2010 Results

MASON, Ohio -- The Horning Family and the Mason Wrestling program will host the 6th Annual James Horning Memorial Wrestling Tournament at Mason Middle School on Saturday, January 23rd. The tournament was named for James Horning, a captain of the Mason wrestling team who was suddenly and tragically killed in an automobile accident in October of 2004.  All proceeds from the one day event will go to the James Horning Memorial fund.

Since the tournaments inception in 2005 there have been 112 State Qualifiers participate with 43 earning state medals and six individual state champions. Last year's tournament saw Mason's Robert Shepherd go on to win a state title.   Lakota West's Ty Davis finished second at the state tournament. In addition twenty tournament particpants qualified for state with eleven earning medals.

This year's event will move from a ten team tournament to a total of twelve teams.  As always, the James Horning Memorial Wrestling Invitational is filled with some of Ohio's top teams. This year,  Pickerington North and Centerville are currently the top rated teams in Columbus and Dayton areas respectively.  Host school Mason is trailing only Elder and Moeller High School in the Cincinnati coaches' polls.  Lakota West, Kettering Fairmont, Milford, Beavercreek, Greenville, Marysville, Hilliard Darby, Olentangy, and Dublin Coffman round out the field of competing schools.

The 2009 defending state champion, Mason senior Robert Shepherd and state runner-up from Lakota West, junior Ty Davis are among the top athletes to compete in this year's field of individual talent.

"I think it's a very important tournament for me to try and win," said Mason senior captain Shepherd.   "I always feel like by winning this tournament I help out Mr. Horning a little bit.  He's done so much for us and been through so much since his son passed."

Shepherd won this tournament as a sophomore, but was unable to compete last year due to injury.  He has been in and out of the Mason line-up this year because of a reoccuring hamstring injury but feels very hopeful that he will be ready to go  this year.
 
Preliminary wrestling is set to begin at 9:30am with the finals tentatively set for 5:30pm.