IN CONTROL — Buckeye Local’s Chase Milton competes during Saturday’s Bobby Douglas Invitational. - Kim North

BRIDGEPORT — John Marshall used its depth to build a big lead heading into the championship finals of the third annual Bobby Douglas Invitational Saturday afternoon inside the John J. Havlicek Gymnasium.

Because of that, the Monarchs were able to overcome a 1-for-6 showing in the finals to hold off St. Clairsville, 259-247 for the team title. Linsly, with three individual titlists, finished third with 183, 10 ahead of Buckeye Local. East Liverpool rounded out the top 5 with 170.5. The host Bulldogs took sixth with 93.5 under first-year head coach and alum Tino Kusic.

“It’s always good to get a win like this going into the OVAC Ron Mauck Championships,” John Marshall head coach Ryan Asbury said. “I think we had a couple of individuals that were able to get some wins that will help them when that (OVAC Seeding) committee meets tomorrow (Sunday) morning.”

John Marshall’s Kai Johnson (165) was the lone Monarch to stand atop the awards podium. He decisioned East Liverpool’s Jayden Shaw, 10-5. After a scoreless first two minutes, built an 8-0 lead heading into the final period.

“I think that match will really help with Kai’s seeding next week,” Asbury added.

The team victory also came minus two starters that will be in the lineup next weekend.

Placing second for John Marshall were Milo Ward (106), Clayton Pyles-Dugas (126), Jakob Minor (157), JT Morris (190) and Gavin Myers (285).

Winning individual titles for the Cadets were standout Brock Humphrey (120), George Mamakos (138) and Malaki Washington (190). All three are OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament champions, with Humphrey and Mamakos prevailing last year while Washington won two years ago while competing at Wheeling Park.

Humphrey, who was voted the Most Outstanding Wrestler by tournament coaches, pinned Buckeye Local’s Nathan Dietz in 1:54, while Mamakos posted a 15-0 technical fall over St. Clairsville’s Joey Johnson, and Washington pinned Morris in 1:26.

East Liverpool and Buckeye Local each had two champions.

The Potters were Kyle Ingram (106), who earned a 4-1 decision over Ward, and Kayden Danver (150) with a pin of Wellsville’s Leland Monte in 4:26. Ingram was the lone repeat champion.

Capturing titles for the Panthers were Chase Milton (132) and Alex Alvarez (285). Milton outpointed East Liverpool’s Wyatt McCune, 8-2; and Alvarez defeated Linsly’s Eliott Wade, 9-2.

Bridgeport, St. Clairsville, Meadowbrook, Tyler Consolidated, Western Reserve and Garaway all had one champion.

The Bulldogs’ Cole Weekley (120) decisioned Pyles-Dugas, 7-1; the Red Devils’ Carson Bishop (113) posted a 15-0 technical fall over Bellaire’s Andy Hines; the Colts’ Logan Ellis (144) pinned St. Clairsville’s Brody Bolyard in 3:17 ; the Silver Knights’ Kellan Dalrymple (157) pinned Minor in 44 seconds; the Blue Devils’ Caleb Sinn (175) scored a 19-7 major decision over St. Clairsville’s Luke Marling; and the Pirates’ Wyatt Gordon (215) won by technical fall over Myers.

The 72nd annual OVAC Ron Mauck Wrestling Championships take over WesBanco Arena for a three-day stay from Thursday night through Saturday afternoon’s championship finals – in both boys and girls brackets.

Bobby Douglas Invitational

(at Bridgeport High School)

Team Scoring: 1. John Marshall 259; 2. St. Clairsville 247; 3. Linsly 183; 4. Buckeye Local 173.5; 5. East Liverpool 170.5; 6. Bridgeport 93.5; 7. Tyler Consolidated 88; 8. Garaway 84.5; 9. West Muskingum 76; 10. Meadowbrook 73; 11. Wellsville 70; 12. Western Reserve 64.5; 13. Bellaire 27.5; 14. Shenandoah 19.5; 15. Monroe Central 15.

Championship Finals

106: Kyle Ingram (East Liverpool) d. Milo Ward (John Marshall), 4-1

*113: Carson Bishop (St. Clairsville) tf. Andy Hines (Bellaire), 16-0

120: Brock Humphrey (Linsly) p. Nathan Dentz (Buckeye Local), 1:54

126: Cole Weekley (Bridgeport) d. Clayton Pyles-Dugas (John Marshall), 7-1

132: Chase Milton (Buckeye Local) d. Wyatt McCune (East Liverpool), 8-2

*138: George Mamakos (Linsly) tf. Joey Johnson (St. Clairsville), 15-0

144: Logan Ellis (Meadowbrook) p. Brody Bolyard (St. Clairsville), 3:17

150: Kayden Danver (East Liverpool) p. Leland Monte (Wellsville), 4:26

157: Kellan Dalrymple (Tyler Consolidated) p. Jakob Minor*JMA (X2, 0:44

165: Kai Johnson (John Marshall) d. Jayden Shaw (East Liverpool), 10-5

175: Caleb Sinn (Western Reserve) md. Luke Marling (St. Clairsville), 19-7

190: Malaki Washington (Linsly) p. JT Morris (John Marshall), 1:26

215: Wyatt Gordon (Garaway) tf. Gavin Myers (John Marshall), 19-3

285: Alex Alvarez (Buckeye Local) d. Eliott Wade (Linsly), 9-2

*–Only 5 wrestlers, strictly a pool weight class.