Jay wrestlers got some tough draws at regional

The Patriots picked up some difficult draws.

They’ll try to work their way through some strong first-round opponents to make their way to Fort Wayne.

Nine Jay County High School wrestlers will compete Saturday as the Patriots host the regional tournament.

The first round of the regional sets the course for the rest of the tournament — winners advance to the semi-state (and continue to wrestle toward a regional championship) while losers have their seasons come to an end.

While the regional brackets are set up to reward sectional winners from the previous week, even one of the Patriots’ champions got a tough assignment.

While No. 16 Griffin Byrum (33-3) of JCHS will be a heavy favorite to beat Yorktown’s Brayden Williams (15-8) in the opening round at 113 pounds, A.J. Heskett (33-4) faces a wrestler — Cory Brown Jr. of Monroe Central — with a nearly identical record at 33-5.

Eighth-ranked Alan Ortiz (32-3), a sectional runner-up, will meet a 30-win opponent in the opening round Saturday at 285 pounds as he takes of Cortez White (30-10) of Muncie Central.

The rest of Jay County’s first-round matches are as follows.

•A.J. Myers (17-5) vs. Tom Dygard (16-19) of Yorktown at 190

•Corbin Lothridge (27-9) vs. Muncie Central’s Shepherd Zick (22-16) at 106

•Sylas Wenk (27-12) vs. Ben Bush (24-7) of Yorktown at 120

•Jason Landers (25-12) vs. Cowan’s Kyler Coffey (21-7) at 132

•Brice Coy (23-11) vs. Wyatt Roach (11-4) of Yorktown at 215

•Cole Carpenter (7-14) vs. Delta’s No. 5 Kaeb Stebbins (28-4) at 175

The Patriots face several potential semifinal matches against ranked opponents. Lothridge would likely meet No. 1 Reed Wicker (26-4) of Delta in the semifinal, Wenk lines up against 11th-ranked Levi Johns (31-1) of Bluffton and Landers would likely get No. 10 Sam Mosier (27-4) of Delta.

If they advance to the finals, Byrum could meet 12th-ranked Kaid Jackson (27-6) and Myers could get a rematch against No. 8 Xavior Palacios (39-2) of Bellmont.

Jay County advanced seven wrestlers to the semi-state last season, with Byrum and Ortiz seeking return trips last year.