Danville advanced all five wrestlers from sectionals, highlighted by Carter Wittel’s heavyweight title, and earned district wins from Wittel, Kyle Hackman, and Camden Horn before finishing 43rd overall at Hobart Arena’s Division III tournament.
TheDanville Blue Devils carved out a determined postseason journey, beginning with a gritty showing at the Division III sectional in Mechanicsburg held Feb. 28-March 1. Despite entering with a smaller roster, every athlete contributed points and advanced to the district stage on March 6-7.
Jonathan Ste[hens battled his way to a fourth-place finish at 106 pounds, while Kyle Hackman(113) and Camden Horn (126) each secured third-place medals. Cooper Baldridge added another fourth-place finish at 144 pounds. The highlight came at heavyweight, where Cartel Wittle dominated his bracket to claim the sectional championship, powering the Blue Devils to ninth place overall with 77.5 points.
Kyle Hackman
Carrying that momentum into the OHSAA Division III District Tournament at Hobart Arena in Troy, Danville's wrestlers faced one of the deepest fields in the state. Wittel opened with authority, pinning Eli Holley of Blanchester in 4:23 to notch Danville's biggest district win. Though he fell in the quarterfinals to Graham Local's Gage Stull, Wittel's early victory underscored his ability to compete with the region's elite. Hackman added another win in the consolation bracket, defeating Dylan Cress of Crestview by an 8-1 decision. Horn followed suit at 126 pounds, grinding out a 12-7 decision over Silas Riblet of Ada to keep Danville's momentum alive. Stephens and Baldridge also battled through tough opening-round draws, gaining valuable mat time against top-seeded opponents.
Camden Horn
Ultimately, Danville finished 43rd in the team standings with six points, while powerhouse Graham Local captured the district crown with 257.5 points. Though the Blue Devils did not advance a wrestler to the state tournament this year, their sectional sweep and hard-fought district wins reflect a program on the rise. 
Carter Wittel
