The Washington Blue Lion wrestling team hosted former South Central Ohio League opponents Wilmington for a dual match Wednesday, Dec. 11.
On the strength of eight pins, Wilmington defeated Washington, 55-20.
The match started at 126 pounds with Washington’s Branton Dawes winning an 8-3 decision over Donovan Butler.
At 152 pounds, Washington’s Kalub Wilkerson pinned Logan Salatin in 4:58.
Washington’s Collier Brown pinned Jayden Doyle in 1:11 at 220 pounds.
At heavyweight, Washington’s Mason Mustain defeated Brock Rappach by technical fall, 16-1.
“Wilmington has a pretty good team,” Washington head coach Louis Reid said. “They return a lot of good kids.
“For us, we’re young right now,” Reid said. “I don’t think we look like a team like we’re going to be at the end of the year. In our line-up right now, we have six out of the 14 weight classes who are first-year or freshman wrestlers. That’s pretty big.
“I don’t want to take anything away from Wilmington,” Reid said. “Wilmington came in with a focus. We’ve beaten them in a dual the past three or four years, I believe. It’s always come down to the last (match). This is the first time it’s been a blowout. They came in and put it on us.
“We have to get back in the room and pick up our intensity,” Reid said. “I feel our intensity has been lacking. Our technique looks pretty good, but we need to pick up our intensity in order to be able to compete with some of these better teams.
“Seniors Collier Brown and Kalub Wilkerson, they went out and picked up wins like we needed them to,” Reid said. “(Branton) Dawes, a returning State-qualifier, picked up a win. The Butler kid wrestled us pretty tough. We did what we needed to do in that match.
“(Mason) Mustain went up a weight class,” Reid said. “That was a change for him. He won by tech fall.
“We had three or four kids wrestling at different weight classes,” Reid said. “We’re going to go back in the room and work hard and clean up some of the issues we have. We’re going to work on our intensity and we’re going to work a little bit on technique and I think we’ll be ready to wrestle on Saturday.”
Washington will be hosting its annual pool-style tournament Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
“I want to say it’s our 10th annual Quali-Tee tournament,” Reid said. “Quali-Tee (Design Sportswear) sponsors it and we really appreciate their support. We bring in 12 teams from all over the state and from Kentucky.
“Division II New Lexington, who is ranked in the top 10 in the District we’ll be (competing in), they’ll be coming to our tournament,” Reid said. “They return a couple of State-qualifiers and a State-placer. They’ve won our tournament the last three or four years. One of the teams from Kentucky is ranked No. 2 in the state; the other one is ranked in the top 10.
“We try to see the best competition we can to help prepare us for the FAC (Frontier Athletic Conference) and the postseason,” Reid said. “That’s why we have to get in (the room), work on the things that need improvement and be ready to wrestle Saturday. It doesn’t get any easier.”
Wilmington 55, Washington 20
126 – Branton Dawes (WCH) dec. Donovan Butler (Wil), 8-3
132 – Lee Lynch (Wil) maj. dec. Cody Brown (WCH), 15-5
138 – Domonic Davidson (Wil) pinned James Caldwell (WCH), 1:00
145 – Sam Eastes (Wil) pinned Josiah Whitt (WCH), 2:52
152 – Kalub Wilkerson (WCH) pinned Logan Salatin (Wil), 4:58
160 – Dalton Garrison (Wil) pinned Connor Day (WCH), 1:34
170 – Kile Holland (Wil) pinned Brayden Kettles (WCH), 1:43
182 – Jevon Bays-King (Wil) pinned Jared Kuhn (WCH), :26
195 – Logan Current (Wil) pinned Rickie Woods (WCH), :15
220 – Collier Brown (WCH) pinned Jayden Doyle (Wil), 1:11
Hwt – Mason Mustain (WCH) tech fall Brock Rappach (Wil), 16-1
106 – Jaden Snyder (Wil) dec. Ian Roush (WCH), 9-4
113 – Thane McCoy (Wil) pinned Jenna Kuhn (WCH), :18
120 – Devon Snyder (Wil) pinned Kaylee Cubbage (WCH), :39
