Three strong wins near the end of the match weren’t enough for the Cougars to roar back against Hampshire Wrestling as the Trojans muscled to a 50-17 victory at Sunrise Summit on Thursday night.
East Hardy Wrestling observed the initial match from the stands between Hampshire and Mountain Ridge from Maryland, then battled against the Trojans as the Miners only grappled in one match without facing the Cougars after a 50-15 win.
“They’re a very good team. We wrestled hard, so I’m happy. We had a couple big wins towards the end that really picked things up for us. It put us back on the board, so I am happy with it,” East Hardy Coach Stevie Miller remarked.
The match wins for East Hardy were created by junior Blake Miller and freshmen Sky Spell and Dayton Miller.
East Hardy 138-lb. grappler Sky Spell was very aggressive and executed a 20-3 technical fall over Hampshire’s Bryan Armstrong just seconds before the third round buzzer sounded.
Spell counted the first shooting attempt making a takedown for the initial points, then after rolling on the mat there was a whistle for blood time midway through the opening round.
Spell managed a reversal and got an arm lock to put Armstrong on his back for additional points creating a 7-0 lead entering the second period.
Armstrong countered the top-bottom position with a reversal, then Spell flipped over and did a cross-face move for back points prior to a penalty.
The wrestlers rolled around to the outside line as time expired in the second period.
Spell notched a double-leg takedown and earned double back points late in the third period with Armstrong making a reversal before the buzzer sounded.
The referee indicated the match was over before the reversal due to the technical fall point difference, 20-3 giving Spell the victory.
In the 145-lb. weight class, East Hardy’s Blake Miller needed less than one period to execute a pin over Hampshire’s Raymond Buckler.
Buckler made a low shot which allowed Miller to grab hold on top, but Buckler managed to stand up to deliver a takedown and made back points.
Miller executed a reversal and made a power half to create a better angle to turn and setup a pin with 28 seconds remaining in the first period.
The Trojans added forfeit points before the final match of the night.
East Hardy 160-lb. grappler Dayton Miller went into action against Hampshire’s Asbury Wade, shooting for a double-leg takedown and making an arm lock twist for a pin at the 1:21 mark of the first period.
These were exciting matches to watch with the teammates and fans cheering the grapplers on the mat.
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Having the 17 points come in the final matches was great, but couldn’t lift East Hardy out of the hole already dug from the beginning.
After a forfeit was given to Hampshire in the 170-lb. weight class, the first grappling session was the 182-lb. weight division with East Hardy’s Patrick Helsley facing Hampshire’s Austin Wright.
Wright made an initial takedown in the first period and turned Helsley on his back, holding him down for back points.
Helsley managed to spin over, but Wright twisted him into position for back points and a pin with 10 seconds left in the opening round.
Hampshire sandwiched forfeit points around the 220-lb. weight class.
The Trojan reversal was key in the next match as Hampshire’s 220-lb. grappler Dustin Swisher spun out of trouble and made timely takedowns to reach a 14-2 advantage before pinning East Hardy’s Hinton Shifflett with 43 seconds left in the second period.
After a brief holding of arms while standing up, Shifflett made a move to get on top as both crashed to the mat with what looked like a bear hug or even a lasso of the arms around Swisher as the coach shouted cowboy or maybe it was cowboy up like the Red Sox mantra.
Swisher executed a reversal and had a hold on Shifflett’s neck, but Shifflett shifted around before Swisher repositioned and earned back points for a 7-0 lead going into the second period.
Shifflett earned one escape point getting out of the top-bottom middle start, but Swisher would get a takedown moments later.
An escape helped Shifflett again, but Swisher shot for a double-leg takedown and garnered back points before the pin was called with 43 seconds to go.
After a double forfeit, East Hardy 113-lb. freshman wrestler Sierra Miller fought against Hampshire’s Jacob Curry.
Miller spun around Curry and pulled him down for the initial points of the match, then got on top locking hands which was whistled as a violation.
Miller swiftly positioned on the back of Curry and grabbed around his head with both wrestlers facing down on the mat, but neither one could make a move to change and a stalemate was called.
The pair grabbed each other and flipped over doing the splits upside down to start the second period.
Curry made an early shoot and was grabbed on top, then executed a reversal to take the lead.
Miller got back on his shoulders in the third period locking his stomach with her legs, but Curry was able to break free enough to turn the tables and earned a reversal for a 5-2 victory.
Hampshire senior Sierra Powell, who is a freestyle wrestler and future college wrestler, made the first takedown on East Hardy’s Nathan Phillips in the 126-lb. weight class.
Phillips managed to make an escape, but was captured again and thrown down on the mat.
Another escape was made, but Powell grabbed the ankles and spun Phillips for a pin with 23 seconds left in them first period.
East Hardy’s Cole Pusl was up next in the 132-lb. weight class fighting against Hampshire’s Jacob Thompson.
Pusl made single-leg takedown and rode Thompson, who managed to gain balance in a base position to stand up and was hauled back down.
Pusl turned Thompson over to his back with an arm lock, then Thompson countered with a reversal headlock with the East Hardy bench reacting with priceless looks of shock with some covering their faces as the reversal was made.
In the second period, Pusl made a reversal and used an arm bar move to create back points, but Thompson escaped from the grasp and flipped over to garner the pin with 43 seconds left.
East Hardy battled with heart and determination coming away with three solid individual wins and will be back on the mat at Frankfort on Tuesday before returning to Hampshire in hopes of altering the Sunrise Summit on Thursday.
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