RIVER’S Marshal Bier looks for back points during his 285-pound championship match at the Division III Eastern District sectional tournament Saturday at Barnesville High School. It only took Bier 49 ticks to get his title.

BARNESVILLE — The Division III Eastern District sectional wrestling tournament could be called the Barnesville Invitational.

For the third year in a row, the host Shamrocks have captured the first round of the postseason. Saturday afternoon inside ‘The Greenhouse,’ they did so in dominating fashion by winning the first six weight classes of the two-session event.

In doing so, Barnesville piled up 150.5 points which gave it a 46.5 lead on second-place Shenandoah and 78.5 ahead of third-place Martins Ferry.

However, the Shamrocks are a little light in their heavier weights while that is the Purple Riders strong suit. Martins Ferry made a valiant run, in which it leap-frogged the Zeps, for second place with 209 points, which nearly 30 in back of Barnesville’s 236.5.

“We had some kids come through but we also had some kids fall short,” Barnesville head coach Jayson Stephen said. “It is what it is. We got through this and now we will concentrate on the districts.”

A total of 66 wrestlers from Ohio Valley Athletic Conference schools are heading to Coshocton High School for district tournament action which begins Friday and runs through Saturday’s championship finals. The top 4 in each weight class advance to the state tournament which will be held at Marion Harding High School on March 13-14.

Winning titles for Barnesville were freshmen Reese Stephen (106), Dakota King (113) and Skyler King (126); junior Griffen Stephen (120); sophomore Landon Tague (132) and seniors George Hoover (138) and Cameron Woods (160).

“We had six champions in the first seven weight classes. That’s the way we thought it should be,” Coach Stephen added. “Those kids proved it.

“We knew Martins Ferry was a second-half team with their heavier weights, so Cameron getting his win was big,” Stephen continued.

All were top seeds except for Tague, who was No. 2. The Meadowbrook transfer knocked off Shenandoah’s top-seeded and returning state qualifer Drake Kanyuch, 6-1. Tague is now 30-9.

Reese Stephen improved to 35-3 with a pin of Shenandoah’s Tristen Rossiter in 3:32, while older brother, Griffen, won his third sectional crown with a fall in 1:25 over Buckeye Local’s Trevor Herbert in moving to 29-9.

The King’s — Dakota and Skyler — aren’t related but posted impressive victories in improving to 39-2 and 28-8, respectively. Dakota overwhelmed Shenandoah’s two-time state qualifier, Alex Overly, 13-4, while Skyler blanked West Muskingum’s Konnor Samson, 9-0.

Hoover scored six points in the third period to defeat the Zeps’ Tyler Bruer, 9-4, for his second straight sectional crown. He is now 18-8.

Woods, who also won his second sectional title, with a 17-8 major decision of Martins Ferry’s Chase Goff, a returning state qualifier. Woods is now 37-7.

Senior Jacob Boulet (170) finished second while junior Orion Smith (195) was third and junior Jaydn Lucas (285) was fourth. Ayden Hannahs (182) will serve as an alternate after finishing fifth.

The Purple Riders will also have a 10-member contingent headed to the district tournament. They are led by sectional champions Kameron Hughes (170), Noah Duck (182) and Zak Dobson (220). Hughes and Dobson each won their second title while Duck improved one spot from a year ago.

Hughes, a two-time sectional champ and two-time state qualifier, decisioned Boulet 10-3 to improve to 31-7. Duck scored 10 first-period points before pinning Shenandoah’s Briar Portman in 1:49, and Dobson recorded a 17-2 technical fall over the Zeps’ Jared Trenner. Duck is now 28-5 and Dobson a sparkling 32-1.

In addition to Goff, Zeke Bruney (285) was a runnerup. Finishing third were Dylan Ward (106), Kyler Oliver (113), Jonathan Rossano (132), Trey Regis (138) and George Hulsey (152). Shayden Fogle (145) was fifth and will be an alternate.

“We were down big coming in but we are a heavy-dominated team,” Martins Ferry head coach Chad Ware noted. “From 152 up we are pretty tough and all of those guys advanced to the next level.

“Obviously, we didn’t win as a team, but one heck of an effort by everyone … top to bottom.”

Buckeye Local and River are each sending five representatives.

The Panthers’ Brian Palmer Jr. (152) won his fourth sectional crown with a 14-4 major decision over Edison’s Ethan Waggoner. Palmer Jr., a three-time state qualifier and two-time state placer, is now an impressive 35-1.

Alexio Morales (195) is also a sectional titlist after his 4-3 decision of Shenandoah’s Chandler Warner. He is now 30-6.

Other Panthers moving forward are Trevor Herbert (120) who was runnerup. Logan Dentz (113) and Ayden Krupinski (160) were both fourth.

“I was very pleased with our efforts,” Buckeye Local head coach Guy Nestor said. “I had aspirations of getting 7-for-7, but I’ll take 5-for-7.”

The Pilots’ Marshal Bier continued his fine season with a 49-second pin of Bruney in the finals. The sophomore is now 23-2 and became the Pilots first sectional champion since 2011 when Josh Bartrug and Devin Talbott won titles.

“He’s wrestling well. He should be one of the top-ranked kids in our district,” River head coach Chuck Baker said. “He’s a very sound kid. He doesn’t like to make mistakes. We’ll see how sound we are next weekend.”

Other River qualifiers include Noah Lively (220) who was third. Christopher Heavner (120), Nick Macheca (182) and Braden Strawn (195) all finished fourth.

Shadyside freshman Andrew Osman (145) became the Tigers first sectional titlist since 2017 when Greg Quinn, Jacson Muldrew, Josh Kahl and Collin Hunter all won championships. Seeded No. 2, Osman held off top-seeded Laramie Giesey, of Shenandoah, 9-8.

“Andrew has been working really hard all season. It’s good to see it paying off for him,” Shadyside head coach Chase Kinemond said.

He will be joined at the district’s by teammate Brendan Schrader (160) who was third. Andrew Brown (195) is an alternate.

Beallsville had two fourth-place qualifiers in James Palmer (126) and Wyatt VanDine (152).

At Sandy Valley, Harrison Central placed fifth with 93 points. The host Cardinals prevailed with 251.5.

The Huskies are sending a six-member contingent to Coshocton, led by Lucas Thomas (220) who was a runnerup.

Placing third were Jaydis Yoho (113) and Jeramy Malcomb (120), while Dawson Vich (132), Gabe Marbais (138) and Hunter Bittinger (145) were all fourth. Trevan Palmer (182) is an alternate.

Bridgeport’s Peyton Pyle (145) finished fifth and is an alternate.