You pay for what you get.

It’s a simple phrase with an even more simplistic message — a reality that can’t be disputed … a reality the Olentangy wrestling team — a group which wrapped up its first district championship last week — knows all about.

The Braves weren’t crowned champs by accident. They didn’t steal the title and, as for the six grapplers who advanced to this weekend’s state showcase at Ohio State, they didn’t sneak into the spotlight, either. They earned it. They worked all year for it.

“We trained relentlessly all season to be at our very best for the postseason,” Olentangy coach Matt Hammons said. “The guys really bought in this year … between the 3-5:30 p.m. practices and 6 a.m. workouts before school, we were sure that when it was finally time for the biggest matches of the year, our guys would have a big advantage from both a physical and mental standpoint.”

It sure payed off at districts.

“It was a special day because, in the end, we had seven kids place,” the coach said. “There are 14 total weight classes and half of ours are filled with district finishers. We always knew we possessed that kind of potential, but finally winning it made it real.”

Now the squad is looking to translate its earlier success to a standout showing on the state’s biggest stage.

Sophomore Trevor Fiorucci (103 pounds) and senior Joe Grandominico (145) headline the crew of six Braves still in the running for a state championship. Fiorucci, the team’s only individual district champ, enters the state meet with a 40-3 mark. He’ll face Crestwood’s Paige Nemec, who was 33-9 in the regular season, in the today’s first-round action. Grandominico, meanwhile, will start his third straight state appearance with a match against Jim Klosz, a sophomore from Parma Heights Holy Name. Like his teammate, Grandominico enters the match with a 40-3 mark. Klosz enters the matchup at 37-7.

Olentangy’s remaining quartet includes freshman Anthony McHugh (112), who will take on Athens senior Josh Dingess in a first round showdown; junior Al Caserta (125), who will take on Kenston’s Tre Smith; Senior Brit Yant (140), who will get started with Lake Catholic’s Matt Fee; and junior Caleb Hetterscheidt (152), who is slated to take on Toledo Central Catholic’s Tony Martin.

Regardless of the weight class, the brackets are tough. Hammons knows there won’t be any easy wins, but is confident his standouts are ready to go.

“The state tournament has been the focal point of the entire season,” he said. “What you do there trumps everything else … and we are prepared to battle every match and test ourselves against the best in the state.

“The key for each guy is the same,” he continued. “Forget that you are in the Schott and remember that this is just a wrestling tournament, just as tough as every other tournament. The mats are the same size and the other guy is just as anxious. Take advantage of the fact half the kids on the bracket are just happy to have qualified and the other half are going to be state placing (finishing first through eighth). Every one of our guys is within two victories of being a state placer, three victories away from being a state finalist and four victories away from a state championship. This should be viewed as a great opportunity to succeed.”

It’s an opportunity a trio of other county contenders — Big Walnut junior Matt Brown (215), Orange freshman Artem Timchenko (112) and Liberty junior Ethan Snyder (145) — have, too. Brown, like the six from Olentangy, will be competing in Division II action. He’ll start with Wapakoneta’s Logan Erb.

After suffering from a broken hand which kept him out half of the season, Brown said he is back to about 65 percent of where he would like to be, but he isn’t about to back down from what he knows will be a competitive first showdown.

“It will be a tough opening match,” Brown said. “Erb, who placed as a freshman, has state tournament experience … last year’s experience should help me deal with everything from the crowd to all the mats, also” he said. “And I am one of the few underclassmen that has state experience in my weight class … that could be an advantage.”

Snyder and Timchenko will compete in the Division I competition with Snyder scheduled to take on Harrison’s Tyler Griffin in a first round battle and Timchenko, who is the first state qualifier in Orange’s brief two-year history, will face Harrison’s Dillon Campbell.

sports@delgazette.com