It is not often that a Greater Miami Conference champ enters the high school postseason in wrestling way under the radar at the state level.

However, that is exactly what Mason High’s Tommy Danis was able to do.

With Centerville’s Garrett Conner, Loveland’s Gunner Lay and Moeller’s Quinton Rosser all ranked in the top four at 182 pounds in Division I, Danis was able to do that.

“It was nice to be able to fly under the radar,” Danis said after finishing his senior season 48-7 with a third-place finish in the state tournament at Columbus.

Danis built some momentum heading into the state tournament, defeating Rosser in the sectional finals and following it up with 9-7 overtime win against Lay and a 5-3 win over Rosser in the district semis and finals to enter the state tournament as the district champ.

“That was a big confidence boost,” Danis said. “Both of them were ranked ahead of me.”

Danis, who says he is not nervous by nature, got an interesting talk from the coaches before walking out of the tunnel for his first-round round match.

“They told me not to worry about all the stuff when we walked out,” Danis said of the crowd and atmosphere. “They told me no one was going to be watching my match anyway, so don’t worry about everything.”

The talk must have worked as Danis opened with a pin in 5:22 over the alternate from the Cleveland state district, Traevon Dickerson of Mansfield Senior. The Comet senior was guaranteed a spot in the top six with a 14-5 major decision over Massillon Jackson’s Charlie Dear to advance to the semis.

Danis dropped his semis match to three-time state champ Domenic Abounander of Lakewood St. Edward before bouncing back 9-2 win over Mentor district champ Danny Tilley of Hudson in the consolation semis. Danis closed the weekend with a 8-2 win over Lay in the third-place match.

Lay had lost to Rosser in the semis, meaning three of the four semifinalists were from the Fairfield district.

“It was a good ending to the season and my career to place at state,” Danis said. “I’m kind of glad it’s over.”