CHARLOTTE – Nation Ford’s Clayton Rygol won the 220-pound weight class at the Elizabeth Barry Memorial Clash at Mallard Creek High School Friday.
Rygol was the only local wrestler to win a title at the two-day event between Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge, despite several wrestlers placing. Rygol won by a second period pin beating Mt. Pleasant’s Colt Kluttz in the finals. He went 4-0 in the tournament after receiving a first-round bye, winning three of his four matches by pin.
Besides Rygol’s performance, Nation Ford had several other wrestlers place in the tournament.
At 106-pounds, Cameron Frye finished eighth falling by major decision in the seventh-place match and Dalton Cutsinger finished seventh winning by forfeit at 145-pounds. At 132-pounds, Mitchell Ladamus finished fifth beating Max Forsyth of Myers Park in the fifth-place match by fall. Danny Gilstorf finished fourth falling in the consolation finals 7-5 at 126-pounds.
In the girl’s division for Nation Ford, Avneet Kaur finished fourth at 114-pounds.
Catawba Ridge also had several placers in the tournament. Their highest placer was Jarrett Eubanks, who finished fourth at 170-pounds, falling in the consolation finals. Tony Atkins finished fifth at heavyweight winning 3-1 in the fifth-place match and Alex Teel won 3-0 in his fifth-place match at 113-pounds. Jackson Rozelle finished eighth dropping his seventh-place match at 152-pounds.
Both Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge scored 94 points in the event, with the Copperheads finishing 12th and the Falcons finishing 13th because of the number of weight classes they had represented at the varsity level.
Besides practice, Nation Ford is done wrestling in 2022 and will restart things in 2023 with a tri-match at Spring Valley and Rock Hill. Catawba Ridge heads to the Broome Duals Dec. 28.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
