HUNTINGTON - Call it Validation 1 for Huntington High's wrestling team.
The Highlanders started the 2012-13 season ranked No. 1 in the West Virginia Coaches Association preseason poll for the first time in school history and Parkersburg South checked in at No. 2 despite having won four straight Class AAA state championships.
Huntington's stayed on top all season. The Patriots, who once were third but climbed back to second, got their shot at unseating the Highlanders on Thursday night in their highly-anticipated dual at Lucas-Archer Gym.
Article Photos
Photo by Mark Webb
Huntington's Isaac Carpenter takes on Jordan Quiocho of Parkersburg South during their match in Huntington Thursday. Quiocho won the match.
Huntington won 10 of 14 matches to prevail, 37-24. That means Parkersburg South will have to wait two weeks to get another shot at Huntington.
The stage where Huntington hopes to write the sequel Validation II will be the West Virginia High School Tournament at Big Sandy Superstore Arena.
Highlanders coach Rob Archer enjoyed the moment Thursday, but knows they'll see an even more inspired Parkersburg South team in two weeks.
Fact Box
Huntington High 37,
Parkersburg South 24
At Archer-Lucas Gymnasium
106 - Logan Grass (HHS) p. Hunter Cline, 1:18.
113 - Jordan Allen (HHS) d. Lance Hill, 3-0.
120 - Johnathan Spence (HHS) d. Braidon Knotts, 7-5.
126 - Chase Childers (HHS) d. Kyle Knotts, 11-9.
132 - Jodan Quiocho (PS) p. Isaac Carpenter, 1:12.
138 - Billy Waldeck (HHS) d. Tyler Richards, 5-3.
145 - Justin Arthur (HHS) p. Zack Burdette, 1:27.
152 - Paden Christian (HHS) d. Jake Alexander, 5-3.
160 - Briar Shively (PS) p. Jason Martin, 0:24.
170 - Drake Mills (PS) p. Austin Budd, 1:30.
182 - Carter Capehart (HHS) d. Damon Gandee, 7-5.
195 - Matthew Dixon (PS) p. Aerison Parrish, 1:27.
220 - Nigale Cabell (HHS) maj. dec. Zach Haddix, 11-2.
285 - Tony Kitts (HHS) d. Thomas Hall, 7-2.
"A tournament is a whole new ballgame," Archer said. "It's good to see them. We know what to expect now."
It was Alumni Night at HHS as well and 37 former wrestlers at the old/new Huntington High showed up. The last to be introduced was Bill Archer, former Huntington coach, the school's first state champion and father of the current coach.
Huntington's Logan Grass, ranked No. 1 at 106 in the latest West Virginia Coaches Association individual rankings, started the match with a pin against Hunter Cline. Grass got a quick takedown and the pin came at 1:18.
Huntington's Jordan Allen, ranked No. 1 at 113, followed with a 3-0 win over Lance Hill, No. 2 at that weight. It was a battle of defending state champs.
After that, Huntington's Johnathan Spence (120), Chase Childers (126), Billy Waldeck (138), Paden Christian (152) and Carter Capehart (182) all won their matches by 2-point margins.
Parkersburg South's four wins all came by pin. They were Jordan Quiocho (132), Briar Shively (160), Drake Mills (172) and Matthew Dixon (195).
Nigale Cabell got a major decision (11-2) over Zach Haddix of the Patriots and that secured the win and ended Huntington's four-match losing streak to the Region I power.
Donna Dixon, first-year coach at Parkersburg South, believes the outcome will serve as inspiration for the Patriots when they return to Big Sandy.
"I won't have to say a lot. Hopefully this will make them mad enough and they won't want to be second again," Dixon said.
The Patriots did alter their lineup a bit. Logan Ball, ranked No. 2 at 106, did not wrestle. Also out were Jake Alexander (145) and Chip Sturek (152).
Heavyweight Thomas Hall, who lost to Toney Kitts, was seeing his first action of the season. Health and an injury had kept him sidelined.
"I'd have liked a different outcome," Dixon said. "We could've wrestled better. We'll learn from this."
For the Patriots, this was their last action until the Region 1 tournament next weekend at Brooke High.
