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By RICK THORP
Times Leader Sports Writer
MORRISTOWN -- Zach Powell believes his team endures a tough schedule, so the first-year Union Local head coach hopes his squad is ready to endure the rigors of the 64th annual Ron Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament.
Action begins Thursday night at WesBanco Arena and Powell is eager to see how his team performs under the spotlight.
''We wrestle a tough schedule and the OVAC Tournament is just more good competition for us leading up to the sectional, district and state tournaments,'' Powell said.
The Jets are competing in a loaded Class 4A field with the likes of powers Steubenville, Oak Glen and Meawdowbrook, so Powell is well aware of what his team is up against. However, he is confident some of his competitors will make noise in downtown Wheeling.
''We only have two wrestlers on the team who have ever placed at OVACs,'' he said. ''We need to get more guys on the podium Saturday night.''
Ben Howell and Devin Crum are those wrestlers.
Howell, a junior, finished seventh at 120 pounds two years ago and will compete at 138 this week. His record is 6-7.
One weight class up, Devin Crum is enjoying a fine season thus far. At 15-4, the senior is ranked third in the rankings issued by www.ovaec.org. One of his big wins came against Shadyside's Cody Hawthorne, ranked eighth.
''He started the season at 145 and has been wrestling at 152,'' Powell said of Crum, who finished fourth at 152 at OVACs a year ago.
''He will be dropping back down to 145 (this week). Devin has the potential to be an OVAC champion.''
The one thing Powell likes about his squad is that everyone contributes.
''We have a solid lineup across all the weight classes,'' he said. ''We are only giving up 126 pounds. Everyone on the team makes a difference in our team scores and they have all been pretty consistent up to this point.''
The Jets finished fourth in their own Rick Link Invitational, while taking seventh at the Barnesville Invitational and eighth at the Coshocton Classic.
''We have improved individually at each tournament we have been to,'' Powell said. ''This is an attribute of wrestling at some tough tournaments and getting good competition from our wrestlers.''
One competitor Powell wants folks to keep an eye on is Riley Crall, a sophomore who stands 13-9.
''He gets tougher every match he wrestles,'' Powell said. ''I think he will be a guy that could surprise some people at 120.
''We also have Jordan Dalby at 113 (12-10), Isaiah Palko at 160 (11-9) and Kade Clark at 285 (14-7). I expect them all to be wrestling on Saturday.''
Rounding out the Jets' contingent are Bryson Utter at 132 (2-10), Collin Kovacs at 152 (5-9), Zach Greene at 170 (0-10), Nathan Bomboris at 182 (8-8), Josh Taylor at 195 (10-7) and McCade Milburn at 220 (1-9).