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No better way to shake off the holiday rust than with a victory.

Or two.

Polk County’s wrestlers returned to the mat Wednesday for a non-conference home tri-meet with Rosman and Shelby. The Wolverines swept the evening, topping Rosman 48-27 and Shelby 57-18.

The matches offered the Wolverines (7-6) a chance to return to the mat after taking several days away for the Christmas holiday. The layoff perhaps impacted Polk’s first match against an illness-depleted Rosman squad, which actually won all five contested matches but forfeited eight weight classes.

But Polk rebounded in the nightcap, with Logan Nodine, Zalen McCraw and John Wright each delivering victories by pin. Jaydn Virgil then earned a hard-fought 8-2 decision over Izreal Wrighton in perhaps the evening’s best match, and Kendall McEntyre and Carter Wade also delivered victories by fall.

“That first match, you could tell we were a little lethargic,” said Polk County head coach Thomas Hensley. “The second dual, we came out with a little more fire, and that was positive to see.

“We’re still a young team. I told them we’ll be a good team, but we’re still a young team. We’ve still got a lot to learn.”

Preparing to enter the final stretch of the regular season, Polk will continue building for that run with Friday’s appearance in the Carolina Winter Nationals at Tryon International Equestrian Center. The action starts at 11 a.m., and the Wolverines will wrestle at least five matches.

“We’re excited to be part of that right here in Polk County,” Hensley said. “Darrin May is doing a great job with it, and Shane Blackwell has a hand in it and doing a great job.”