Annual ‘Clash of Champions’ will be held Wednesday
MCKEES ROCK, Pa. — The 28th annual “Clash of Champions” will be contested Wednesday night on the mat inside Montour High School as the OVAC All Stars battle the MAC All Stars. The OVAC leads the all-time series, 18-9, and snapped a two-year losing streak last winter with a 40-18 victory inside the Brooke High School Wellness Center.
The 2025 OVAC team is led by West Virginia state champion Jameson Maynard (189) of Wheeling Park and University’s Brock Kehler (285).
In addition to winning the 190-pound Class AAA state title last weekend, Maynard was a three-time state placer and won a pair of OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament titles as a sophomore and senior. He lost in the finals as a junior to Parkersburg South’s nationally ranked Gage Wright. He will wrestle at the Naval Academy.
Kehler had one of the finest high school careers of all time as he recorded an 181-1 mark — the lone reversal coming in the 2022 OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament finals at 195 pounds to Indian Creek’s Austin Starr, 7-0. Kehler, who will attend West Virginia University, was a three-time OVAC champion and a four-time West Virginia state champion.
Kehler is joined by Hawks’ teammate Pepper Martin (114). A two-time OVAC Ron Mauck titlist, Martin was also a two-time West Virginia state kingpin at 106. He will continue his wrestling career at Pitt-Johnstown.
Barnesville’s Ayden King (172) is coming off a second-place finish at 165 pounds Sunday in the Ohio Division III finals. He dropped a 5-4 nod to Kansas Lakota’s Braxton Quaintance. He finished with 200 career wins. He finished fifth at the Ironman.
John Marshall teammates Carter Adkins (133) and Zander Ward (139) hold down the middleweights. Both were four-time OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament placers and state placers in the Mountain State. Ward will wrestle at Wilmington College.
The roster is completed with East Liverpool’s Tristan Eckles (121); Cambridge’s Baylon Rose (127); David DeFelice (145) of Weir; Barnesville’s Eli Messenger (152); Damon Stansbury (160) of East Liverpool and Parkersburg South’s Brycen Arthur (215).
The coaches are Danny Doyle of Wheeling Park and Beaver Local’s Johnny McComas.
The MAC roster had not been submitted by Monday night.
Action begins at 6 p.m.
A banquet will be held Tuesday night at Undo’s in Weirton for all participants and their families.