Vikings Split Pair of Duals as Postseason Nears

Avery’s wrestling team earned a second consecutive triumph on the mat with a 35-16 match victory over Hendersonville. It was Senior Night at Viking Gym, and Avery honored its lone senior Nick Malgadey.

The evening got underway at 112 pounds with a double forfeit. Viking junior Brock Yackey quickly dispatched his opponent in the 119 pound class with a 15-0 technical decision. Nick Malgadey picked up a forfeit win 125 pounds to put Avery ahead 11-0. Both clubs forfeited at the 130-pound weight class, and Avery surrendered a forfeit at 135 pounds to make the score 11-6 in favor of the Vikings.

At 140 pounds Avery’s Taylor Potter was defeated by pinfall to give the Bearcats its first lead at 12-11. Bryan Moody wrestled hard and prevented extra team points by pinfall at the 145 pound class, falling in a 12-1 decision to give the Bearcats a 16-11 advantage.

A double forfeit occurred at the 152 pound weight class, and CJ Vance put Avery back on the winning track at 160 pounds with a first period pin to help the Vikings regain a 17-16 lead.

Following a double forfeit at 171 pounds, Kyle Greene stepped up in a huge way as he earned a pinfall victory at the 1:55 mark in the first period to boost the Avery edge to 23-16. Lucas Lecka earned a forfeit win at 215 pounds and Colton Blackburn won by forfeit at the heavyweight class to provide for the final margin.

On Thursday evening, however, the Vikings ran into a deep and talented roster of wrestlers in Columbus from Polk County. The Vikings only managed a single decision victory during the dual when Brock Yackey defeated Polk’s Jose Rameriz by a 13-6 score.

C.J. Vance also put up a strong effort as he fell by a final match score of 24-10. Vance registered ten escapes in the match, but could not overcome a strong effort from Polk’s James Maxwell.

The remainder of the match was all Wolverine victories by either pin or forfeit as Polk County defeated Avery 76-3.

Avery was scheduled to travel to Madison to make up a rescheduled dual meet this past Tuesday to conclude regular season competition, with the conference tournament scheduled for this Friday at Owen High School.