The Bethel-Tate Tigers wrestling squad travelled to Wheeling Park, West Virginia last week for the Wheeling Park Duals, an event that attracted 30 schools from around the region.
In their first of eight matches over the two-day span, the Tigers suffered a 45-30 loss to Point Pleasant (WV). The Black Knights earned a victory in the 106-pound division when George Smith pinned Justin Royer. Trey Sander picked up the 113-pound win with a 10-6 decision over Luke Wilson, but Caleb Lane pinned Brad Young in the next match.
Bethel won both the 132 pound and the 138 pound classes by pin, as Robby Perkins and Justin Hixson earned wins over Scottland Wilcox and Jeff Simpkins, respectively. Owen Holtke, BJ Ratcliff and Kermit Beckworth all earned wins for the Tigers. Holtke and Beckworth pinned their respective opponents while Ratcliff earned a 7-2 decision over Andrew Roach in the 182-pound class.
The Tigers returned to the mat immidately, this time facing off against the Dover Tornadoes. Dover dominated the match, winning 48-22. Bethel picked up four points from Kobe Bryant’s victory via decision in the 132-pound class and earned three more when Ratcliff beat Carson Beamer in the 182-pound match 4-0.
Jeffrey Botts picked up six points for the Tigers when he pinned Austin Ross and Kermit Beckworh’s pin of Mason Furbay in the 285 pound class added six more to the Tiger total. The Tigers’ only other victory came when Wyatt O’Neil blanked Riley Warner in the 22o-pound bout 3-0.
In their third match of the day, the Tigers picked up a decisive 43-28 victory over Oak Glen. Sander earned another win, defeating Shawn Moore by major decision 11-1. Brad Young then took home a victory in his 120-pound bout via forfiet, and Bryant followed by pinnning Trey Wright at the 126-pound class.
After back-to-back Oak Glen pins at the 132 and 138 pound classes, the Tigers earned a victory in the 145-pound class thanks to a forfiet. The Golden Bears also were victorious in the 152, 170, and 220 pound classes, but they simply didn’t have enough wrestlers to win. Bethel earned forfiets in the 182 and 195-pound classes by forfiet, and Jordan Newberry’s 9-2 decision over Devon Chadwick in the 160-pound class also helped. Beckworth’s pin of Logan Kranis sealed the deal for the Tigers.
The team’s winning ways continued in their fourth dual of the day against Cuyahoga Falls. Of the 13 weight classes in the match, eight of them were forfieted, including a double-forfiet at the 152-pound class. The Tigers’ only actual defeat came via a pin in the 126-pound class, though the Tigers forfieted the 145-pound match. In the end, only six matches would actually be played and Bethel won five of them, all by pin.
A contest against Massilon Washington ended Bethel’s first day of competition. It was a close bout, but the Tigers fell 39-37. Hixson picked up a win for Bethel, earning a 14-4 major decision over Derek Smith in the 145-pound class. Holtke also earned a win for Bethel, pinning Preston Mattox in the 160-pound class. Botts and O’neil each pinned their opponent as well, and Beckworth won the match in the 285-pound class by forfiet. Jordan Newberry earned a 3-2 victory over Kenny Schaefer in the 170-pound class to close out the scoring for the Tigers.
Bethel opened up the second day of the competition with a 49-24 loss to Ripley (WV). All four of Bethel’s victories were via forfiet. The second match went much better, as the Tigers were able to upend East Liverpool 39-31.
Justin Royer earned a victory in the 106 pound class, pinning Nathan Jackson. Bryant earned another win for the Tigers, pinning Jacob Blystone in the 132-pound class. Holtke picked up a 7-5 decicion over Kyle Walker while Ratcliff and Botts each pinned their opponent. Beckworth earned Bethel’s remaining points by pinning Fred Plumm in the 285-pound bout.
After a 45-32 loss to Weirton Madonna, the Tigers returned to the mat for their final bout of the duals against Field High School. The Tigers dominated, picking up a 52-23 victory. Five of the team’s wins in the match were via forfiet, though Beckworth, O’neil, Botts and Ratcliff all earned victories.
The team returns to action this weekend in a much closer venue. The Tigers will participate in the Maderia Invitational Friday, Jan. 8 at 5 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m.
