This is a big week of wrestling, both collegiately and scholastically.

Bragging rights for Ohio County will be on the line Thursday when nationally ranked Wheeling Jesuit University travels up W.Va. 88 to meet West Liberty University in a Mountain East Conference dual meet. The first bout begins at 7 inside the Activities Sports Recreation Complex.

According to WLU officials, this will be a black-out event with the first 50 WLU students in attendance receiving a free Hilltoppers wrestling t-shirt and all WLU fans are encouraged to wear black.

Both teams have had an extended absence from the mat. The Cardinals (1-0) upset No. 10 University of Indianapolis in their dual-meet opener, while the Hilltoppers (0-1) lost at Pitt-Johnstown. Neither, however, has competed since mid-November.

“This isn’t just another match for us. You could see it in our practices already this week that our team wants to go up there on Thursday to prove themselves,” first-year WJU head coach Danny Irwin said. “Not only because of who we are wrestling, but also because this is their next opportunity to showcase the work they have been putting in.”

“This match is very important to our program, not only because it’s a rival match but it has national and regional implications,” West Liberty head coach Mitch Smith said. “The rivalry has been a good addition to our schedule and has been a great thing for Ohio Valley wrestling.”

Irwin and Smith each supplied me with tentative starting lineups for Thursday’s bout. I will try, and I stress try, to pick a winner in each weight class.

125–Jake Donahue (WJU) vs. Corey Secrist

Donahue is a sophomore returning letterman from Massillon Perry. He was 15-5 last year while splitting time between 125 and 133.

Secrist is a freshman from Petersburg, W.Va., who was 190-13 in his high school career. He was a 4-time state placer and a 2-time state runnerup. Secrist won the 125-pound championship at the Ohio Intercollegiate Open at Case Western Reserve University.

Secrist by major decision. WLU 4-0.

133–DJ Warner or Jaylen Hill (WJU) vs. Darius Bunch

Warner, a senior from Claymont, is the most-decorated wrestler in Cardinal history. He finished fifth at last year’s D-II national tournament and is the program’s lone two-time national placewinner. He had 80 wins coming into this season. Hill, a senior from Canton Timken, was 4-0 at the Findlay Open.

Bunch is a sophomore who transferred from Emmanuel College. He was second at Case Western Reserve and fourth at the Findlay Open.

WJU by decision. WLU 4-3.

141– Jared Donahue or Tyler Warner (WJU) vs. Josh Ridgeway or Miles Mazik

Donahue is a true freshman from Parkersburg and Warner is a much bally-hooed redshirt freshman from Claymont. Donahue was fourth at W&J. Warner was a 3-time Ohio state champion.

Ridgeway is a sophomore from Norwin High School, while Mazik is a freshman from Indian Creek, where he finished 5th in the D-II state tournament as a senior at 138. He was also an OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament champion.

WJU by decision, WJU 6-4.

149–Daniel Romero (WJU) vs. Tanner Sutton or Logan Arneson

Romero, a senior from California, was 21-8 last year before an injury ended his season.

Sutton is a senior who transferred from Lock Haven. Arneson is a freshman from Maryland who transferred from Urbana. He was a 3-time Maryland state qualifier and a 2-time state placer, included runnerup as a senior.

Romero by pin, WJU 12-4.

157–Connor Craig (WJU) vs.

Josh Cornell

Craig is a promising freshman from Cincinnati Elder. He was sixth at Findlay.

Cornell is a junior from Oak Glen.

Craig by pin, WJU 18-4.

165–Keegan Driscoll or JR Renforth (WJU) vs. Jacob Ramsey

Driscoll, a senior from Hilliard Bradley, was 5-7 a year ago while splitting time between 174 and 184. Renforth, a sophomore, has shown promise as his second-place showing at W&J will attest.

Ramsey is a freshman from Central Valley High School where he lettered all four years. He placed second in the MAC and third in the WPIAL.

WJU by pin, WJU 24-4.

174–Justice Avery (WJU) vs. Chase Morgan

Avery is a sophomore from Claymont who has overtaken Bryce Wallbrown for the starting spot. Avery was runnerup at W&J.

Morgan is a freshman from Ripley who was a state runnerup last winter as a senior. He was fifth at Case Western Reserve.

Avery by major decision, WJU 28-4.

184–Aidan Pasiuk (WJU) vs. Chris Cook

Pasiuk hasn’t missed a beat since becoming Carrollton’s first wrestler to win a D-II state title. He won the Washington & Jefferson Invitational with a trio of pins and a decision in the finals.

Cook is a sophomore from Akron Coventry.

Pasiuk by pin, WJU, 34-4.

197–Sawyer Leppla (WJU) vs. Logan Kemp

Leppla, a senior from Cambridge, took last year off after advancing to the nationals as a sophomore.

Kemp is a sophomore from Centerville who was third at Findlay.

Leppla by TF, WJU 39-4.

285–Terrance Fanning (WJU) vs. Ronnie D’Amico

Fanning, a redshirt junior from Preston County High School, was a national qualifier last winter and has picked up where he left off. He won the W&J Invite, while finishing third at Findlay.

D-Amico is a freshman from Shaler Area High School in Pittsburgh. He was sixth in Pennsylvania as a senior when he went 43-5.

Fanning by pin, WJU 45-4.

On the prep side, the 17-team Rick Link-Union Local Invitational kicks off the season inside ‘The Hangar’ at Morristown. Action gets under way at 9:30 Saturday morning in the pool-style event. The championship finals are set for approximately 5 p.m.

In addition to the host Jets, other teams entered include Bridgeport, Fort Frye, Barnesville, Geneva, Edison, Shenandoah, Shadyside, Weir Madonna, Claymont, Indian Creek, Steubenville Catholic Central, Buckeye Local, Monroe Central, Beallsville, Linsly and Beaver Local.

Three wrestlers who placed in the Division II state tournament last winter will be competing. They are Claymont senior Dakota Bunning, who was 8th at 138; and the Beaver Local duo of Skyler Lasure, who was 7th at 120 as a sophomore; and classmate Cole McComas, who made it to the finals before bowing.

UP NEXT

— Ohio Valley Athletic Conference teams get into dual meet action on Wednesday.

— One of the first – and only remaining – bracket tournaments (except the OVAC Ron Mauck) established in the Ohio Valley kicks off its two-day stand Friday when the 46th annual Doan Ford-Barnesville Invitational welcomes 28 teams to western Belmont County. The finals are set for Saturday.