MHS beats Class 4A's top team
Jerome Boettcher jboettcher@themercury.com
The Manhattan High wrestling team's seniors did their job, as expected, Thursday night.
But what MHS coach Robert Gonzales said put the Indians over defending Class 4A champion Clay Center was his younger wrestlers.
Up eight team points with two matches left, Tyler West and Ronnie Parker faced a couple of the top wrestlers in the state.
While the two young wrestlers might not have picked up wins, they avoiding getting pinned.
That made all the difference as MHS, the defending Class 6A state champion, defeated Class 4A's top-ranked team 35-34 on the road.
Gonzales had to put in several last-minute replacements, due to a few of his starters suffering injury and illness and being out of town. Along with West and Parker, Gonzales said Brandon Hartman and Joey Cavello answered the call.
"What helped us more than anything was our JV program and our depth of our team," Gonzales said. "Those four guys stepped up and fought for us. We just have to overcome adversity. I can't control those things."
But the Indians did overcome it to push their dual record to 9-1.
Eric Rowlands started the night off with a loss in the 215-pound weight class. Defending state champions Steve Andrus and Jeff Vesta then got MHS rolling with two straight pins in 285 and 103, respectively.
Freshman Dane Norris then fell 3-1 in 112 and Kevin Frazier suffered a fall in 119.
Lucas Wagner picked his teammates up with a pin over his opponent in the second period.
"That was huge," Gonzales said.
Hartman then was pinned in 130 but Jacob Wagner followed with a pin of his own in 135.
"He just went out and took care of business," Gonzales said.
Tucker Adams then grabbed four big team points for MHS with a 11-3 major decision in 140.
The Indians then got a tough break in 145 as Steve Miller earned a 15-0 major decision but couldn't get the pin, though Gonzales said there were four near falls.
"My tie's off. I'm throwing the jacket," Gonzales said. "I was just going crazy."
Ricco Hall, also filling in, picked up a big win at 152. Hall edged Zach Anderson 8-7.
"That's a key match right there," Gonzales said. "We lose that, we probably lose the match."
Cavello was then pinned by Ben Davis at 160 and West fell 8-1 to Blake Willman at 171.
So up five team points heading into the final match, Parker just needed to avoid getting pinned.
He did that, losing to ranked Joel Marrs 14-2.
Gonzales said it was one the bigger wins in his 30-year plus coaching career as Clay Center packed the gymnasium and the atmosphere resembled that of a state championship match.
"It was probably one of the most exciting nights of my life," he said. "This win ranks right up there with several. It was very memorable."
Up next for MHS is the Salina South Invitational at 9 a.m. Saturday. The Indians then wrestle Hays High in a dual on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at MHS. The match was originally scheduled for Dec. 13, but was postponed due to the ice storm that hit Manhattan.
