T-L Photo/KIM NORTH Barnesville’s Easton Stephen works towards a reversal during his 106-pound match Thursday against St. Clairsville’s Carson Bishop during the 70th annual OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament inside WesBanco Arena in downtown Wheeling. Stephen is one of 11 quarterfinalists for the tournament-leading Shamrocks.

WHEELING — Barnesville sits atop a crowded field after one day and three rounds of action as the 70th annual OVAC Ron Mauck Wrestling Championships began with an amended schedule Thursday night inside a chilly WesBanco Arena.

Due to impending weather, the first night saw two rounds in the championship bracket completed, as well as one round of consolation bouts. Today’s action begins at 5 p.m. with second round matches in the consolation bracket and the championship quarterfinals. Third- and fourth-round consolation matches will close out the second day.

The Class 3A Shamrocks advanced 11 wrestlers into tonight’s quarterfinals to accumulate 89 points, which was 6.5 better than second-place University (82.5) which heads the Class 5A field. Steubenville sits in third with 71 while defending champion Parkersburg South is fourth with 69.5.

“It’s a start,” Barnesville head coach Jayson Stephen said. “The kids still have to go out and wrestle but we’ll take it. The kids wrestled really well and we got some bonus points which is always good.”

Among Barnesville’s advancers are four defending champions — Johnathan Huntsman (113), two-time champ Dakota King (138), Reese Stephen (150) and Skyler King (157). Others collecting two victories include Easton Stephen (106), Aydan Andrews (120), Colt Carpenter (126), Karson Milhoan (144), Ayden King (165), Hines Ford (175) and Marshall Meade (285).

“Marshall winning with a pin to end the night kind of punctuated things for us,” Stephen said. “The kids know it is still a long way from being over, but it feels good to be on top right now.”

University moved 10 wrestlers into the quarters, including defending champions Luca Felix (165) and Brock Kehler (285).

All 14 top seeds cruised into the quarterfinals, as did all nine returning champions.

Oak Glen’s Logan Davis (120); Beaver Local’s Robert Buccheit (126) and Wheeling Park’s Jameson Maynard (175) all took steps in winning another crown. Maynard, who is seeded No. 2, had a pair of pins.

The Wood County Patriots have nine quarter finalists, including Gage Wright (175) who is ranked No. 2 nationally.

However, Parkersburg South did have the highest seed eliminated when No. 3 Mackiah Claudio was edged 4-2 by Indian Creek’s Ethan Starr and then ejected from the tournament for flagrant misconduct. The unseeded Starr then advanced to the quarters with a 51-second pin.

Three other unseeded wrestlers made the quarters, with two of them hailing from Wheeling Park in Nate Hodge (138) and Chance Funari (157). The other was Oak Glen’s Waylon Courtwright (215) who knocked off the No. 5 and No. 12 seeds.

Steubenville sends eight into the quarters. They are Cole Harvey (113), Dorian Haddad (126), Charlie Abbott (132), Cal Beadling (138), Cooper Smith (144), Brody Saccoccia (150), Savier Faulks (157) and Landon Crosier (165).

“Everyone we thought could get to the quarters did,” Steubenville’s Lucas Huffman said. “The Crosier kid really came through.”

There were eight undefeated wrestlers that entered the tournament and all eight are still unscathed. They include Oak Glen’s Davis and Wheeling Central’s Braxton Birch at 120; Cameron’s Slaton Pettit (138); Warren’s Aden Strahler (175); Southern Local’s Gabe Blissenbach (190); Harrison Central’s Lucas Thomas and Wheeling Central’s Isaac Martin at 215; and Kehler (285).

Several wrestlers picked up individual milestones as Thomas recorded his 100th career pin; his brother Landen (285) earned his 100th win, as did Oak Glen’s Michael Heath. Davis notched his 100th pin.

Cameron and Southern Local are tied for the Class 1A/2A with 35 points each. Oak Glen (64) leads the Class 4A field with 64 points, a dozen better than Beaver Local. Indian Creek is a distant third but still within striking distance.

The championship semifinals begins Saturday’s action at 11 a.m., with matches for first-, third-, fifth- and seventh-places beginning at 3:30 p.m.