The state tournament run starts in two weeks, but for Northeast Ohio Conference wrestlers it actually begins Friday and Saturday.

As strange as that sounds, two area league coaches think this weekend’s NOC Tournament at Garfield Heights is a step above the sectionals at which they'll compete on Feb. 17.

Twinsburg, which finished second last year at the NOCT and first the year before, sees a tournament lined with 39 ranked wrestlers and knows if the Tigers stay healthy, they’ll look back on this weekend as a stepping stone for things to come.

“It’s got to be the toughest league tournament in the state,” Twinsburg coach Dave Mariola Sr. said. “If you look at some of the teams that are ranked, you have Solon, you have Mentor, Medina is always tough and Elyria is always tough.

“If you look at how state assumptions in the (Brakeman) report are supposed to go you have five teams out of 18 teams (with Twinsburg included) that are very good. Then you add the individuals from othe...