Ripley’s Carter Neal, top, gets an edge on Parkersburg South wrestler Charles Williams during the heavyweight match during Thursday’s dual at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – Parkersburg South’s dual meet with Ripley on Senior Night, Thursday at Rod Oldham Athletic Center left a sour taste with Patriot coach Shaun Smith.

Not for a lack of effort. Rather with the execution.

Ripley won six matches determined on the mat, including three by pins, and came away with a 43-28 victory.

“The match itself was pretty disappointing to be honest,” Smith said. “We gave up too many bonus points. We had too many guys getting pinned who shouldn’t be getting pinned. We had guys who lost that should not have lost.”

On the heels of the program’s first state dual championship under coach Matt Smith this past weekend, the Vikings received pins from Mason Philyaw (144 pounds), Jace Starcher (157) and Carter Neal (heavyweight).

Ripley’s Enoch Quesenberry, top, attempts to run over Parkersburg’s Austin Conley during the 103-pound match during Thursday’s dual at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“We’ve wrestled South for years — they are always tough and always solid, and you know what to expect out of them,” Matt Smith said. “I talked to Shaun and we decided to do this right before regionals and get it going. Honestly, I didn’t think we wrestled quite as well as we have been. In some cases, we did. In some cases, we didn’t.

“The effort’s always there, so that’s one thing I always point to. But in terms of some technical things, we are making some mental mistakes and trying to hold onto leads instead of building on them. And things like that.”

The match began at the 120-pound weight class. Consecutive wins from Terry Osbourne followed by Matthew Modrzakowski at 126 started Ripley’s wire-to-wire victory.

Parkersburg South’s Colton Hill accounted for the Patriots’ first team points when his opponent had to exit with an injury midway into the third period.

A pair of South forfeits at 138 and 150 combined with pins from Philyaw at 144 and Starcher at 157 put the Vikings in front 31-6.

Parkersburg South’s Justice Drain, right, poses with Patriot assistance coach John Price who accompanied Drain as part of Senior Night during Thursday’s dual meet with Ripley at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

South then made its run at the back end of the lineup with four straight individual wins, including a string of three straight pins turned in by Nathan Murphy (175), Jesse Adams (190) and Justice Drain (215).

When the lineups turned over to the lightest two weight classes, South was still in the hunt trailing 37-28. However, Ripley’s Enoch Quesenberry fought off a couple of third-period shots from Austin Conley and won 4-0.

At 113, Ripley’s James Starcher built a 3-1 lead over Braedyn Carstens after one period and held on for the 4-2 win.

“It’s unfortunate because we are better than this,” coach Shaun Smith said. “But we haven’t been consistent. Ripley is a really good team and they are the frontrunner in Division II — they will probably win the state title.

“So we knew this was going to be a tough match. But yes those are excuses and excuses are lame, and I don’t like it. We don’t have much longer to figure it out, and I am hoping we can. Tonight is definitely not the lowest moment of the season. But it’s not a good feeling.”

Ripley’s Emry Cobb, top, gains control of Parkersburg South’s Aubree Lopez during a girls exhibition match prior to a varsity boys wrestling meet between Parkersburg South and Ripley, Thursday at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

In the West Virginia Coaches Association poll dated Feb. 6, Ripley was ranked No. 1 in Division II and South No. 3 in Division I.

When asked what makes his wrestlers tick, coach Matt Smith had to take a moment before describing them as sort of laid back.

“Going into the state duals, I thought OK this will be the kind of week that will maybe put them into a place a little bit,” Matt Smith said. “But honestly, at the meet they just kept them calm and they kept going. We’ve had some groups come through who are a little goofy, but you know, they are just a good group of kids to be around.

“We’ve had success in recent years because our guys have really bought in.”

Among the eight seniors recognized prior to the start of the varsity boys meet were Aaydin King and Nathan Murphy, who were honored with reaching 100 wins for their career at South. On the girls side, fellow senior Justice Anthony was given a special introduction to the crowd for surpassing 200 wins during her time at South and recording the most wins by a female wrestler in school history with 225.

Parkersburg South’s Avery Ferguson, top, leans into Ripley’s Malazja Starcher during a girls exhibition match prior to a varsity boys wrestling meet between Parkersburg South and Ripley, Thursday at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com

Parkersburg South’s Rylan Layton, gets tangled with Ripley’s Matthew Modrzakowski during the 126-pound weight class during Thursday’s wrestling meet at Rod Oldham Athletic Center. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)