Photo by Sefton Ipock

White Knoll's Patrick Speers, left, slams Westside's Nick Hoey to the mat during their 152-lb. match. Speers won the match 15-7.

When it comes to bumping in the middle weights, the third time wasn’t the charm for Westside.

Todd McCormick, Westside’s coach, ignited earlier wins over Greenwood and T.L. Hanna by forfeiting at 130 pounds, and bumping his 130- and 135-pounders up to 135 and 140. Monday night in the first round of the state duals tournament against White Knoll, that tactic didn’t pull out a third win.

The visiting Timberwolves split the matches at 135 and 140, which preserved their 20-point lead, and they held on for a 44-27 victory.

“I took a chance,” McCormick said. “We finished better than I ever could have imagined with a young group that we have and only two seniors. I think our guys were a little bit in awe since it’s duals, but that was a big turning point.”

McCormick said he couldn’t hold anything back, and doesn’t regret the strategy because of the two earlier wins that came the same way with sophomore 130/135 Jared Greer, and junior 135/140 Justin Pressley.

“I had faith in him, I still have faith in him,” McCormick said of Greer. “I think he wrestled a great match, he just got caught there at the end. We rolled the dice tonight, and it doesn’t come up our way, but I’ll take that every time with those two.

Greer was pinned by Skyler Walker with four seconds left in the match, which gave White Knoll a 16-point lead.

“I think he fed on some of our guys’ emotions over here,” White Knoll coach Bo Smith said. “We’ve got two seniors on the team, and I told our guys before the match that I don’t want their duals season to end tonight, and I think those guys took it to heart.”

The path to a probable second round visit to Fort Mill started at 119 with the first of what Smith called four “questionable mark” matches. White Knoll’s Josh Phillips’ 12-2 victory over Westside’s Matt Leatherwood began three straight wins leading into the 130 forfeit.

With three No. 1-ranked wrestlers on the mat, both coaches admitted the match would swing the way of the team that won those questionable matchups.

“My 19 and my 12 wrestled the best matches I’ve ever seen them wrestle,” Smith said. “They’re both freshmen, and they both stepped it up tonight. I think just the playoff atmosphere, and the stage was a little bit bigger tonight than what we’re used to, and something brought it out in them.”

The Rams now wait more than two weeks before the AAAA individual qualifying tournament at Hillcrest Feb. 15 and 16.

“Yeah I’m disappointed we lost,” McCormick said. “But, I think we did well at the end, we finished strong.”

Keith Farner can be reached at (864) 260-1236 or by e-mail at farnerkb@IndependentMail.com

Wrestling

White Knoll 44, Westside 27

103 — double forfeit; 112 — Josh Phillips (WK) 12-2 over Matt Leatherwood (W); 119 — Zack Dicus (WK) pinned Stephen Barrett (W); 125 — Shane Lee (WK) pinned Steven Sawyer (W); 130 — Robbie Day (WK) by forfeit; 135 — Skyler Walker (WK) pinned Jared Greer (W); 140 — Justin Pressley (W) pinned Blake Brown (WK); 145 — Zach McCormick (W) pinned Blake Donnely (WK); 152 — Patrick Speers (WK) 15-7 over Nick Hoey (W); 160 — Thomas Speers (WK) pinned Caleb McCarley (W); 171 — Brandon Proveaux (WK) pinned Logan Howell (W); 189 — Cameron McCarley (W) 8-3 over Phillip Austin (WK); 215 — Omar Santa (W) pinned Cody Barton (WK); Hvt —Clarence Jones (W) by forfeit.

Records: White Knoll (18-9); Westside (14-19)