Arabian wrestlers get five victories by fall against Greenfield-Central
PENDLETON — The score was a little deceiving in Pendleton Heights’ dual meet against neighbor and Hoosier Heritage Conference rival Greenfield-Central.
The Arabians wrestling team lost to the host Cougars 49-30 on Wednesday, Nov. 25, but 24 of G-C’s points came on four forfeits.
Due to COVID-19 quarantine and injuries, Pendleton Heights was unable to wrestle in four weight classes, 106, 113, 126 and 160. Teams get 6 points for wins by forfeit.
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Click here to purchase photos from this gallery“I think the four forfeits are probably the most I’ve ever had in all my years at Pendleton, but it’s just that kind of year,” said Arabians head coach Dave Cloud, in his 36th season. “We gave up 24 points and lost by 19. We actually won the match of the matches wrestled. I’m very happy about that. Greenfield-Central is always a tough foe. They wrestle a real aggressive style. For us to come out and handle that well and win the majority of matches we wrestled against them was a good sign for us.”
They also get 6 for winning by pin, and in the 10 matches that were wrestled, Pendleton Heights won five, all by fall.
Ethan Childers (152) and Colin Gillespie (195) were named Wrestlers of the Meet for their performances.
Childers, up by a point late in his match against Clay Guenin, got the G-C grappler on his back for a pin with only one second remaining in the match.
“Ethan is just a grinder. You tell him to do a move, and he’s going to do it until he gets it,” Cloud said. “He was working a Half-Nelson, and the kid was scrambling trying to get a reversal. It was a battle of wills, and Ethan got him over and pinned him with one second left.
“It was really a great match for him because he just ground the kid down until he got the move he wanted. He wouldn’t quit on it. He’s relentless once he gets on something. That’s a great character trait for wrestling or any other sport or any aspect of life.”
Gillespie’s work was done much quicker. It took him less than one minute to pin Greenfield-Central’s Scott Stanley.
“(Stanley) came out really jacked up, jumping around and looked like he was going to do something,” Cloud said. “(Gillespie) handled his initial rush, caught him and threw him for a fall at 43 seconds.”
Jared Brown (138), A.J. Hopkins (220) and Sam Mossoney (285) also won by fall. Two came in the first period. Hopkins defeated Jacob Blevens in 1:27. Brown finished his match in 1:52 against Cameron Burrus. Mossoney won in 2:50 over Brayden Flener.
Jaiden Tong, at 132, lost a tough 8-5 decision to Matt Wickham. Elijah Creel was defeated by major decision (15-3) in a 120-pound match against Dakota Herald.
Rylin Hensley (145), Ryan Butler (170) and Dresdin Roberts (182) all lost by fall. Hensley was defeated late in the first period, in 1:54, by Matt Torres. Butler lost to Silas Frye in 2:49. Roberts was pinned in the third period, 5:02, by Sly Blevens.
Cloud said he likes the way his athletes are wrestling so far in the early season.
He is hopeful to have a full squad soon but believes he’ll still be missing a few weight classes in Saturday’s New Castle Invitational, a round-robin dual tournament that will give the Arabians five matches.
Pendleton Heights went 5-0 and won the event last year. It had come into the tournament with a 1-5 record. This year’s group is 2-2 after four dual meets.
“If we’re giving up some forfeits, it’s tough to win against a team that is balanced and has a full lineup,” Cloud said. “We were in this position last year. We were 1-5 and had a lot of people out the first weekend (at Hamilton Heights), lost to Greenfield and then went 5-0 and won the event at New Castle.
“We’re 2-2, so we’re ahead of where we were last year. It wouldn’t shock me if we had a really good day, but a lot of that has to do with who we are matched up against and if they have forfeits in their lineup.”
