Knights earn runner-up team honors at AU duals
A group of West Holmes High School wrestlers came away with team runner-up honors Saturday, June 10 by posting a strong 9-1 dual meet record at the two-day Ashland University Summer Team Duals Tournament.
The Knights powered through their round-robin pool Friday, June 9, posting a sterling 6-0 mark. After an opening-round bye in the 19-team field, West Holmes blanked University School 56-0, then proceeded to mow down Dublin Jerome (36-11), Worthington Kilbourne (54-3), Heritage-VA (45-9), Wilmington (37-13) and Ashland Crestview (58-6).
The winning streak came to a halt in Saturday’s opening-round dual as the Knights fell to Galion, the eventual team champion, by a 28-21 count. The team rebounded with wins over Pursuit Wrestling Club (27-9), Columbus Bishop Hartley (30-18) and Rootstown (40-15).
“I was very pleased with the way things went,” Knights coach Scott Vaughn said. “The boys beat some good teams and quality competition. For summer wrestling, they looked sharp. With that being said, there have been quite a few guys on the team that have put in significant work already since the season was over.”
Cole Porter (junior, 190 pounds) led the way by finishing 9-1 with four falls, while Grady Hawkins (sophomore, 210, three falls) and Grant Miller (senior, heavyweight, one) both posted 8-2 records.
Louden Dixon (sophomore, 150/160) and Cam McCluggage (sophomore, 175) each posted 7-3 records with four falls, and Hunter McCluggage (junior, 150/160) finished 7-3 with three falls.
Peyton Martin (sophomore, 120/130) finished 5-3 with two falls, while Grady Toye (senior, 140) posted a 5-1 record with three falls during Friday wrestling only. AAJ Roberts (sophomore, 120) finished 3-1.
In exhibition matches Roberts was 3-0 with three falls, Cam McCluggage was 3-0 with two falls, Toye, Hunter McCluggage, Porter and Miller were each 1-0 with one fall and Martin was 1-1.
Also wrestling as part of the West Holmes team were Camden Richardson (sophomore, 110), a student at New Philadelphia, and Michael Thomas (senior, 130/140), a student at Madison Comprehensive. They added greatly to WH’s team runner-up finish as Richardson posted an 8-2 record with five falls and Thomas finished 7-3 with five falls.