Polk County Middle School earned its first wrestling victory of the season on Thursday, matching Rugby Middle 46-46 and then winning a tiebreaker to win the Blue Ridge Middle School Conference match.
Polk Middle won nine matches to Rugby’s eight, with 182-pounder Hayden Shumate earning the key points. Shumate earned a decision in overtime to pick up the three points Polk needed to tie the match as well as the ninth win to clinch the tiebreaker.
“Our wrestlers have come a long way since their first two matches,” said Polk County Middle head coach Ben Johnson. “It was like watching a whole new team out there. I’m proud of their accomplishment. They all have grown so much technically and mentally in the past few days
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“After two losses my coaching staff and I made it our mission to get our wrestlers refocused. We also had to readjust the way we conducted practice for what would work best for our wrestlers and their abilities. With the help from Coach Stott and Coach Jenkins, we are back on track.”
Match winners for Polk included:
83: Ethan Edwards (PC) maj. dec. Josh Nesbitt
120: Javin Mings (PC) p. Camron Brothers
138: Charlie McKaig (PC) p. Rogelio Baez
145: Kyle Wahnon (PC) p. Josh Candler
152: Braden Miller (PC) dec. Josh McGlinsky
182: Hayden Shumate (PC) dec. Logan Goforth, OT
195: Michael Bradley (PC) p. Mason Owen
220: Devin Panchyshyn (PC) forfeit
Hwt.: Bryson Jenkins (PC) forfeit
The Wolverines return to the mat on Monday, traveling to Apple Valley.
