NEW MARKET — Southmont wrestling had a rare home meet on Tuesday when the Mounties hosted the South Vermillion Wildcats. As expected it turned into a very competitive dual meet and after a pin and forfeit losses at 106 and 113, the Mounties found themselves trailing 36-27 with just three matches left and no room for error. Senior Brier Riggle kept the Mounties alive with a 10-6 decision at 120 to make it 36-30. Camden Laney was up next for South at 126 and came through win a big time pin to even the match at 36-36. The match then rested on the shoulders of senior Jeffrey Pine who came through with a second period pin to secure the comeback 42-36 win for the Mounties.
The win for South was a very similar situation to a match they had last week at North Putnam where it came down to Riggle, who secured the win in the final match.
“We’ve had two seniors now that with the meet on the line have stepped up big when we needed them to,” Southmont coach Jamie Welliever said. “It was Jeffrey’s turn tonight and he answered the call. With starting at different weight classes and not necessarily at the very bottom at 106, we’re having different guys being put in positions where they need to come through. We find out a lot about what they’re made of when you see them in pressure situations like tonight.”
Overall results on the night for the Mounties were as follows. Cooper Scott fell via pin to Matthew Helt at 106, South forfeited at 113, Riggle defeated Jacob Whitlow 10-6 at 120, Laney won via pin over Leland Drake at 126, Pine won via pin over Hayden Kindred at 132. Maddox Cade continued his dominant season with a win via pin over Kyle Hissins at 138, James Elliot was defeated by Gavin Martin via pin at 144, Marlin Williams took care of Brayden Nickk at 150 via pin, Hunter Alesi got a big 7-5 OT decision at 157 over Will Faulkner, Paxton Gentry fell via pin at 165 to Christian Peace, Southmont forfeited at 175, Tyler Davis got pin over Eli Bodkins at 190, Rowan Endicott at 215 secured a pin over Mayson Wimsett, and at 285 Ayden Dickerson fell via pin to Zack Hess.
“There were plenty of guys who had key matches left and right,” Welliever added. “Rowan Endicott, Hunter Alesi are just two guys who came through big for us. Anytime you’re going to give up two forfeits against a good team in South Vermillion and still able to come out on top, it’s a good win for us.”
The beginning of the season, Southmont didn’t get off to the best start as they were still figuring out some things in their lineup. Over the last week dating back to their win at North Putnam and carrying that into the Calumet Duals last Saturday, and now against the Wildcats, Welliever is starting to see his team find their footing and begin to wrestle pretty well.
“I think wrestling wise, you can us starting to put more things together out there on the mat,” he said. “I think they’ve also just shown more grit overall and we need to get back to having that. We’ve had our seniors begin to lead very well too. They know they have to lead on and off the mat. They’re pushing these other guys because they know when it’s time to compete we all have to be at our best.”
The Mounties improve to 6-7 on the season and were originally scheduled to wrestle at the county meet on Saturday at CHS, but due to a skin out-break with the Athenians, the meet has been postponed with a makeup date to be announced later this week. As of right now, the Mounties will have a long lay-off until January 3 when they are scheduled to travel to Riverton Parke.
