First round matches to watch at the 2024 OHSAA state wrestling tournament.
Division 1
| Weight | Matchup | Probability |
| 120 | #3 Garrison Weisner (Clay (Oregon)) vs #4 Blaze Van Gundy (Dublin Coffman) | 56 / 44 |
| 132 | #3 Kane Shawger (St Xavier) vs #6 Adam Butler (St Edward) | 68 / 32 |
| 165 | #4 Evan Rizzo (Brecksville-Broadview Hts) vs #5 Jack Willen (LaSalle) | 61 / 39 |
| 106 | #5 Mason Bauer (Ashland) vs #4 Lincoln Rohr (Perry (Massillon)) | 33 / 67 |
| 144 | #5 Antonio Shelley (Mentor) vs #7 Diego Chavez (Perrysburg) | 57 / 43 |
| 126 | #5 Konner Lambers (Elder) vs #7 Emeric McBurney (Perry (Massillon)) | 55 / 45 |
| 157 | #7 Lucas Kurzhals (Elder) vs #6 Tyler Deericks (Olentangy Liberty) | 40 / 60 |
| 190 | #6 Colin Wooldridge (LaSalle) vs #8 Storm Beane (Dublin Coffman) | 69 / 31 |
| 285 | #7 Austin Dye (Midview) vs #8 Richard Thornton (Springboro) | 59 / 41 |
| 150 | #8 Eli Esguerra (Dublin Coffman) vs #7 Cohl Wandsnider (Harrison) | 42 / 58 |
#3 Weisner vs #4 Van Gundy
A 3/4 matchup that we would typically see in a semifinal. The winner will see #2 Rohr in the quarterfinals in a match that likely determines their half-bracket’s state finalist.
#3 Shawger vs #6 Butler
The freshman phenom, Kane Shawger, will take on 2x state placer and former state runner-up, Adam Butler, in round 1. This side of the bracket is wide-open, as #1 Blaze and #2 Morency sit on the other side. (We should think about seeding district 1’s at the state tournament)
#4 Rizzo vs #5 Willen
A 4/5 matchup in what looks to be the toughest slot in the bracket. Winner takes on #2 Peterson for a chance to see #1 Birden in the semis. (Did I mention we should think about seeding the state tournament?)
#5 Bauer vs #4 Rohr
This is best district 1 vs district 4 matchup of round 1 with the winner likely cruising to the semifinal to meet #1 Dodd of Perrysburg. The loser will have one of the more difficult backside draws of the tournament.
#5 Shelley vs #7 Chavez
The winner sees Ayoub round 2, but puts themselves in good position to place while the loser will have a difficult blood-round match, likely against #6 Myers of Upper Arlington.
Division 2
| Weight | Matchup | Probability |
| 157 | #3 Lance Overmyer (Clyde) vs #7 Kyle Vencill (Edgewood (Ashtabula)) | 71 / 29 |
| 138 | #6 Cal Beadling (Steubenville) vs #5 Hayden Hughes (Graham) | 38 / 62 |
| 175 | #6 Christopher Maloney (Benedictine) vs #5 Aden Strahler (Warren) | 45 / 55 |
| 113 | #6 Kaiden Barker (Louisville) vs #5 Carter Trukovich (Galion) | 47 / 53 |
| 113 | #7 Aiden Bean (Marlington) vs #4 Joseph Lugabihl (Wauseon) | 43 / 57 |
| 126 | #4 Joseph Curry (Bishop Watterson) vs #8 Gavin Hoover (Logan Elm) | 72 / 28 |
| 150 | #6 Luke Kaiser (Athens) vs #7 Collin Isaac (Tippecanoe) | 55 / 45 |
| 150 | #5 Coltyn Reedy (Sheridan) vs #8 Gage Murphy (Reading) | 68 / 32 |
| 120 | #6 Dareyan Egner (Franklin) vs #7 Zavian Lafountain (Wauseon) | 52 / 48 |
| 285 | #8 Keegan Jacks (Lakewood (Hebron)) vs #6 Nick Bowser (Hubbard) | 41 / 59 |
| 165 | #8 Dillon Badiu (Buckeye (Medina)) vs #6 Anthony Kroninger (Jonathan Alder) | 44 / 56 |
#3 Overmyer vs #7 Vencill
Overmyer spent the back-half of the season ranked #1 before being upset at districts via a late 5-point move. He has the skill to win the whole thing, but will have to run the gauntlet of #7 Vencill, #4 Faulks, #1 Murphy, and #2 King to do so.
#6 Beadling vs #5 Hughes
138-pounds is a wide open weight and either one of these guys could find themselves in a state final if they get hot for the weekend. Hughes could help out Graham’s cause with a high placement as they will be in a dog-fight with Buckeye to maintain their reign over D2.
#6 Barker vs #5 Trukovich
The talented freshmen, Trukovich and Barker, both have state finalist potential. This side of the bracket could see any number of 7 guys make the finals as #1 Bartos and #2 Ohl sit on the other side of the bracket. (We should find a seeding solution for the state tournament.)
#4 Curry vs #8 Hoover
Returning champ, Joe Curry, finds himself in a brutal bracket position following his upset loss to Puller in the district finals. He’ll likely have to go through #8 Hoover, #3 Hiser, #1 Barker, and #2 Puller in order to defend his state title.
#4 Reedy vs #8 Murphy
Reedy and Murphy sit in another wide-open half-bracket and either one could their way to the finals this weekend. #1 Saccoccia and #2 Younger sit on the other side (that’s criminal!)
Division 3
| Weight | Matchup | Probability |
| 113 | #5 Scott Fuller (Genoa) vs #6 Trey Huber (Versailles) | 70 / 30 |
| 165 | #7 Brencyn Evans (Monroeville) vs #5 Tyson Clear (Malvern) | 34 / 66 |
| 165 | #4 Braxton Quaintance (Lakota) vs #8 Gage Bolt (Westfall) | 69 / 31 |
| 106 | #4 Nolan Fraley (Mechanicsburg) vs #8 Mason Hermes (Edison (Milan)) | 73 / 27 |
| 120 | #5 Eli Campbell (Legacy Christian Academy) vs #8 Bodee Miller (Oak Harbor) | 58 / 42 |
| 120 | #6 Ethan Cantrell (West Union) vs #7 Tyler Barnes (Delta) | 53 / 47 |
| 190 | #8 Gavin Bowers (Tinora) vs #6 Owen Pummel (Indian Lake) | 27 / 73 |
| 144 | #7 Landen Roeder (Monroeville) vs #8 Gunnar Gossett (Union Local) | 53 / 47 |
#5 Fuller vs #6 Huber
The winner of this match puts themselves in contention to win their side of the bracket and make a state final. The clear #1 Mattin and #2 Shore will meet in the semifinals on the other half (brutal draw for the young Shore)
#7 Evans vs #5 Clear
A first round matchup between state placers where the winner will have a chance to make a final. Again, the clear #1/#2 Horvath and King sit on the other side of the bracket.
#4 Quaintance vs #8 Bolt
Quaintance/Bolt sit on the same side of the bracket as Evans/Clear. The winner will see #6 Randall in the quarterfinals.
#4 Fraley vs #8 Hermes
This is one of the more intriguing district 1 vs district 4 matchups in D3. The Hermes brothers always come to wrestle in March and Edison could use the team points from a deep run here. The winner of this match will be the favorite to make the semifinal against #1 Tammarine.
#5 Campbell vs #8 Miller
Both of these guys have finalist potential and they have the draw to do to make it happen with #1 Dean and #2 Wilcox on the other half.