The Fort Mill High School wrestling team advanced to the third round of the playoffs beating a familiar foe.
Fort Mill beat Catawba Ridge 52-18 in the second round Saturday, Feb. 1 after getting a first round bye.
“We are peaking at the right time,” said Fort Mill head coach Adam Marullo. “The guys are looking good. We have to keep our goals in mind.”
After winning 51-29 over Woodmont in the opening round, Catawba Ridge faced rival Fort Mill in the second round.
Fort Mill jumped out to a 26-0 lead starting at 120-pounds. The Jackets’ Cole Wartinger opened with a first period pin. Jacob Nally (126) won for the Jackets before a 17-8 decision by Grayson Wallen (132).
Fort Mill then got back-to-back tech falls from Jayden Nguyen (138) at 19-4 and Lincoln Greene (144) at 15-0.
Catawba Ridge picked up a win with a second period pin at 150-pounds by Cole Stukitz.
Patrick Gray (157) held on for an 8-7 win for Fort Mill and then Broden Mitcheson picked up a win by forfeit at 165-pounds.
The Jackets kept momentum going their direction with a third period pin by Mason Metcalf (175) and a 16-0 tech fall by Maurice Lawrence (190).
Lloyd Shope (215) got a first period pin for Fort Mill, while the Copperheads Alex Johnson got a first period pin at heavyweight.
Catawba Ridge’s Jacob McClure (106) and Taylon Winker (113) finished out the match with wins. McClure got a 6-2 decision and Winker won 9-7 to close out the dual.
Fort Mill improved to 16-0 on the season and will host the third round on Monday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m.
Catawba Ridge finished their dual season at 9-7. Copperheads head coach Nick Hansen said its time to turn the team’s attention to the Upper State and State individual tournaments.
“We got a lot of work to do,” he said. “They are working hard. We are onto the Upper State and State tournaments.”
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
