PICTURED IS the 2019-2020 all-Times Leader Wrestling Team. Front row, from left, are Zach Kuneff (Bridgeport); Brian Palmer Jr. (Buckeye Local) and Owen Oliver (Barnesville). Back row, from left, are Kameron Hughes (Martins Ferry); Richard McFarland (Martins Ferry); Donte Lewis (Martins Ferry); and Chase Goff (Martins Ferry).

COLUMBUS — The final 13 left standing. Literally!

The 2019-2020 All-Times Leader wrestling team is comprised of a baker’s dozen of athletes that qualified for the 83rd annual Ohio state tournament at Value City Arena inside the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University in mid-March, only to see the event postponed due to the conronavirus pandemic that has most of the nation, if not the world, under quarantine.

These 13 athletes dedicated themselves to working hard all season in pursuit of an opportunity to win a state title. The state tournament was officially canceled earlier this week.

Martins Ferry and St. Clairsville each have four members of the talent-ladened squad, while Barnesville has a pair. Bridgeport, Buckeye Local and Harrison Central each have one.

The team is selected by members of The Times Leader sports staff, along with input from area coaches.

RICHARD McFARLAND, Martins Ferry, a three-time state qualifier, has continually gotten better as his career progressed. He improved from a fourth-place district finisher as a junior to winning a Division III district title this season at 195 pounds.

He kept the fans on the edge of their seats at the Heath District as he won in sudden-victory in the semifinals before earning points as time ran out in the title bout.

“Richie has gotten better each and every year up to this point in his senior year. He gained confidence in himself in each match that he wrestled,” second-year Martins Ferry head coach Chad Ware said. “Richie had a tremendous district tournament putting himself in a great position for the state tournament. We, as coaches, believed that Richie not only had the ability to place at the state tournament, but finish very high on the podium.”

McFarland, a co-captain of the all-star squad, finished with 105 career wins and placed fourth at the OVACs.

GRIFFEN STEPHEN, Barnesville, is already a two-time state qualifier as a sophomore.

“Griffen is one of the hardest working kids I have been fortunate enough to coach. He digs deep and his inner strength amazes me,” Barnesville head coach Jayson Stephen said of his oldest of four sons. “That is something that can’t be taught. Griffen really is an example of how working hard and putting the time in leads to success in this sport.”

A two-time sectional and district champ already in his young career, Stephen is 81-14, including 45-4 this season. He is the other co-captain.

KOEN KISH, St. Clairsville, an OVAC champion as a junior, he was also a district champion at Claymont. He is a two-time Division II state qualifier.

“Koen works hard in the room and outside of practice. He had set some very high goals for this season and accomplished most of them,” St. C. head coach Joel Sansone noted.

Kish finished 43-3 this season and has compiled 132 career wins. He was third at North Canton; champion at the Fred Ferguson Brooke Classic; second at New Lexington’s Jimmy Wood Invitational; first at sectionals and first at districts.

CADEN STOUT, St. Clairsville, ended sophomore season at 40-10 and has logged 86 career wins. He was second at OVACs; third at the Fred Ferguson Brooke Classic; second at the New Lexington Jimmy Wood Invitational; third at sectionals and third at districts. He is a two-time state qualifier and advanced to the Division II quarterfinals last year before being eliminated.

“Caden has been making a name for himself since he first stepped on the mat as a freshman and when he is on he wrestles lights-out,” Sansone said. “He beat some guys this year that he had previously lost to, including losing first round at districts and then coming back to avenge his first-round loss to the kid from Carrollton and qualifying for state.

“I believe Caden is capable of beating anyone who steps on the mat with him.”

CHASE GOFF, Martins Ferry, was a surprise state qualifier, according to his head coach.

“Chase really came on strong at the end of the season having great sectional and district tournaments,” Ware noted. “We looked for him to continue the roll he was on.”

Goff has compiled 50 victories in two seasons. He didn’t compete as a freshman.

OWEN OLIVER, Barnesville, finished second in the district and finished with 125 victories in his Green career.

“Owen is a great young man and a good wrestler who has his own little style of wrestling,” Coach Stephen said. “He is very coachable and made a huge improvement this year.”

BRIAN PALMER JR., Buckeye Local, is no stranger to the state tournament. Like the aforementioned McFarland, this would’ve been the junior’s third trip to Columbus. He placed sixth as a freshman at 120 and third last season at 132.

“I was expecting big things from Brian this year at state tournament,” Buckeye Local head coach Willie Saxton said.

Palmer Jr., who was 43-3 this season and 132-20 for his career, finished second at the district. He was ranked No. 3 in the Buckeye State by Borofan, but was pinned by Newcomerstown’s Logan Hursey, the No. 1-ranked wrestler.

ZACH KUNEFF, Bridgeport, placed second at the district, losing for the fourth time to Shenandoah’s Easton Hitchens.

“Zach wrestled well all season,” Bridgeport head coach David Nelson allowed. “I thought he had a good shot at getting on the podium.”

REESE SKAGGS, St. Clairsville, is another junior standout who collected his 100th career win at the district in Claymont where he finished fourth. He is was 46-8 this year and placed fifth at North Canton; first at the New Lexington Jimmy Wood Invitational; and second at sectionals.

“Reese has been solid for us since his freshman year but he really took off this season, showing how hard he has been working when he pinned his way through the OVAC tournament,” Sansone said.

DEREK WITSBERGER, St. Clairsville, was a captain of his team this season. He has been successful his whole high school career, but always fell a little short of qualifying for the state tournament until this year.

“He left no doubt this year by beating a returning state placer in his blood-match to qualify for state,” Sansone recalled. “He followed that up by pinning his opponent in his third-place match at districts.

“Derek is currently fourth all-time in school wins.”

JUSTIN SAMPSON, Harrison Central, didn’t realize how big his 5-0 decision of Martins Ferry’s Dylan Ward for fifth-place at the Heath district was until he was notified early in week leading up to the state tournament that he would be going as an alternate. He finished 32-9 this year.

“Justin has been solid on the mats this season. He really improved this season,” Harrison Central head coach Bill Bryant said. “Justin had the opportunity to do something most wrestlers would love to do in his situation.”

Sampson is 51-32 in his career.

KAMERON HUGHES, Martins Ferry, is a two-time state qualifier.

“Last season he went 0-2 at the state meet. This year we believed he was very capable of reaching the podium,” Ware said of Hughes, who had 75 career wins. “Kameron has been a very consistent force in our lineup this season and we looked for him to finish strong.”

DONTE LEWIS, Martins Ferry, shook off a mid-season injury to qualify as a senior. He had 68 victories in his career, despite only competing for two seasons after sitting behind Dom Wallace and the Bodkin brothers — Jonathan and Hunter.

“This is only his second season in the starting lineup as he has been behind some great Martins Ferry heavyweights,” Ware pointed out. “Last season he just missed making the state tournament as he finished sixth in the district.

“This season he has battled adversity, breaking his jaw at the OVAC Tournament. He has shown great heart battling back from that injury and reaching the state tournament,” Ware praised. “Donte is a smaller, quicker heavyweight that we believed could compete with anyone he stepped on the mat with. He definitely had the ability to reach the (state) podium.”