Dayton Daily News

Plenty of local talent competing in NCAAs

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High school wrestling coaches heading to the NCAA Division I wrestling championsh­ips in St. Louis this weekend will have plenty of locals to keep their eye on.

The tournament, which begins today and continues through Saturday at the Scottrade Center, features seven wrestlers with area ties.

Graham has three alumni in the tournament — all named Jordan — while Beavercree­k, Centervill­e and Dayton Christian have one apiece, and a former Miami Valley wrestler rounds out the local contingent.

The Jordan trio all enter the NCAA seeded in the top four in their weight classes.

Isaac Jordan was a NCAA finalist last season for Wisconsin and enters as the fourth seed at 165 with a 24-4 record. Jordan, a three-time All-American, will begin the tournament against Cal-State Santa Barbara’s Lorenzo De La Riva (19-11).

Bo and Micah Jordan are two of nine Ohio State wrestlers in the field as the Buckeyes look to claim an NCAA team title after capturing the Big Ten title in a tight battle with Penn State. The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions are among the favorites to battle for the NCAA crown as well.

Bo Jordan helped clinch the Big Ten title with a sudden-victory win over Penn State’s Mark Hall in the final at 174. The win over Hall was Jordan’s first conference title after dropping two title matches to cousin Isaac Jordan the past two years. Bo Jordan enters the NCAA tournament as the third seed with a 14-1 record.

Bo will open the tournament against Harvard’s Josef Johnson (29-11).

Micah Jordan will make his NCAA debut for the Buckeyes at 149 as the fourth seed. Micah (28-3) will open the tournament against North Carolina’s Tony Hellmann (14-13).

Nick Corba will be among the first wrestlers to hit the mats at the NCAA Tournament.

The 184-pounder from Cleveland State and Beavercree­k faces Robert Stevenson of Minnesota (1316). Corba’s appearance at the NCAA is the first for a Beavercree­k wrestler since David Wade (285) qualified for Eastern Michigan in 2011.

Conan Jennings snaps a 14-year drought for Centervill­e wrestlers in the NCAA Tournament. The Northweste­rn 285-pounder is 17-14 and will face 11th seeded Jared Johnson of UT-Chattanoog­a (28-7) in his first bout. Jennings is the first Elk to advance since Casey Kapustka qualified at 184 for Ohio State in 2003.

Indiana’s Jacob Danishek becomes the first Dayton Christian High School wrestler to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

After changing back to the style that made him the second-ranked high school wrestler in the nation, Danishek closed the season on a bit of a tear, qualifying for his first NCAA at 157 pounds with a win over Ohio State’s Jake Ryan in the Big Ten Tournament.

Danishek (19-13) will open against second-seeded Michael Kemerer of Iowa (27-2).

Matthew Kolodzik, who won a state title at Miami Valley School before transferri­ng to Blair Academy, enters as the fourth seed at 141 for Princeton. Kolodzik (26-2) faces Maryland’s Ryan Diehl (9-5) in the first round.

 ?? JULIE JACOBSON / ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Wisconsin’s Isaac Jordan (left) takes down his cousin and fellow Graham alum, Bo, in a 165-pound semifinal during last year’s NCAA Tournament.
JULIE JACOBSON / ASSOCIATED PRESS Wisconsin’s Isaac Jordan (left) takes down his cousin and fellow Graham alum, Bo, in a 165-pound semifinal during last year’s NCAA Tournament.

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