Weights to watch at Ohio State Tournament
Josh Lowe, InterMat High School Analyst
3/8/2017
[email protected]
Division I: 152 pounds
Another weight with three of the nation's top twelve wrestlers, with the added attraction of a potential state champ vs. state champ finals bout. One of the biggest moments of the scholastic wrestling season came the first Saturday of February when No. 4 Jaden Mattox (Central Crossing) made an absolute statement during the Rieman Invitational at Delaware Hayes. He knocked off nationally ranked 145 pound wrestler Dominick Demas (Dublin Coffman) by a 14-5 major decision in the semifinal, before out-lasting No. 5 David Carr (Massillon Perry) in the championship bout. Both Mattox and Carr are juniors with a pair of state finals appearances, Mattox won state last year while Carr has a pair of titles; last year's title for Carr came in another champ-champ showdown when he beat Demas.
In the district final this past Saturday, Mattox upended No. 12 Connor Brady (Olentangy Liberty) by a 1-0 score. This was the second straight year that Mattox beat Brady at the district level, though the previous year at 132 it was in the semifinal round; Brady placed fourth at state last year, but was third at this year's Ironman and (competing at 145) fifth at the Super 32 Challenge. As a result, Mattox and Carr were seeded into opposite half-brackets. Brady is in Carr's half on the basis of finishing second to Mattox in the district tournament, and the draw has made the Brady vs. Carr match a quarterfinal bout on Friday morning.