Tornado matmen win big

Butler gets 8 pins in 63-12 triumph

John EnriettoEagle Staff Writer

January 11, 2018 High School Wrestling 

 

BUTLER TWP — The start of this match was by no means a sign of things to come.

Butler's 106-pound freshman Clayton Dressler bumped up to 113 to take on Highlands' Evan Henry to open the dual wrestling match between the schools in the Butler Intermediate gym. Dressler scored two back points in the final seconds for a 6-4 decision.

The next seven Golden Tornado wrestlers to take the mat scored pins en route to a 63-12 Butler victory. The dual lasted 36 minutes.

“We gave up one or two takedowns tonight. I didn't want to give up any,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “I wanted us to dominate and we did that, but you always want to execute moves and square up your opponent all the way through.

“Clayton is a competitor who's not yet as physically strong as he thinks. He made some nice maneuvers to turn around his match.”

Dressler trailed 4-2 entering the third period.

Butler (3-2) took total control from there. Colton Spohn at 120 pounds, Nate McDonald at 138, Rob Hays at 152, Justin Stewart at 1560 and Ian Thompson at heavyweight all recorded pins in the first period.

Nate McMaster at 126 and Jack Codispot at 152 had second-period pins while Hunter Neff pinned his foe 29 seconds into the third period.

Stewart's pin was the seventh straight by a Tornado wrestler.

“I wasn't thinking about that at all,” Stewart said. “When you start thinking about stuff like that, it messes you up.

“We use a match like this to work on technique, to try new things. It's all about getting better as an individual and as a team.”

Highlands (3-7) picked up its lone win on the mat at 182 pounds as Ethan Jones won by pin in 42 seconds.

“We're a very young team,” Golden Rams coach Grant Walters said. “We have two seniors, one jun ior, all the rest freshmen and sophomores.

“That's a lot of first and second-year wrestlers and we've been facing some tough teams. We take any win we can get and try to grow confidence that way.”

Butler is coming off lopsided wins over Knoch and Highlands and is entering the South Side Duals Saturday. The Tornado head to Seneca Valley for a key dual match next Wednesday.

“We couldn't practice Monday because of the snow and ice,” Stoner said. “You want to maintain continuity in wrestling, get some positive work in every day. We even practiced a little bit today before this match.

“We're looking to be a little more aggressive, more assertive on the mat, especially with our younger kids.”

Butler will wrestle South Side, Oil City and Bridgeport (Ohio) in its bracket of the South Side Duals.

“I expect us to win that pool, based on what I've seen in scouting,” Stoner said. “We'll see.”

Butler 63, Highlands 12

(Match started at 106 pounds)

106-No match; 113-Clayton Dressler (B) dec. Evan Henry 6-4; 120-Colton Spohn (B_) pinned Deshawn Holley, 1:07; 126-Nate McMaster (B) pinned Christian Lechner, 3:31; 132-Steven Green (B) by forfeit; 138-Nate McDonald (B) pinned Ian Norris, 1:09; 145-Hunter Neff (B) pinned Callen Danielson, 4:29; 152-Jack Codispot (B) pinned Noah McQuade, 3:31; 160-Rob GHays (B) pinned Jacob Taliana, 1:00; 170-Justin Stewart (B) pinned Alex Korber, 1:29; 182-Ethan Jones (H) pinned Regan Donohue, :42; 195-Christian Sequete (B) by forfeit; 220-Jeremiah Saunders (H) by forfeit; Hwt.-Ian Thompson (B) pinned Jeremiah Nelson, 1:27