PLYMOUTH — It was a Senior Night NLC street fight for Plymouth’s wrestlers but NorthWood had one more break as they took a 45-30 win at Plymouth.
The Rockies were within three headed to the final two matches and appeared on the way to a possible tie but NorthWood’s Wes Yoder was able to get a break when Plymouth’s Cadyn Smith, leading 7-0 in the match, had a bit too much momentum on a move, allowing Yoder gain a quick advantage and jump to a pin.
NorthWood’s Connor Ratcliff was then able to ride out Kyle Richey’s challenge for another pin for the final tally.
It was a night of all or nothing on the mat as the lone match not decided by a pin on the night was at 160 where NorthWood’s Kaden Lone beat Bradey Pittman 7-1.
NorthWood put together an early lead in the match that saw most of the heavier weight classes compete but as the weight’s got lighter the Plymouth score went higher.
“We have three brothers (Wesley, Cadyn, and Dominic Smith) in that rotation that have been wrestling for their whole lives and we have Nathan Derifield that is tough as nails,” said Plymouth head coach Travis Smith. “We can’t let one go in those lower weight classes, the way we did tonight.”
“In the upper classes we have a freshman at 220 and we have a guy at heavyweight who’s only wrestled one year and is really only 200 pounds,” said Smith. “When you are behind in experience like that it’s tough to deal with. We are forfeiting at 106 and 113 too.”
While maybe lacking experience the Rockies at the upper classes didn’t back down from the senior and junior dominated Panthers.
Plymouth’s lone senior in the upper classes, Sam Driver, gave his team a pin at 195 over NorthWood’s Joas Miller. Junior Zach Truitt also got a pin in his match at 170.
“They are bangers, they hold their own,” said Smith of his upper weight class group. “We really push that in the room to be intense. One thing that I’ve always pushed since I’ve been coaching is that we are going to match that intensity or better it and keep pushing and banging and fight hard. We will fix all the technical stuff as we go.”
Even in an NLC loss, Smith is upbeat about his team and the rest of their season.
“I feel great,” he said. “We have five freshmen in the lineup, some juniors that we have coming back next year, we’ve got the club and the middle school working out down there too. Coach (Bob) Read left me in a great spot.”
Plymouth is now 10-7 on the season and will be in action again on Thursday at Concord.
•NORTHWOOD 45, PLYMOUTH 30
at Plymouth
Results:
152 — Hunter Lechlitner (NW) def Mason Keller (P) Pin
160 — Kaden Lone (NW) def Bradey Pittman (P) 7-1
170 — Zach Truitt (P) def Alex Walker (NW) Pin
182 — Trey Tobias (NW) def Matthew McCrum (P) Pin
195 — Sam Driver (P) def Joas Miller (NW) Pin
220 — Isaac Benjamin (NW) def Anthony Popi (P) Pin
Heavyweight — Blake Herr (NW) def Joey Garcia (P) Pin
106 — Ryan Miller (NW) Forfeit
113 — Double Forfeit
120 — Wes Smith (P) def Lynkin Ratcliff (NW) Pin
126 — Dominic Smith (P) def Keith Miller (NW) Pin
132 — Nathan Derifield (P) def Payton Griffin (NW) Pin
138 — Wes Yoder (NW) def Cadyn Smith (P) Pin
145 — Connor Ratcliff (NW) def Tyler Richey (P) Pin
