By Ray Stein The Columbus Dispatch

Mark Marinelli and his Olentangy Liberty wrestling team came to the state meet with designs on making history by becoming central Ohios first big-school team champion.

That blueprint likely was scrapped on the tournaments first day when four Liberty wrestlers lost their opening matches, putting the Patriots in an early hole that only deepened when three-time champion Kyle Lawson lost in a quarterfinal Friday.

But Marinelli and his crew still were able to make a statement on behalf of Columbus-area wrestling at Value City Arena, becoming the first Central District team to finish with more than 100 points in the big-school team standings.

Led by state champion Brakan Mead and seven other wrestlers who made the podium by finishing among the top eight, Liberty totaled 122 points 27 more than it scored a year ago and good enough for third place, matching the best-ever finish by a central Ohio team in Division I.

As usual, Lakewood St. Edward won the big-school team title, with 151 points. It was the Eagles 31st state title and 19th in the past 21 years. Elyria was second with 128.5, passing Liberty with only four matches remaining.

We came here to win, Marinelli said. We have a 10-year plan, and this year we thought wed have a great chance. A couple of matches got away.

But the Patriots masked any disappointment about missing the big prize by reveling in their resilience and their 27-point improvement from 2016, when they also placed third.

Its a real good team, Marinelli said. I told them, Im going to wake up tomorrow and have a coffee and a doughnut and the suns going to come out whether we win or lose. So why not make it taste a little better?

The Patriots tried to make it as sweet as they could Saturday, which began with them trailing Elyria by 19.5 points.

Worse, the Patriots learned before Saturdays matches that Lawson, who won the 160-pound title for Liberty as a junior and two previous titles for St. Paris Graham, would not wrestle because of an injury suffered in a consolation match Friday.

He hurt his knee on a whip-through, Marinelli said. His meniscus locked up on him. He wanted to wrestle (Saturday) but we wouldnt let him.

So Lawson defaulted to a sixth-place finish, but big performances by his teammates in consolation matches helped the Patriots overtake Elyria by the start of the championship-match session.

We had a real good morning, Marinelli said. Thats when you know your team is focused.

Trevor Lawson, Kyles younger brother, finished third at 170 pounds, and sophomore Connor Brady did the same at 152. Jordan Rosselli (120) and Mike Ezenekwe (220) placed fourth, and Blake Saito (106) was seventh.

Brady was especially key after losing to eventual state champion David Carr of Perry in the second round. Not only did Brady win all four of his consolation matches, but he recorded pins in each of them, racking up valuable bonus points.

I came out there trying to score the most points I could, Brady said. I was hoping to wrestle in the final, but that didnt happen. We wanted to win, too, but that didnt happen, either. So we worked to get the next-best thing.

Meads title at 113 pounds helped keep Liberty in front, but Trey Grenier was beaten in the 145-pound final and three of Elyrias four finalists won titles to pull ahead.

(Friday) I said we cant win them all. And this morning we tried to, Marinelli said. Im proud of them.

rstein@dispatch.com

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High school wrestling | Title out of reach, Olentangy Liberty still excels - The Columbus Dispatch