Courtesy photo Waterford’s Haden Offenberger gets ready to take down an opponent at the Tri-Valley Conference wrestling championships earlier this season at Vinton County High School in McArthur.

Local wrestlers are at that point in the season this weekend where they need to minimize any slip-ups on the mat.

From here on out — starting with the sectional, then on to district, and ending at state — it’s advance or go home. To move on in the sectional and in next week’s district, each grappler has to finish in the Top 4 in their respective weight class.

“We will be wrestling at the Barnesville sectional, which is a real meat grinder,” said Waterford head coach Greg Offenberger. “It’s tournament time and we’re not holding anything back. It’s go or go home, and these guys know that.”

The Ohio Division III Barnesville event is scheduled for a 10 a.m. Saturday start. Also in the field will be Belpre High and Fort Frye.

“I think we have a few guys with a good shot of advancing,” Offenberger said. “(Junior) Haydon Reynolds has wrestled well at 285. (Senior) Colin Jackson has had a good year at 220.

“Haden (Offenberger) will be competing at 138 and has a lot tough competition.”

Last year as a freshman, the younger Offenberger finished fifth at 132 in the sectional, but still advanced and competed as a district alternate.

Tuning up for the sectional competition, Offenberger (32-7) was Waterford’s top placer (runner-up) at last weekend’s Tri-Valley Conference Championships at Vinton County.

Also competing for the Wildcats in the sectional will be sophomore Ethan Root at 160 and senior Nate Hutchins at 182.

“If they have good days and a decent draw, these two have a shot, too,” Greg Offenberger said. “A lot in this (sectional) tournament depends on the seeding you get and how the draws work out.”

Waterford sophomore David Simpson (126 pounds) and Tyson Moore (113) are both injured and will have to wait until next year.

Belpre will be featuring Dakota Ross at 285 and Andrew Maranda at 120. Ross placed fourth in the TVC tourney at VC.

The Fort roster includes senior Jaden Hale, Logan Wagner (120), senior Kason Delancey (126), Joe Duskey (152), senior Leo Baker (160), Frank Baker (170), sophomore Thomas Lenhart (220), and senior Austin Baumgartner (285).

Leo Baker and Lenhart (195) each placed fourth, while Delancey (120) and Baumgartner were fifth in last year’s Sandy Valley sectional.

As a team, Fort finished seventh in a field of 16.

Elsewhere, Warren High and Marietta High each is scheduled to compete in the two-day D2 Alexander sectional at 6 p.m. Friday. It’ll conclude Saturday with a 10 a.m. start.

The Jim Rhodes-coached Warriors finished fourth in a field of 11 schools at last year’s event. The royal blue and white grapplers should be well-rested as they haven’t competed on the mat since Feb. 9’s Ohio Coatings Panther Classic at Buckeye Local.

The Warren roster includes sophomore Peyten Kellar (126, 38-3 record), sophomore Cole Coleman (113-, 4-1), senior Dylan Anderson (182, 30-12), senior Trent Sayre (152, 41-5), junior Hayden Wiggers (120, 3-20), senior Ben Goedel (138, 27-16), senior Tristan Duffey (145, 29-15), junior Brady Oberdier (160, 14-7), sophomore Brock Bowen (160, 19-21), senior Liam Kellar (170, 17-6), sophomore Zach Ochumpaugh (170, 3-15), junior Kaleb Tait (220, 19-21), and sophomore Jake Welch (285, 14-23).

Peyten Kellar, Ohio D2’s top-ranked 126-pounder, was a 2018 sectional champion and later a state placer at 106.

Oberdier was a sectional runner-up and later a state qualifier at 160.

Liam Kellar (152) and Duffey (138) each placed third in last year’s sectional, while Anderson (170) was fourth. Goedel (132) finished fifth and Coleman sixth.

“We should, if everyone does what they should, take at least eight to districts this year,” Rhodes said. “Anyone else is icing on the cake.”

Those eight Warriors are expected to be Coleman, Peyten Kellar, Goedel, Duffey, Sayre, Oberdier, Liam Kellar, and Anderson.

“Coleman is predicted 3 or 4,” Rhodes said. “Peyten Kellar to win; Duffey and Anderson 2 or 3; Goedel, Oberdier, and Liam Kellar second; and Sayre top 4. Sayre could win it. He is the sleeper no one knows about. He has only five losses on the season, two the first week. He had to forfeit one at our (Hickory Grove) tournament first round as he was taking ACT. He didn’t get back in time, and that was his third loss. His other two losses were close decisions.”

As to where the Warrior team will finish in the sectional….

“We are predicted to finish second behind Sheridan, ” Rhodes said. “However, the way this season has gone, we could easily fold up and finish third or fourth. With the strength of our schedule second or maybe first is possible.

“Our kids have been against some of the toughest competition of any team of Southeast Ohio schools. We have wrestled Troy Christian (defending DIII Team Champs), Beaver Local, Carollton, Minerva, St. Clairsville, West Holmes, Greenville, Groveport-Madison, Walton-Verona (highly regarded in Kentucky), Barnesville, West Mifflin, Trinity Area and Chartiers Valley (both Pennsylvania schools) to name just a few. So, our kids should be battle-tested. We’ll see this weekend.”

Rhodes paused.

“Since we had no league championships, we have had two weeks to heal up bumps and bruises,” the Warren boss continued. “But where their heads are makes it a toss-up.

“It’s all up to them from this point on. It is go or go home.”

Maclane Roe (106) and Ethan Prather (285) are expected to wrestle for the Tigers at Alexander. Prather was fourth and Roe fifth in last year’s sectional.