With a lineup projected to have experience and talented youth, the Mohawks were one of the first teams people mentioned when talking about the Southwestern Buckeye League race.
Then some bad injury mojo started hitting, and Brookville knocked Madison out in the second round of the team tournament.
The Mohawks entered the SWBL tournament, which began Friday night at Milton-Union and was scheduled to pick back up Saturday morning, filling nine of 14 weight classes.
“My roster is lower than I expected right now,” Madison coach Stan Oligee said. “We have a very good wrestler out (106-pound Cole Skinner) due to issues with a transcript from ECOT. Added to a few injuries, I will have nine entered at league and should have seven placing.”
Oligee is hoping the transcript issue with the Ohio High School Athletic Association is worked out prior to the sectional tournament for Skinner, who is part of the USA World Junior team.
With the Mohawks banged and bruised, the SWBL team race appears wide open.
Milton-Union was originally crowned as champion last year, but a scoring error was reversed, giving Preble Shawnee the title by one point. Eaton was 5.5 points behind.
Despite having just nine in the brackets, Madison should be in the hunt for the top spot along with Valley View and the top three from last year. Monroe has also wrestled well lately and could work into the conversation before the tournament ends.
“The team race is kinda up for grabs,” Oligee said. “Valley View is tough and should compete for the big side and my group is very motivated to win, but we have been plagued with a few injuries that have cut our roster.
“The big key to team points is a huge semifinal round. Hopefully we can make the push and get big points there.”
Madison should pick up points from returning state placer Zach Banks and district placer Drew Price, but Oligee is looking forward to seeing how the freshmen stack up.
“We have a couple freshmen to watch,” Oligee said. “Garret Tilton will do well, so his matches with Monroe and Valley View will be interesting. And I am looking forward to seeing how Devin Oligee does at 160 with several tough kids.”
SWOC: Ross wrestling coach Rich Dunn knows his Rams are moving from one tough challenge to another.
After advancing to the Division II final four at the state team tournament, the Rams will set their sights on knocking off defending Southwest Ohio Conference power Harrison beginning at 9:30 a.m. today at Mt. Healthy in the SWOC tournament.
Harrison had 10 champs in winning the tournament last year with 226 points. Ross was second with 139, 11 better than Edgewood.
“Harrison may not get 10 champs this year, but they have enough quality wrestlers to get six to nine champs,” Dunn said. “For us to knock them off, we have to get nine guys into the finals and have all of the others place at least fourth.
“We might need a little help from Little Miami and Edgewood upsetting some of Harrison’s favorites. But we can control our own destiny if our wrestlers wrestle to their potential.”
While Harrison enters as the favorite, Dunn believes the Rams — along with Edgewood and Little Miami — have a chance to knock them off the throne.
The Rams enter with a little bit of a confidence boost from the state duals.
Ross rallied to knock off third-seeded Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary before falling to second seed Mentor Lake Catholic in the semis.
“In the past, wrestling in Columbus has given our guys a boost of confidence,” Dunn said. “Our team will most likely have four freshmen in the lineup.
“They must wrestle like veterans to place high at SWOC. Hopefully, the team duals experience will give them the boost they need.”
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