Polk County’s run of success against larger schools in the Carolina Clash Super Duals finally ended Saturday afternoon.
The Wolverines finished undefeated in pool play before falling 38-34 to 4A Pinecrest in the tournament semifinals at Tryon International Equestrian Center.
Polk then dropped a 35-32 decision to Enka to finish fourth in the 24-team event, held over two days in TIEC’s massive indoor arena.
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For a Polk team missing a handful of key starters, the finish could only be labeled a success. The Wolverines posted a 7-2 mark for the weekend, improving their season record to 20-4.
Pisgah, which won two matches by shutout during the tourney, crushed Pinecrest 52-19 in the championship match to land the Super Duals title.
Polk opened Saturday’s action with a 52-24 decision over Tuscola, then had a break with a forfeit win over Madison.
That led to a matchup with Gaffney to determine the winner of their pool and a berth in the tourney semifinals. The Indians controlled most of the middle and upper weights and built a 34-12 lead. But Liam Jackson scored a 16-7 win at 113 points, Efrain Rivera notched a quick pin at 120 and Amon Villarreal won a hard-fought 9-6 decision at 126 pounds to trim Gaffney’s lead to 34-25.
Brody Wolfe followed with a second-period pin at 132 pounds, slicing Gaffney’s lead to 34-31. Needing at least a win by decision, Polk’s Connor Ahlert bounced back from an early takedown and pinned Gaffney’s Jack Fox in the second period, securing the team win for the Wolverines.
Polk grabbed an 18-6 lead in the semifinal clash with Pinecrest, but the Wolverines forfeited the 285 and 106-pound classes, as they did throughout Saturday, and that helped the Patriots surge to a 30-18 advantage.
Back came the Wolverines as Jackson and Rivera each scored wins by technical fall and Villarreal and Wolfe each won by decision, giving Polk a 34-29 lead (Pinecrest lost a team point due to coaches misconduct). But Pinecrest’s Mitchell Rowland notched a technical fall at 138 pounds to even the match, and Liam Ewan decisioned Ahlert 12-0 at 144 pounds to clinch the win.
The match with Enka followed a similar pattern as Rivera, Villarreal, Wolfe, Virgil and Ahlert won consecutive matches to rally Polk from an early deficit to a 32-29 lead. Enka’s Jackson Gacono, though, pinned Evan McCraw in the second period of their 150-pound match to secure third place for the Jets.
Polk County will next be in action on January 2, hosting a quad match with East Rutherford, Chase and Lincoln Charter. That match will begin at 4:30 p.m. at Polk County Middle School.
Polk County 52, Tuscola 24
132 – Brody Wolfe (PC) p. Cody Shelton (Fall 1:01)
138 – Micah Howard (T) p. Conner Ahlert (Fall 2:46)
144 – Jaxtyn Virgil (PC) p. Henry Spivey (Fall 2:18)
150 – Zachary Duncan (T) p. Jayvin Clark (Fall 2:46)
157 – Carson Bell (PC) p. Carter Webb (Fall 0:16)
165 – Chase Hillis (T) p. Isaiah Staley (Fall 1:14)
175 – Zalen McCraw (PC) by forfeit
190 – Chester Wilson (PC) by forfeit
215 – Callum Eadus (PC) by forfeit
285 – Nick Messer (T) by forfeit
106 – Double forfeit
113 – Liam Jackson (PC) maj. dec. David Levi Wood, 15-1
120 – Efrain Rivera (PC) p. Michael Lettner (Fall 1:18)
126 – Amon Villarreal (PC) by forfeit
Polk County 37, Gaffney 34
144 – Michael Mabry (G) p. Jaxtyn Virgil (Fall 2:43)
150 – Brody Price (G) maj. dec. Evan McCraw, 18-9
157 – Tyler Moore (G) p. Mykah Hills (Fall 1:39)
165 – Andrew Ellis (G) p. Carson Bell (Fall 4:20)
175 – Zalen McCraw (PC) p. AJ Logan (Fall 0:47)
190 – Chester Wilson (PC) p. Christian Park (Fall 3:07)
215 – Jamir Wroten (G) p. Callum Eadus (Fall 0:31)
285 – Jamar Duntin (G) by forfeit
106 – Double forfeit
113 – Liam Jackson (PC) maj. dec. Calvin Cook, 16-7
120 – Efrain Rivera (PC) p. Lucas Bedenbaugh (Fall 1:17)
126 – Amon Villarreal (PC) d. Wesley Porter, 9-6
132 – Brody Wolfe (PC) p. Samuel Ivy (Fall 3:37)
138 – Conner Ahlert (PC) p. Jack Fox (Fall 3:28)
Pinecrest 38, Polk County 34
150 – Evan Williams (Pi) p. Jayvin Clark (Fall 0:40)
157 – Carson Bell (PC) p. Leon Lambrecht (Fall 0:40)
165 – Isaiah Staley (PC) p. Jax Harrison (Fall 1:30)
175 – Zalen McCraw (PC) p. Aurelius Ramirez (Fall 3:20)
190 – Rollins Rodriguez (Pi) p. Chester Wilson (Fall 1:05)
215 – Cole Harrison (Pi) p. Callum Eadus (Fall 0:45)
285 – Finn Morgan (Pi) by forfeit
106 – Matthew Akins (Pi) by forfeit
113 – Liam Jackson (PC) tech. fall Jakob Trujillio, 20-2
120 – Efrain Rivera (PC) tech. fall Jimmy Araujo, 18-2
126 – Amon Villarreal (PC) d. Elijah Savala, 11-7
132 – Brody Wolfe (PC) d. Ethan Finn, 11-5
138 – Mitchell Rowland (Pi) tech. fall Jaxtyn Virgil, 15-0
144 – Liam Ewan (Pi) maj. dec. Conner Ahlert, 12-0
Pi’s team score was adjusted by -1.0 for coaches misconduct
Enka 35, Polk County 32
157 – Carson Bell (PC) tech. fall Titus Nielsen, 17-2
165 – Dillon Ledford (E) maj. dec. Isaiah Staley, 11-1
175 – Zalen McCraw (PC) maj. dec. Zeke Williamson, 11-2
190 – Coleman Jones (E) tech. fall Chester Wilson, 19-3
215 – Logan Weaver (E) d. Callum Eadus, 7-4
285 – Owen Hinson (E) by forfeit
106 – Jacobie Morrison (E) by forfeit
113 – Colton Farmer (E) tech. fall Liam Jackson, 17-0
120 – Efrain Rivera (PC) maj. dec. Sheppard Homan, 13-5
126 – Amon Villarreal (PC) maj. dec. Colson Stroupe, 9-1
132 – Brody Wolfe (PC) maj. dec. Jack Redd, 11-0
138 – Jaxtyn Virgil (PC) tech. fall Cory Flunory, 19-3
144 – Conner Ahlert (PC) by forfeit
150 – Jackson Gacono (E) p. Evan McCraw (Fall 3:52)
