Despite not being an even number of teams, the Fort Mill based wrestling programs won the first ever Mill vs. Hill wrestling challenge.
The Fort Mill teams made up of Fort Mill, Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge combined to beat Rock Hill and South Pointe. Northwestern withdrew from the challenge.
With each town being represented by their local schools, the challenge worked with each team adding their team scores together. Fort Mill and Nation Ford each took on South Pointe and Catawba Ridge took on Rock Hill.
Fort Mill teams 140, Rock Hill teams 85
Fort Mill won their match 72-9 over South Pointe. Getting wins for the Jackets were Lincoln Greene (106), Jacob Nally (113), Tucker Gibson (120), Aidan Eubanks (126), Logan Shope (132), Caleb Brock (145), Jack Zgrabik (152), Noah Kitchton (160), Jack Kadish (170), TJ Miller (182), Joshua Smith (195) and Henry Debbout (220).
Catawba Ridge lost to Rock Hill 58-21. Getting wins for the Copperheads were Alex Teel (113), Levi Jones (138), Jarrett Eubanks (170) and Beau Nicoll (220).
Nation Ford beat South Pointe 47-18. Getting wins for the Falcons were Cameron Frye (106), Daniel Gilstorf (126), Mitchell Ladamus (132), Dalton Curtsinger (145), Jackson Sullivan (152), Hunter Lindquist (160), Daniel Chestnutt (182), Joshua Miller (195), Alan Minarro (220) and Clayton Rygol (hwt.).
After the challenge, all three local schools got at least one more match and Catawba Ridge got two matches being the host of the event. Fort Mill and Nation Ford each took on Catawba Ridge.
Fort Mill 60, Catawba Ridge 19
The Fort Mill match against Catawba Ridge was the first ever varsity match between the two schools with the Jackets coming away with a win. Fort Mill opened the match going up 24-0 winning the first four matches all by pinfall. Getting pins were Nally (113), Gibson (120), Eubanks (126) and Shope (132).
Catawba Ridge did win two matches in a row with Jones (138) getting a 15-4 decision and Andrew Patten (145) getting a 7-4 win. The Copperheads then won two of the next three matches with Sean Barstad (160) and Jarrett Eubanks (170) picking up wins for Catawba Ridge, while Kitchton (152) got a win for Fort Mill as the Jackets went up 30-19. Fort Mill won the final five matches with three of them coming by forfeit as Miller (182) and Debbout (220) picked up pins.
“We looked good,” Brock said. “We got a couple spots where we are taking a simple approach to winning a match and we need to work on that.”
Up next for Fort Mill will be the Southern Slam individual tournament this weekend at Eastside High School.
Nation Ford 38, Catawba Ridge 33
The match between the two schools was an intense battle that was decided unfortunately by forfeits. The match saw the lead change eight times with each team holding the lead at least four times each.
Catawba Ridge opened the match beginning with Keimarri Cannon (120) getting a forfeit win. Nation Ford then won back-to-back matches with Gilstorf (126) getting a 11-0 win and Ladamus (132) getting a 13-0 win to put the Falcons in front 8-6.
Jones (138) bounced back for the Copperheads with a 14-11 win and gave Catawba Ridge a 9-8 lead. Curtsinger (145) won 5-3 to put Nation Ford back in front at 11-9, but then the two teams traded pins with Patten (152) getting one for Catawba Ridge and Lindquist (160) getting on for the Falcons.
Catawba Ridge took a 21-17 lead with a pin by Jarrett Eubanks (170) and stretched it to 27-17 as Alexander Buckston (182) also picked up a pin. However, the Copperheads had to forfeit three of the next four matches and Minarro (220) picked up a 15-11 win in between before the dual would come to an end.
Nation Ford head coach Bret Peltier said it was good to open the season 2-0, but they needed some work.
“The first match our pace was great,” he said. “The second match (against Catawba Ridge) we came out a little flat. But our kids fought. That’s what we preach. I would have liked to look better in a couple spots.”
Nation Ford is also heading to the Southern Slam this weekend, before matching back up with the Copperheads next week.
For Catawba Ridge, head coach Nick Hansen said his team has work to do starting 0-3, but knows things will improve with time.
“We didn’t look as good as we have in the past,” he said. “After Christmas, I think we will have our best lineup. They wrestled hard.”
Up next for the Copperheads is an individual tournament at Irmo this weekend.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
