By Jordan Miller
FPS Editor
The Minerva Lions will be represented by two wrestlers and an alternate at the OHSAA state wrestling tournament, set for March 7-9.
Senior Hunter Dietrich (165 lbs.) and junior Hatcher Sabatin (285 lbs.) secured their spots at state with strong performances at the district tournament at Steubenville High School. Sophomore Jason Sivy (144 lbs.) earned alternate status after a fifth-place finish.
Sabatin claimed a runner-up finish in the heavyweight division, pinning his way to the championship match. He opened the tournament with a quick 54-second pin over Marietta’s Teddy Bauer before securing a fall over Circleville’s Caihden Morgan in 3:53. In the semifinal round, Sabatin locked in his state berth with a second-period pin of Beaver Local’s Isaac Prescott in 2:36. He fell in the championship bout to Steubenville’s Beau Hudson, who won by pin in 5:12.
Dietrich fought through the consolation bracket to place third and clinch his state ticket. He started strong with a first-round pin over Fairfield Union’s Abram Cotrill in 1:11 but suffered a quarterfinal loss to Steubenville’s Ethan Llewellyn, who pinned him in 4:59. Forced to wrestle back, Dietrich rebounded with a pin of Indian Valley’s Arian Braun in 1:47. He followed with a 10-2 major decision over Miami Trace’s Tyler Stevens. In the consolation semifinal, Dietrich edged Athens’ Luke Kaiser in a 2-1 decision to punch his ticket to state. He capped off his tournament with a 9-2 victory over East Liverpool’s Damon Stansbury in the third-place match.
Sivy finished fifth in the 144-pound weight class, securing alternate status with a win by forfeit in his final match.
The state tournament will be held at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, where Dietrich and Sabatin will look to make their mark on the championship stage.