By Mark Schmerling

 

Polk County’s varsity wrestling team still has a chance at being first seed at the Jan. 30 Western Highlands Conference Tournament to be held at Polk, but the short-handed Wolverines didn’t help their chances when they hosted, and fell to, Madison, 48-31, on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

With three starters out, at least one of whom was sick, Head Coach Phillip Miller was forced to make adjustments, and a potential win became a loss that three starters might have turned around.

Polk is now 3-3 in WHC competition.

“It’s going to come down to us, Hendersonville, and Madison for seeding at the conference tournament,” Miller noted.

All three are 2A schools, while Mitchell, which is expected to take the conference, and is the defending state champion, is a 1A school.

Miller labeled the loss “a very disappointing evening,” but added, “We’ve still got to go on.”

On Tuesday, the meet began at 160, where Madison won by pin. The Patriots also took the 170 and 182-weight classes by pin, before Jerry Cox, bumped up to 195, won by a 14-4 major decision over Jaden Woods. At that point, Madison led 18-4, but Polk was still in the meet. A forfeit loss at 220, however, dug the Wolverines in a little deeper, and when Marquise Lipscomb was pinned by his much larger opponent at heavyweight, Polk fell behind by 30-4.

Then, the competition shifted to the lightweights, where the Wolverines lost by pin at 106.

That set the stage for a Polk comeback, though it fell short. The Wolverines picked up a forfeit win at 113, but suffered a pin at 120, allowing Madison to lead, 48-10. The Patriots picked up six more points via a forfeit win at 126.

Polk’s Dillon Knighton pinned Josh Yontz at 132 pounds, to the cheering of Polk fans. Polk’s solid 138-pounder Chase Emory also won by pin over Jarred Chandler, while Dustin Calvert added another Wolverine pin at 145, this over Jordan Chandler. Those six points narrowed the lead to 48-28.

But, unfortunately for the Wolverines, it was mathematically too late. In the meet’s final bout, Polk’s Anthony Marion toughed out a 4-0 decision over Luke Clark, but Madison returned to Marshall with a 48-31 win.

Even at that, Miller hasn’t given up hope for a high seed in the conference tournament, to be held at Polk beginning at 5 p.m. Jan. 30.

“We still might get the number one seed,” he remarked, with final seeding depending on what Hendersonville and Madison do in the next week.

This weekend the Wolverines compete in the Razor Rumble at Walhalla in South Carolina.

By Mark Schmerling

Polk County’s varsity wrestling team still has a chance at being first seed at the Jan. 30 Western Highlands Conference Tournament to be held at Polk, but the short-handed Wolverines didn’t help their chances when they hosted, and fell to, Madison, 48-31, on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

With three starters out, at least one of whom was sick, Head Coach Phillip Miller was forced to make adjustments, and a potential win became a loss that three starters might have turned around.

Polk is now 3-3 in WHC competition.

“It’s going to come down to us, Hendersonville, and Madison for seeding at the conference tournament,” Miller noted.

All three are 2A schools, while Mitchell, which is expected to take the conference, and is the defending state champion, is a 1A school.

Miller labeled the loss “a very disappointing evening,” but added, “We’ve still got to go on.”

On Tuesday, the meet began at 160, where Madison won by pin. The Patriots also took the 170 and 182-weight classes by pin, before Jerry Cox, bumped up to 195, won by a 14-4 major decision over Jaden Woods. At that point, Madison led 18-4, but Polk was still in the meet. A forfeit loss at 220, however, dug the Wolverines in a little deeper, and when Marquise Lipscomb was pinned by his much larger opponent at heavyweight, Polk fell behind by 30-4.

Then, the competition shifted to the lightweights, where the Wolverines lost by pin at 106.

That set the stage for a Polk comeback, though it fell short. The Wolverines picked up a forfeit win at 113, but suffered a pin at 120, allowing Madison to lead, 48-10. The Patriots picked up six more points via a forfeit win at 126.

Polk’s Dillon Knighton pinned Josh Yontz at 132 pounds, to the cheering of Polk fans. Polk’s solid 138-pounder Chase Emory also won by pin over Jarred Chandler, while Dustin Calvert added another Wolverine pin at 145, this over Jordan Chandler. Those six points narrowed the lead to 48-28.

But, unfortunately for the Wolverines, it was mathematically too late. In the meet’s final bout, Polk’s Anthony Marion toughed out a 4-0 decision over Luke Clark, but Madison returned to Marshall with a 48-31 win.

Even at that, Miller hasn’t given up hope for a high seed in the conference tournament, to be held at Polk beginning at 5 p.m. Jan. 30.

“We still might get the number one seed,” he remarked, with final seeding depending on what Hendersonville and Madison do in the next week.

This weekend the Wolverines compete in the Razor Rumble at Walhalla in South Carolina.