In a match with WHS that remained tight through the duration, the Pioneers won the final bout of the evening to win last week’s dual match by the final score of 42-36.
The match began with two Viking wins: Brock Yackey and Ty McCoury by forfeit at 140 and 145 pounds, respectively. For the first actual competed bout, WHS’s Jonah Critcher won by pinfall over AHS’s Josh Gragg at 152 pounds. At 160 pounds, Jacob Gilliam won for WHS in the 160-pound bout by first period pinfall over Luke Price. AHS’s C.J. Vance, who usually competes at the 160-pound class, was unavailable for the dual due to an injury received at the West Wilkes tournament the previous weekend.
Following a WHS forfeit win at 171 pounds, Pioneer 189-pounder Robbie Sherrill defeated AHS’s Logan Corrai to put the Pioneers in front 24-12. AHS narrowed the deficit to 24-18 in its next bout, as Lucas Lecka won by first period pinfall at 215 pounds.
In the heavyweight class, Viking Brandon Huff defeated WHS’s Cody Miller by pin at 1:10 to tie the match at 24.
After a double forfeit at 103 pounds, WHS retook the lead with a Mark Townsend pin over AHS’s Wesley Hobbs at 112 pounds. In the 119-pound class, AHS’s Harley Rash continued to impress, winning by first period pinfall to knot the match at 30-30.
At 125 pounds, WHS’s Demetri Kostas defeated AHS’s Jacob McKinney by pin for a 36-30 advantage.
A forfeit win at 130 pounds by AHS’s Devin Buchanan tied the match yet again, setting the stage for a winner-take-all bout at 135 pounds, where WHS’s Bailey Blethen won by first period pin over AHS’s Zack Freeman to give the visitors from Boone the overall match win.
Over the weekend the Vikings dodged the winter weather for the annual NEO Invitational Tournament.
AHS earned 85.5 points for the tournament, which was won by Enka High School with a total of 209 team points. The Vikings had one champion at the tournament as senior Vance, returning from injury to win four matches, won the individual title at 160 pounds.
A pair of wrestlers, Yackey at 140 pounds and Lecka at 215 pounds, each won four matches to bring home second-place finishes, while Buchanan won three of five matches to capture third place at the 130-pound weight class.
The Vikings took a total of 13 wrestlers to the NEO Tournament, with nine of the competitors earning at least one victory during the event. Of those wrestlers, two of which, Hobbs (103 pounds) and Rash (119 pounds) finished in the top six in their individual tournament field.
The Big Red grapplers return to the mat this Saturday, Dec. 18, when the team travels to Fred T. Foard High School for the annual Tigerland Classic.
