PARKERSBURG - Matt Dixon's win by forfeit at 195 pounds sealed the team victory and Parkersburg South heavyweight Dane Mills' first-period pin of Parkersburg's Charley Conley capped off the Patriots' 44-28 city dual wrestling triumph here Wednesday night inside the Rod Oldham Athletic Center.
The Patriots, who have posted five consecutive dual wins versus the Big Reds, took the lead for good at 17-16 when 145-pounder Stewart Morris recorded a pin versus Mo Talafhah in 4:54.
Neither team was at full strength, but the Big Reds of head coach Chris Way led 6-0 after Austin Spears got a second-period pin of Hunter Cline to start the dual at 106. Parkersburg, which returns to action Friday at the Winner's Choice, had its biggest lead - and its last advantage - at 16-11 after 138-pounder Skyler Terrell scored an 11-0 major decision over Tyler Richards.
Article Photos
Photos by Jeff Baughan
Parkersburg South's Chip Sturek attempts to pin Parkersburg's Shawn Graham in their 152-pound match Wednesday. Sturek scored the pin at the 3:31 mark.
"To win a close dual meet, the first thing you've got to do is get pins and we didn't get the pins where we needed some pins," said Way, who decided to keep Adam Lindamood out of his 195-pound match for precautionary reasons.
"We wrestled hard, but you have to stay off your back. They had some junior varsity guys in there and you have to take advantage of that."
After going ahead for good thanks to Morris' win, Patriot freshman Chip Sturek stuck Big Red 152-pounder Shawn Graham in 3:31 for a 23-16 cushion. Briar Shively followed at 160 with a 9-4 decision versus Dylan Richards and the hosts had PHS doubled up 32-16 after Drake Mills won via forfeit at 170.
Fact Box
Parkersburg South 44, Parkersburg 28
106: Austin Spears (PHS) p. Hunter Cline 3:14
113: Lance Hill (PS) tf. Nick Johnson 18-2
120: Jason West (PHS) d. Braidon Knotts 10-5
126: Kyle Knotts (PS) p. Sam Phillips 1:03
132: Trapper Hays (PHS) d. Duane Cotton 2-0
138: Skyler Terrell (PHS) md. Tyler Richards 11-0
145: Stewart Morris (PS) p. Mo Talafhah 4:54
152: Chip Sturek (PS) p. Shawn Graham 3:31
160: Briar Shively (PS) d. Dylan Richards 9-4
170: Drake Mills (PS) won by forfeit
182: Jared Haught (PHS) p. Tyler Newhart-Koreski 1:25
195: Matt Dixon (PS) won by forfeit
220: Tyler Riddle (PHS) p. Zach Haddix 1:20
285: Dane Mills (PS) p. Charley Conley 2:43
Exhibition matches
113: Colten Nangle (PS) p. Joey Butcher 3:21
126: Tyler Windland (PS) tf. Gage Graham 17-2
Next matches: Parkersburg at Winner's Choice on Friday; Parkersburg South at OVAC meet next Thursday.
W.Va. Coaches' Association/
wvmat.com team wrestling polls
Class AAA
1. Huntington (10) 100
2. Ripley 88
3. Pakersburg South 82
4. Parkersburg 68
5. Wheeling Park 58
6. Washington 53
7. University 37
8. Point Pleasant 24
9. Cabell Midland 19
10. Winfield 16
Others receiving votes: Musselman, Shady Spring
Class AA/A
1. Wirt County (9) 90
2. East Fairmont 81
3. Greenbrier West 72
4. Clay County 63
5. North Marion 54
6. Independence 45
7. Fairmont Senior 36
8. Calhoun County 26
9. Braxton County 15
10. Oak Glen 8
Others receiving votes: Keyser
Virginia Tech-bound Jared Haught needed 85 seconds before getting the mat-slapper on Patriot Tyler Newhart-Koreski at 182. Parkersburg's last win of the dual came at 220 thanks to Tyler Riddle, who stuck Zach Haddix in 1:20.
Lance Hil had the fastest takedown of the night, needing only three seconds to get two points on Big Red 113-pounder Nick Johnson en route to an 18-2 technical fall.
No. 3 ranked Jason West of PHS doubled up No. 6 ranked Braidon Knotts 10-5 at 120. Kyle Knotts flattened Parkersburg's Sam Phillips with 57 seconds remaining in the open period at 126 while Big Red Trapper Hays got a reversal with 18 ticks left in the second period for the only points in his 132-pound victory against Duane Cotton.
"We are getting stronger and obviously have stuff to work on," said PSHS head coach Donna Dixon, whose team returns to action next Thursday at the OVAC tournament. "I think we are pleased with the direction we arre going and we just need to get better."
