A lot can change in a week.
Last week, Nation Ford wrestling beat Catawba Ridge 38-33 inside the Arena. On Tuesday, it was the Copperheads returning the favor at Nation Ford with a 48-25 win.
“It was good to see our young kids come through,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Nick Hansen. “Our 106 (Brooklyn Stanley) was fantastic. We just got Zach Webster (195) out from football and he had never wrestled before two days ago. I got a great coaching staff. I can’t say that enough.”
Like last week, the match was back and forth and unlike last week, the Falcons struggled to fill every weight class and had to forfeit four matches.
“I’m happy with our fight,” said Nation Ford head coach Bret Peltier. “You go into a match giving up 24 points, there isn’t much you can do. Giving up 24 points is tough.”
The match started at 120-pounds with the Copperheads’ Alex Teel getting a forfeit win followed by a forfeit win for Catawba Ridge’s Cole Stukitz to put them up 12-0 early. Nation Ford came back with a 14-5 win for Mitchell Ladamus at 132-pounds and a pin by Jace Smith at 138-pounds. Then a 7-4 win by Dalton Curtsinger at 145-pounds to give the Falcons their first lead at 13-12.
Catawba Ridge came right back to regain the lead in the next match with a pin from Jackson Rozelle to go up 18-13.
Nation Ford again started chopping away at the Copperheads’ lead with a 9-5 win from Todd Lindquist at 160-pounds and a 13-6 decision from Isaac Nieves at 170-pounds to make it 19-18 in favor of the Falcons.
The Copperheads again came back to pick up a first period pin from Alexander Buxton at 182-pounds to regain the lead, which they would hold for good from that point. The two teams traded pins as Webster got a pin and Clayton Rygol got a pin for Nation Ford at 220-pounds.
Catawba Ridge would win the last three matches, with two forfeits to Tony Atkins (hwt.) and Kemarri Cannon (113) sandwiched in between Stanley’s first period pin.
Lewisville was also a part of the tri-match as both Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge would beat them with ease. The Falcons won 48-24 over Lewisville, while Catawba Ridge won 77-6 over the Chester County school.
Winning for Nation Ford against Lewisville was Ladamus (132), Smith (138), Curtsinger (145), Lindquist (160), Nieves (170), Joshua Miller (195), Rygol (220) and Cameron Frye (106). Winning for Catawba Ridge was Stanley (106), Cannon (113), Teel (120), Stukitz (126), Clark Ostendorf (132), Levi Jones (138), Jake Kees (145), Sean Barstad (160), Jarrett Eubanks (170), Buxton (182), Webster (195), Beau Nicoll (220) and Atkins (hwt.).
Catawba Ridge sits at 2-3 overall on the season, while Nation Ford is now 3-1. Both teams will be a part of the Kingsley Classic at Fort Mill High this weekend.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
