville finished 12th with 99 markers. Big Red had one champion in Ohio State University recruit Jashon Hubbard (152). Tyler Ely (285) was second, while Michael Gray (145) was fourth and David Tuttle (6th).

John Marshall was 19th with 63.5 points. The Monarchs had three placewinners in Jacob Berisford (152), Anthony Carman (160) and Chas McCool (182). All were fifth.

St. Clairsville freshman Koen Kish (113) placed fifth.

Hoppel Invitational

AT EAST LIVERPOOL, Oak Glen’s Peyton Hall (132) was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler as he posted a 7-2 decision over Beaver Local’s Skyler Lasure in the championship finals.

Hall won a West Virginia state title last winter as a freshman. He is also the reigning Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Ron Mauck Bierkortte Award winner after claiming an OVAC title last season.

Other OVAC winners were Beaver Local’s Cole McComas (120), Jared Wright (145) and Beau Smith (152); Edison’s Ethan Pappas (170) and River Pappas (195); and Meadowbrook’s Jud Ramage (220).

Free OVAC Wrestling Youth Clinic Scheduled

AT WHEELING — As part of the “SUBWAY Sports Clinic Series” the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference will be hosting its annual free youth wrestling clinic in conjunction with the Ron Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 20.

The free wrestling clinic will be held on the OVAC championship mats of WesBanco Arena from 9:30-11 a.m. Registration will begin at 8:30. The clinic will be led by Branden Lee Hinkle, national champion NCAA wrestler, US national freestyle all-american and MMA participant. The clinicians will teach the basic fundamentals of wrestling and help build the kids’ self-esteem. The clinic is free and open to boys and girls ages 5-13.

Parents are required to have insurance and be present the day of the clinics to sign a waiver form. For more information visit www.OVAC.org, email: Beth@SSMllc.com or phone (304) 220-4858.

The free clinic is made possible thanks to SmittysFloors.com, and OVAC Corporate Partners: SUBWAY Restaurants, Bordas & Bordas, Wheeling Hospital, The Health Plan, the United States Marines, and the The Family Talk About Drinking initiative.

Hilltoppers’ Bunch Wins Midwest Classic Title

AT INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Hilltoppers’ Darius Bunch was selected as the Most Outstanding Wrestler over the weekend at the Midwest Classic after ruling the 133-pound weight class at the 39th annual event.

The junior transfer from Emmanuel (Ga.) College defeated No. 6-ranked Hunter Haralson of Lindenwood earlier in the tournament, setting up a semifinal showdown against No. 1-ranked Dustin Kirk, a returning All-American from King (Tenn.).

Bunch gave Kirk his first Division II loss of the season, notching a lightning-quick fall just 19 ticks into the second period of their match. he then beat No. 9-ranked Airk Furseth of Wisconsin-Parkside, 8-6, in the championship match.

Bunch wasn’t the only member of head coach Mitch Smith’s squad to place at the prestigious tournament as sophomore Logan Kemp finished seventh at 197 pounds.

Kemp gave West Liberty multiple placers in the tournament for the first time in several years with a strong performance on Sunday.

Wisconsin-Parkside won the team championship with 137 points with Ashland a distant second at 117.5. West Liberty and Fort Hays State were tied for 17th in the 35-team field with 38 points.

The Hilltoppers will be idle until after the holidays. They return to action on Jan. 6 with a triangular against East Stroudsburg (Pa.) and Keystone (Pa.) College in La Plume, Pa.

WJU Splits Pair at Lock Haven Duals

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Nationally ranked Wheeling Jesuit (4-1) split a pair of matches recently at the Lock Haven Duals.

The Cardinals defeated Messiah College, the No. 5 D-III team in the nation, 23-22 as heavyweight Terrance Fanning recorded a match-winning major decision to push his team over the top.

NCAA Division I Lock Haven, rankled No. 7, won seven weight classes in a 32-11 opening win. The final score was the closest Lock Haven final of its three matches.

Fanning went 2-0 after he recorded a 16-0 technical fall in the Lock Haven match.

Tyler Warner (141) also went 2-0

WJU will now be off until it takes part in the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals on Jan. 4-5 in Fort Wayne, Ind.