T-L Photo/KIM NORTH BARNESVILLE’S Skyler King works for control of Wheeling Park’s Adam Carman during their 138-pound match Wednesday evening in a dual-meet inside the Palace on the Hill at Wheeling Park High School. King recorded the victory, but Park used consecutive pinfalls late in the match to capture the meet victory by a 37-32 score.

WHEELING – With the annual OVAC Ron Mauck Wrestling Championships looming over the horizon, a pair of conference powers locked horns Wednesday night.

When the dust had settled and the mat had been slapped several times, defending W.Va. Class AAA state champion Wheeling Park had claimed a hard-earned, 37-32, dual meet decision over Ohio Division III stalwart Barnesville inside ‘The Palace on the Hill’ on Senior Night.

Just like many had predicted, the battle came down to the final match of the night as the Patriots’ Hunter Means (285) capped a late run of pins with a 43-second fall.

The sophomore’s victory erased a 33-31 deficit and followed pins by classmate Jameson Maynard (165) and seniors Gavin Washington (190) and Erick Brothers, Jr. (215).

“Barnesville is a great team and they have a lot of great wrestlers. They gave us everything we wanted,” Wheeling Park head coach Brian Leggett said. “We came through in our upper weights and it started with Jameson. He’s been a staple in our lineup this season and even though he gave up those early back points, we still knew he would battle back.

“Then to end it there with three straight pins was huge. Gavin has been part of our program for four years and he’s been in-and-out-of the lineup, but this year he’s been wrestling well. They’ve been anchors for us this season and Erick has been doing it for three years. We’re just waiting for Hunter to turn the corner, and when he does that he’s going to be tough to beat.”

Maynard’s win jump-started the late surge as the Shamrocks had won six of the first nine bouts, but only earned bonus points in three of those which didn’t please veteran head coach Jayson Stephen.

“We just can’t allow that. I’ve got leaders that didn’t step up whether they won the match or not. That’s not what they are supposed to do. And guys that are losing can’t get pinned,” Stephen said. “We knew coming in that our leaders had to score bonus points for us to win, and the other guys have to battle and not give up six points.

“That’s what it came down to. I moved people around, but it didn’t work.”

After Barnesville senior Robby Nixon (175) got a 38-second fall to put his team ahead, 32-19, Washington led 2-0 before recording a late second-period fall, while Brothers, Jr., a three-time state champion, needed just 10 seconds for his 114th career win and 86th career pin to set up Means.

“I’ve been in that situation before where I knew I needed a win so our team could win,” Means admitted. “In the Park Duals semifinals against Carrollton, the same thing. I couldn’t let my seniors lose their final dual meet on their home floor. I just couldn’t let that happen.”

First-period pins by freshman Conner Wilson (106, 1:43) and sophomore Johnathan Huntsman (113, 1:29) staked the Shamrocks to a 12-0 lead, but the Patriots sliced the margin to 16-10 on the strength of a 62-second pin from sophomore Noah White (120) and a 12-3 major decision from classmate Carter Duncil (126).

Barnesville made its move when junior Dakota King (132) posted a technical fall and classmate Skyler King (138), no relation, followed with a 4-1 decision.

The Patriots’ defending OVAC and state champion senior Bradyn Lucas (144) earned a 5-1 decision to keep the hosts within striking distance at 20-13, but back-to-back decisions by junior Reese Stephen (150, 6-2) and sophomore Ayden King (157, 5-0) made it 26-13.

The match featured 15 wrestlers ranked within the top 10 of their respective weight classes, according to OVAeC.com. Wheeling Park had eight.

Wheeling Park 37, Barnesville 32

106-Wilson (B) p. Miller, 1:43; 113-Hunstman (B) p. Charlton, 1:29; 120-White (WP) p. Winland, 1:02; 126-Duncil (WP) md. Andrews, 12-3; 132-D. King (B) tf. Lowe, 19-3; 138-S. King (B) d. Carman, 4-1; 144-Lucas (WP) d. Tague, 5-1; 150-Stephen (B) d. Velas, 6-2; 157-A. King (B) d. Funari, 5-0; 165-Maynard (WP) p. Milhoan, 2:25; 175-Nixon (B) p. Dietrich, 0:38; 190-Washington (WP) p. Meade, 3:41; 215-Brothers, Jr. (WP) p. Evens, 0:10; 285-Means (WP) p. Kirk, 0:43