“I was puzzled,” Workman said. “I thought it was about time to make an upset.”
Workman made three upsets in advancing to the Division III district tournament, which begins Friday at Troy’s Hobart Arena at 3 p.m. Wrestling continues at 10 a.m. Saturday with the top four in each weight advancing to the state tournament March 9-11 at the Schottenstein Center at Ohio State.
Workman opened the tournament with a 6-4 win over third-seeded Ben Stroud of Mechanicsburg before knocking off sixth-seeded Jordan King of Milton-Union 6-4 in overtime.
The Tiger punched his ticket to the district with a 10-6 win over second-seeded Drew Whaley of Troy Christian before falling to Miami East’s Graham Shore in the finals.
“I felt the way I had been going that I had been wrestling well,” Workman said. “Now, I got to make it out. I got three more to win.”
After being the lone WL-S wrestler at sectional his junior year, Workman was joined by a pair of teammates, both in upper weights.
“Sparring with a 160- and a 170-pounder, I feel like I have a lot more strength now than other kids,” Workman said. “I got strict in the offseason and worked on shooting more and just focused on points and controlling how points are scored.”
• Mechanicsburg enters the district looking to defend its team title with 10 qualifiers including a sectional champ who had to battle as an underdog.
Alex Rhine, a three-time state qualifier, was the third seed at 132 but knocked off second seed Alex Isbrandt of Miami East 9-3 and top-seeded Michael Sergent of Troy Christian 8-2 to claim the title.
Isbrandt and Sergent will be on the opposite side of the bracket from Rhine.
Division I: Fairmont is taking the Division I district tournament next level.
The result of each match will be tweeted by the tournament on @FHSWrestling.
Springfield’s Joe Cochran enters with a 34-3 record and will open the 195 bracket against Middletown’s Cameron Winding as he looks for a return to state.
Teammate Jacob Yost will open with Elder’s Charles Sanchez at 170.
Division II: Graham advanced all 14 to the district tournament at Wilmington High School.
The marquee match could come Saturday afternoon in the finals with Graham’s Kavan Sarver and Valley View’s Stone Day meeting for the fourth time this year at 195. Day holds a 2-1 advantage, including a tight 4-3 win in the sectional final.
• Bryce Davis will try to make another run through the district for Kenton Ridge after spending his sophomore year at Springfield.
Davis, 18-5, went to KR his freshman year and transferred back prior to the start of this year. He opens against Greenville’s Austin Lacey in the first round at 113.
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