If last Thursday's 57-18 victory at Heath is any indication, the Licking Valley High School wrestling team is capable of winning the marquee matches, too.
The Panthers' considerable depth has carried it all season, which up to this point is highlighted by a 77-point advantage over runner-up Utica at the Licking County Invitational on Dec. 19. However, Jose Parsons and Jordan Harble both made strong individual statements as well as their team pinned down at least a share of the MSL-Ohio Division championship.
Parsons shook off an 8-2 deficit at 119 pounds to put Kevin Heim on his back in the final minute and ring up a 17-10 decision as Licking Valley assumed a 33-6 lead. Harble later pinned Mason Robinson in overtime at 145 to make it 57-12. Robinson was a Division III state qualifier a year ago, and earlier this season Heim became just the second Bulldog to surpass 100 career victories. Both are expected to make deep postseason runs once again, too.
"We've been overlooked in the Central District all year. I keep telling people that," said coach Jeremy Tate, whose team also rolled through Lakewood 60-21 last Thursday. "Our kids are getting better at the right time."
The Panthers, who are 6-0 in the league entering Thursday's finale at home against Newark Catholic, repeated as a league champion for only the second time. They also collected back-to-back championships in the now-disbanded BAC during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons. Tate was a two-time state heavyweight champion while wrestling at Licking Valley during the early 1990s, but even those teams haven't accomplished what this one has.
"I scored on him twice with front headlocks so I went back to that move (in overtime). I put him on his back and got the win, and this really boosts my confidence going to sectionals (next weekend)," Harble, who is 34-3, said of a victory over Heim that avenged a 12-9 loss in the county tournament final.
"Me, the whole team, we're definitely heading in the right direction."
¢ ELSEWHERE -- Few area wrestlers have faced the level of competition that Newark Catholic's Jake Nelson has seen, and that's reflected in the senior's 28-8 record at 152 entering last Thursday's matches against Columbus Academy and Whitehall.
He placed sixth last month at one of the state's elite regular-season meets, the Catholic Invitational Tournament. He then ended January by posting a 5-1 record with two pins at the Thunderbird Classic in Lima, which is one of Ohio's top Division III events. Closer to home, Nelson has dropped close matches against Robinson (5-3 in overtime) and Lakewood's Alex Strayer (3-1), both of whom are projected state qualifiers.
"He's wrestling the best I've even seen him," coach Jason Boucher said. "He's faced tough kids every week it seems. He's taken a couple of lumps, sure, but the goal is to get to the state tournament. He's wrestling the kind of competition that's going to help him get there."
¢ POSTSEASON NEWS -- Utica is the third seed in Division III and will play host to one of the sectional meets also involving Heath and Newark Catholic on Feb. 19-20. The other site is Cardington.
In Division II, fourth-seeded Licking Valley is at the Licking Heights sectional on Feb. 20 while Granville and Lakewood go to Amanda-Clearcreek. Watkins Memorial is at home for one of the Division I sectionals Feb. 20, and Newark will compete at Pickerington Central.