Pendleton Heights’ Jay Covington wins his 138-pound match against Mt. Vernon.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Jack Todd pins Mt. Vernon’s Robert Dodson in their 144-pound match.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Gavin Yarger wrestles Mt. Vernon’s Trenton Craner. Yarger won the 150-pound match 12-6.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Garrett Pederson wrestles Mt. Vernon’s Vanden Vail in their 165-pound match. Pederson won via pin.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Chris Crank wins his 190-pound match against Mt. Vernon’s Joliba Brogan.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Alex Heineman pins Mt. Vernon’s Carson Hill in the second period of their Hoosier Heritage Conference match.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Jay Covington pins Mt. Vernon’s Britton Bittner in their 138-pound match.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
By Brady Extin | The Times-Post
FORTVILLE — With the Hoosier Heritage Conference meet coming up at home on Saturday, Pendleton Heights got an early look at some of the competition.
Last Wednesday, the Arabians traveled to Fortville and defeated Mt. Vernon 42-29.
With the dual meet starting at 106 pounds, the Marauders had one of the strongest areas of their lineup hit the mat first.
And they did their job, putting Mt. Vernon ahead 13-6 after four matches.
MV’s Ty Barnhart defeated Pendleton’s Gage Warrum by fall quickly in period one, and after the Arabians Brooks Bond answered with a pin of his own at 113, the Marauders added two straight wins.
At 120 pounds Connor Bayliss won by major decision 9-0 over Elijah Wolf, and in one of the most anticipated matches of the night, Eli Broady defeated Max Bowers at 126 pounds.
Broady entered the night with a 22-2 record and ranked eighth in the state in the weight class, while Bowers entered a perfect 23-0.
With a 4-1 lead entering the final period, an early takedown by Broady put him in full control and he used that to his advantage. He wrestled defensively during the final two minutes to hold on for a 6-3 win.
Over the next three matches, it was the Arabians’ turn to show one of the strongest parts of their lineup.
They reeled off three straight wins by fall, and a fourth win by decision to go ahead 27-13.
At 132 pounds Alex Heineman pinned Carson Hill in period two, at 138 pounds Jay Covington (25-1) pinned Britton Bittner in the second period, and at 138 pounds the Arabians other undefeated and state-ranked wrestler, Jack Todd (18-0), pinned Robert Dodson.
With a third-period swing towards Pendleton Heights’ favor, PH’s Gavin Yarger defeated MV’s Trenton Craner by decision 12-6 at 150 pounds, and all but sealed the Marauders fate.
With a forfeit looming at 285 pounds, Mt. Vernon needed wins in all five matches to have a chance.
They got three and nearly had a fourth.
Brooks McKeeman won by fall at 157 pounds, Elijah Kiner won by major decision at 175 pounds, and Devin Kendrix won by fall at 215 pounds.
Garrett Pederson’s pin of Vanden Vail at 165 pounds, and Chris Crank’s win by decision 8-4 agianst Joliba Brogan at 190 pounds were enough for the Arbains to hold on to the lead.
Pendleton Heights traveled to Fishers on Tuesday, Jan. 9, after press time.