The Fort Mill High wrestling team put up a dominate performance Saturday in winning the Milltown Duals.
Fort Mill went 5-0 on the day and trailed just once in five matches, and that was for only one weight class, as they improved their overall record to 12-1 on the season. Their only loss on the season came earlier in the week by falling 41-33 to Lugoff-Elgin on the road.
Fort Mill opened the dual with a perfect 84-0 win over Chesterfield, winning all 14 weight classes by either pin or forfeit.
The Jackets, ranked fourth in the latest 5A poll, then proceeded to beat Ashley Ridge 54-18. Jacob Nally (113) got the match started with an 8-6 decision, but then Fort Mill dropped the match at 120 by decision to make it 3-3 for the only time they were tied all day. Fort Mill would win the next four matches to take a 24-3 lead and cruise from that point. Aidan Eubanks (126) won in a 15-1 major decision and Logan Shope (132) won by tech fall 22-7 for the Jackets. Getting falls for Fort Mill were Gavin Mitcheson (138), Caleb Brock (145), Cade Simpson (160), Jack Kadish (170), Sebastian Villatoro (182), Joshua Smith (195), Henry Debbout (220) and Lincoln Greene (106).
In their toughest match of the day, Fort Mill beat fifth ranked 4A team Greenwood 48-24. Only one of Fort Mill’s wins came by decision as Grayson Sykes (hwt.) won 4-1. Fort Mill led from the opening match as Tucker Gibson (120) won by fall and the Jackets proceeded to take a 30-0 lead before Greenwood got on the board. Greenwood did close the gap to make it 30-21 winning four matches in a row at one point, three of those coming by fall. Getting falls for Fort Mill were Eubanks (126), Shope (132), Mitcheson (138), Brock (145), Debbout (220) and Greene (106). Nally (113) won by forfeit.
Fort Mill finished off the day with a 63-15 win over South Pointe. South Pointe took a 3-0 lead to open the match as Fort Mill trailed for their only time during the day. The Jackets would bounce back to regain the lead at 6-3 after a fall by Mitcheson (138) and then go on to win the next three matches to go ahead 21-3. The only decision Fort Mill got in the match was a 6-4 overtime win by Ethan Coughenour (160). Getting falls for Fort Mill were Brock (145), Villatoro (182), Debbout (220), Nally (113), Eubanks (126) and Luke Van Beynum (106). Getting forfeit wins for the Jackets were Taylor Johnson (152), Smith (195) and Gibson (120).
In the match up of the day with the most local interest was Fort Mill facing off against Catawba Ridge for only the second time ever. Fort Mill won the match 60-18 and led from the opening weight class.
Fort Mill jumped out to a 21-0 lead as Eubanks (126), Shope (132) opened the match with pins and Mitcheson (138) got a forfeit. Brock (145) then won a 11-5 decision before Catawba Ridge got on the board with a forfeit win by Jackson Rozelle (152). Simpson (160) would get a 9-2 decision and Jarrett Eubanks (170) would get a fall for Catawba Ridge. Fort Mill would win the next three matches with falls from Villatoro (182) and Smith (195) before Debbout (220) picked up a forfeit. Tony Atkins (hwt.) would get a fall for the Copperheads and Greene (106) would pick up a forfeit win. Nally (113) and Gibson (120) would close out the match with falls.
“The guys filling in for us did a good job,” said Fort Mill head coach Chris Brock. “The guys wrestled hard and were scrappy. We are biding our time and hope to have guys back from injuries.”
Fort Mill will next wrestle Dec. 22 at the Union County Duals in another five-match day.
Catawba Ridge went 3-2 in the duals including the loss to Fort Mill and is now 8-5 overall on the season.
The Copperheads opened the day against Greenwood taking a 45-34 win, which came down to the last match. Atkins (hwt.) would get the fall to secure the win for Catawba Ridge. The Copperheads and Greenwood switched the lead back and forth twice each as Kemarri Cannon (113) got a forfeit win and Alex Teel (120) got a fall to put them up 12-6 over Greenwood. Greenwood came back to take a 16-12 lead, before Levi Jones (138) won 9-4 and Jacob Kees (145) got a fall to put Catawba Ridge up 21-16, where they would hold the lead from that point forward. Getting pins in the remaining matches for the Copperheads were Sean Barstad (160) and Eubanks (170). Rozelle (152) would pick up a forfeit win as well.
Catawba Ridge got a 46-30 win over South Pointe, who they will see once 2023 comes in Region 3-4A competition. This match, like Greenwood, would go back and forth as the lead would change five times. The Copperheads opened going up 12-0 with a pin by Teel (120) and a forfeit win by Cannon (113). South Pointe rallied to tie it at 12-12 and then took the lead at 15-12, before Kees (145) would get a 16-4 major decision to put Catawba Ridge back ahead. The team traded the lead for the next two weight classes as Barstad (160) would give the Copperheads the final lead with a fall. Eubanks (170) and Atkins (hwt.) would each get falls, while Beau Nicoll (195) and Brooklyn Stanley (106) would get forfeit wins.
The Copperheads would then fall to Ashley Ridge 39-36, as the Swamp Foxes would lead the entire match despite a big rally by Catawba Ridge. Ashley Ridge would go up 27-9, before the Copperheads rallied. Getting pins for Catawba Ridge were Joshua Gets (132), Eubanks (170), Atkins (hwt.), Teel (113) and Alexander Buxton (182). Kees (145) won a 14-10 decision and Nicoll (195) won a 9-2 decision.
Catawba Ridge breezed through Chesterfield winning 66-18 leading the entire time. Getting pins for the Copperheads were Kees (145), Rozelle (152), Barstad (160), Eubanks (170), Buxton (182), Nicoll (195), Atkins (hwt.), and Teel (120). Winning by forfeit were Gets (132), Stanley (106) and Clark Ostendorf (126).
“Today was pretty good,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Nick Hansen. “It was nice to wrestle Greenwood and see how we stand up against them. I would like another shot at Ashley Ridge, because we were right there. Seeing South Pointe was good because we will see them in the region.”
Catawba Ridge will head to the Barry Memorial Clash at Mallard Creek High School Dec. 22-23 in an individual tournament.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
