Derailed earlier this week at Owen, Polk County put its dual team wrestling playoff hopes back on track Friday night.
Focused and fully rostered, the Wolverines downed Hendersonville 43-36 in a Western Highlands Conference match at Polk County, keeping Polk County tied for the league’s top 2A spot. The Wolverines also topped Christ School 60-21 in a non-conference match.
Polk County, 3-2 in the WHC race, hosts Madison on Tuesday and can all but clinch the league’s top 2A seed with a win. That’s been the focus all season for Polk County head coach Phillip Miller.
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“This puts us back on track, and that’s the important thing,” Miller said. “I can’t explain what happened Wednesday (a 44-33 loss to Owen). We had to prove something to ourselves tonight.
“If we can win Tuesday, then ultimately we’re going to be the one seed for the 2A playoffs, and that’s still our goal. That’s where we’ve wanted to be all along.”
One key to Friday’s win – the Wolverines fielded a full team and earned four forfeits, accounting for 24 of the team’s 46 points.
“That’s definitely a big point,” Miller said.
Freshman Devin Panchyshyn gave Polk County its first points Friday with a first-period pin of Jerry Mahle. Three straight forfeits at heavyweight, 106 and 112 lifted the Wolverines to a 24-12 lead before 120-pounder Kevin Sandoval suffered a tough loss, leading throughout and nearly pinning Jonas Seagle until, late in the second period, Seagle suddenly flipped Sandoval and earned the win by pin.
Hendersonville trimmed the margin to 30-24 before Chase Emory scored a dominant win at 138, building a 13-0 lead before pinning Daniel Pearce with 35 seconds remaining in the match. Dustin Calvert followed with a 7-3 decision ar 145 to give the Wolverines a 40-24 advantage.
Senior Anthony Marino then clinched the win for Polk in the best match of the night. Scoreless after two periods, Hendersonville’s Sam Browne opted to let Marino escape and earn a point to open the third period, but the ploy backfired when Marino scored a pair of near-falls, setting the stage for a 7-3 victory.
Polk County 43, Hendersonville 36
106: Triston Watkins (PC) forfeit
112: Frederick Veser (PC) forfeit
120: Jonas Seagle (H) p. Kevin Sandoval
126: Dillion Knighton (PC) forfeit
132: Matthew Digeronimo (H) p. Jose Chavez
138: Chase Emory (PC) p. Daniel Pearce
145: Dustin Calvert (PC) maj. dec. Franklin Blackwell, 14-1
152: Anthony Marino (PC) dec. Sam Browne, 7-3
160: Brad Schweikert (H) p. Cameron Reed
170: Shawn Pearce (H) p. Kenneth Ruff
182: Levi Metcalf (H) p. Jerry Cox
195: Devin Panchyshyn (PC) p. Jerry Mahle
220: Charlie Bosshard (H) p. Donovan Lloyd
285: Marquise Lipscomb (PC) forfeit
