Ashland, Crestview, Mapleton wrestlers set for state tournament

COLUMBUS — Six area wrestlers, including three from Ashland High School, are set to compete in the state wrestling tournament, beginning Thursday at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

Ashland has three wrestlers competing in the Division I competition.

Case George (36-12) placed fourth at 120 pounds at the rugged Mentor district tournament and will meet Solon’s Jake Canitano (44-0) in the opening round.

Josh Bever won a district title at 220 last week at Mentor and is the projected state champ. Bever (49-1) opens with Garfield Heights’ Leon Webb (34-8).

Bever’s brother, sophomore Jake, placed third at 285 at Mentor. The younger Bever (40-10) opens against Cincinnati Anderson’s Kevin Stone (39-3), the second-place finisher at the Kettering Fairmont district.

Three area wrestlers will be in action in the Division III draw, led by Crestview’s Dakota Blanton.

A senior, Blanton (41-4) is a four-year state qualifier and placed seventh at 126 last year. He took third at the Lakota district and will open against Marion Pleasant’s Carter Chase (43-7).

Mapleton has a pair of state qualifiers in 145-pounder Jeremy Tracy and 152-pounder Beau Lefever.

Tracy (44-6) opens against Lima Central Catholics Joey Caprella (44-2) while Lefever (40-2) won a district title at Garfield Heights and will meet Coshocton’s Jackson Unger (45-8) in the opening round Thursday.