COLUMBUS — It’s the greatest spectacle in all of Ohio high school athletics and something every state meet-qualifying wrestler dreams of taking part in.
The Parade of Champions prior to the start of the tournament’s championship finals is part light show, part fireworks display and everything that’s good about high school sports.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Ontario junior Aiden Ohl, who participated in the extravaganza last year before finishing as Division II state runner-up at 106 pounds.
“It’s awesome to be a part of,” said Galion junior Gradey Harding, who was last year’s Division II runner-up at 120 pounds.
Both Ohl and Harding hope to make return trips to Sunday’s finals. They are projected Division II state champs in their respective weight classes, Ohl (42-2) at 113 and Harding (38-4) at 126.
Both are ready to take one step up the podium.
“I think I’m the best wrestler in my weight class,” Harding said after winning a sectional championship. “I’ve got to prove it.”
The same goes for Ohl.
“My conditioning is great and I’m getting my pace up more and more every day,” Ohl said after a dominant performance at last week’s Norwalk district meet. “This is one of the best tournaments I’ve had. I’m right where I want to be going into the state meet.”
Ohl and Harding are two of the 12 area wrestlers who will be in action in the Division II tournament, which spills onto the mat Friday and concludes Sunday.
Clear Fork’s Anthony Oscar is a projected state finalist at 138 pounds. A freshman, Oscar (44-1) has only experienced the state tournament as a spectator.
“I’ve watched it before,” Oscar said. “So, knock-on-wood, I shouldn’t be like a deer in the headlights when I get there.”
Madison junior Jaxin Stancombe will make his state tournament debut. The 285-pounder was the area’s fourth and final district champion last week in Norwalk.
The affable Stancombe (42-4) will bring a renewed focus into the state meet after an eye-opening weekend at Norwalk. Two of his four district matches went the maximum six minutes. He also had to use blood time for the first time all season after suffering a bloody nose in his second match.
“I was gassed with my two six-minute (matches),” Stancombe said. “And it was the first time that I dropped blood on the mat all year. It threw me off a little bit.
“It was a reality check. Somebody made me bleed.”
Other area qualifiers include Ontario’s Tyler Turnbaugh (120 pounds, 38-9 record), Gavin Miller (138, 25-7) and Landon Sowards (190, 16-6); Galion’s Carter Trukovich (132, 38-4) and Ryder Alberty (138, 31-9); Clear Fork’s Colton Wenger (113, 38-10) and Blake Schlosser (175, 44-4); and Madison’s Aiden Proctor (165, 40-9).