“I’m not a big seed guy,” Laflin said. “Many of the weight classes will have four really tough wrestlers to represent our sectional at the district. Some of the weight classes will struggle to find four solid wrestlers.”
The secret is finding the right sectional to get the most wrestlers a shot at the district tournament and a potential state berth.
The Division I sectional tournament is Feb. 24-25, with the top four in each weight class advancing to the district at Fairmont’s Trent Arena.
“I think you look at individuals and how you can best set them up for a deep run,” Laflin said. “You are not always looking for the easiest path.”
The Indians did not take the easiest path through the postseason, selecting the Hamilton sectional during the Jan. 29 draw.
State-ranked La Salle and Elder are also in the field that features four teams from the Greater Catholic League.
Nationally ranked Mason leads the contingent at Lebanon.
“In a perfect world I probably don’t want to attend a sectional with the entire GCL, but that is how things fell,” Laflin said. “I acknowledge that the Hamilton sectional is loaded at some weights, but so are some weights at the other sectionals. Until Southwest Ohio goes to a super draw, it will always be this way.”
Laflin has presented the road out of sectionals as a challenge to his squad now that the Greater Miami Conference is out of the way.
“I feel for some wrestlers who would make it out at other weaker sectionals but the saying is, ‘You get what you earn,’ ” Laflin said. “I challenge all my wrestlers to earn a trip to districts.”
While Laflin is hoping for a super draw with all the teams from Cincinnati and Dayton, Lakota East coach Jim Lehman longs for the days where the Southwest District Board assigned the teams.
“I wish they would just tell us where to go like they do up north,” Lehman said.
Lakota East and Lakota West will both compete in the Centerville 1 sectional, while Edgewood and Middletown opted for the Centerville 2 sectional.
“I looked at some of our best kids and tried to determine what they would be up against if we were to follow certain teams,” Lehman said. “We meet up with enough Dayton competition throughout the season to get enough head-to-heads and common opponents. We’ve been there long enough now that the coaches know who we are and what are kids are capable of.”
Division II: Some teams had a choice, while others will be headed to pre-determined sectionals.
Franklin, Monroe, Fenwick and Talawanda all chose to head to the Graham 1 sectional, while Madison opted to go away from host Graham and chose the Graham 2 sectional.
Badin and Ross were both placed in the Batavia sectional.
The top four in each weight class advance to the district tournament at Wilmington.
Scott hits 100: Franklin's Trenten Scott recorded his 100th career win last week during a quad at Wayne.
Scott is a returning state qualifier for the Wildcats.
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