By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Buoyed by strong performances in the lower weight classes, Watauga High School’s wrestling team defeated Hibriten on Jan. 2, 38-33, in the teams’ first Northwestern Conference dual meet of the 2023-24 season.
The Pioneers’ 106-lb. competitor, Bryan Chen, got things started with a quick pin of the Panthers’ Annie Vanegas midway through the first period. Then in the 113 lb. weight class, Watauga’s Liam Perry recorded a forfeit when Hibriten did not field an athlete.
At 120-lbs, Creed Casner kept thing going for the Pioneers in a close match, defeating Hibriten’s Braydeb Reid, 6-4, giving the Pioneers an early, 15-0 team lead. The visitors got their first points on the board at 126 lbs. when Bryan Reid recorded a fall over Watauga’s Isaac Hensley with 55 seconds remaining in the second period. Watauga still held the team lead, 15-6.
Watauga’s Cole Kleman all but dominated Hibriten’s Landan Baker at 132 lbs. After giving up an early takedown in the first period, Kleman followed with a reversal to knot the score 2-2 at the end of the first period, but the second frame saw the sophomore Pioneer record four near falls in the last two frames before securing a 14-4 decision and expanding the Pioneers’ team lead to 19-6.
Ryder Sullivan made short work of Hibriten’s Noah Koenig at 138 lbs., picking up six more valuable team points with a pin at the 1:14 mark of the second period. Hibriten’s Drew Martin returned the favor one match later, pinning Watauga freshman Lucas Bishop, also in the second period. The team score after the 144-lb. match: Watauga 25. Hibriten 12.
Watauga’s Camden Brock gave the Pioneers a little more early separation with a 7-1 win at 150, prevailing over the Panthers’ Chase McGhinnis, who was competing up a couple of weight classes over what the Hibriten roster has him listed. The Pioneers’ David Brooks looked every bit the dominating force in taking on Hibriten’s Jacob Stillwell at 157 lbs., recording takedowns vs. the Panther senior and letting him escape before finally pinning him in the second period. The win gave the Pioneers a seemingly insurmountable, 34-12 lead, but the Hibriten heavyweights proved formidable and almost won the day for the visitors.
Senior Palmer Smith, who was one of two Pioneers making the 4A state championship tourney a year ago, moved up in weight class, to 165 lbs., vs. Hibriten and somewhat toyed with his Panther opponent, Joshua Stillwell, recording takedowns, letting his opponent escape, and repeating the process for the full three rounds before taking a 12-4 decision.
Smith’s win, expanding the Pioneer lead to 38-12, proved to be Watauga’s last points. Hibriten pins at 175 lbs. 190 lbs. and 215 lbs. caused the Pioneer lead to all but evaporate. At 175, Ashton Woodruff took care of business in pinning Edwyn Vickrey midway through the first period. Dillon Earp did the same vs. Watauga’s Mikey Portante at 190 lbs. Then, Hibriten senior Caleb Walker posted a second round pin against Watauga junior Nick Turnmire, shrinking the Pioneer lead to just 38-30.
Arguably the tightest match of the night was saved for the heavyweight division, which saw Watauga’s Eli Greene edged, 1-0, by Hibriten’s Elijah Amaya-Perez. It was a match that saw Amaya-Perez escape his “down” set position in the second period. Greene was in that position to start the third period. Although he exploded to his feet three times during the final period, trying to escape, he was unable to pry loose his opponent’s fingers and hands before being brought back down each time.
After the match, Watauga head coach Zach Strickland was pleased with the team win in the season’s first conference dual meet, praising the hard work and competitiveness of his athletes, top to bottom.
“Our lower weights won the day,” observed Strickland.
Watauga’s grapplers next compete vs. Freedom, hosting the Patriots on Friday, Jan. 5 in Lentz Eggers Gym, with a scheduled first whistle at 5:30 p.m.
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