The Mathews High School varsity wrestling team fell to Gloucester last Wednesday, 48-27, and then went on place second in Saturday’s Mathews Duals with a 4-1 record on the day.
On Jan. 26, the Devils hosted their next-door neighbors, the AAA Dukes. Individual winners for Mathews included Caleb Miller (103 lbs., 6-0 decision), Russell Reed (152 lbs., pin in 1:28), C.W. Sorey (171 lbs., pin in 1:09) and Austin Fravel (189 lbs., pin in 1:36).
On Saturday, Mathews welcomed teams from Arcadia, Middlesex, Lancaster, Bruton and Franklin in a six-team round-robin competition. Arcadia went 5-0 to win the Mathews Duals, while the host Devils came in second at 4-1.
With Miller out sick, and all of the backups at the Hampton jayvee tournament, Mathews had only nine wrestlers able to compete.
In the first contest, Mathews defeated Lancaster, 50-24. Winners included Matt Rouland (125 lbs., 17-2 tech fall victory), Reed (8-2 decision) and James Pavik (189 lbs., pin in 5:02). MHS wrestlers Elisha Kane (112 lbs.), Sean Rhodes (119 lbs.), Jamie Perigny (130 lbs.), Billy Bower (160 lbs.), Sorey and Willie Moore (285 lbs.) all picked up forfeit wins.
Mathews continued its winning streak in the next round against Franklin, 48-18. Winners for the Devils included Rhodes (pin in 1:33), Reed (pin in :54), Bower (pin in :46), Sorey (pin in 3:05), Pavik (pin in 3:39) and Moore (pin in :51). Rouland and Perigny earned forfeit victories.
In the next round, the Devils beat AA Bruton, 45-36. Rouland (pin in 1:04), Reed (7-3 decision), Bower (pin in 2:30), Sorey (pin in 1:20), Pavik (pin in :48) and Moore (pin in :43) earned wins for Mathews. Kane and Rhodes accepted forfeits.
While winning by a 7-3 margin, Reed’s bout was much closer than the final score indicates. He was losing 2-1 after giving up a takedown and scoring an escape in the first period. He scored an escape and a takedown in the second period. Then Bruton’s Greg Buchtel got an escape, making the score 4-3 starting the third period. Buchtel took bottom and Reed put him on his back for a three-point near fall, a big win for the Blue Devil senior and co-captain.
Although Kane accepted a forfeit, he went on to face a Chincoteague wrestler that came with the Arcadia team and competed unofficially with Bruton. Kane pinned that wrestler in 2:44.
Mathews suffered its only loss to Arcadia, 54-27. Rouland (pin in :28), Reed (pin in :50), Sorey (4-2 decision), Pavik (pin in 3:19) and Moore (pin in :42) were the only winners for the Devils. Sorey’s bout with Dillion Matthews was the biggest match of the day, going into overtime. Trailing 2-1 at the start of the third period, Sorey took bottom and scored an escape to tie it up at 2-2. He scored the takedown at the end of the OT period to get the win.
The final dual match of the day pitted Mathews against Middlesex, with the Devils beating the Chargers, 46-30. Kane (pin in :21), Rhodes (pin in 4:46), Rouland (pin in :29), Reed (pin in 3:38), Sorey (15-3 major decision), Pavik (pin in :58) and Moore (pin in 1:09) were winners for Mathews. Rhodes was trailing, 13-0, when he got his pin with only 14 seconds left on the clock.
"Giving up 30 points in forfeits (in most cases) makes it a little tough winning a dual match, but we wrestled very well and it looks like we are peaking at the right time," said MHS head coach Tom Holaday.
At the Hampton jayvee tournament, Matt Marquardt (140 lbs.) placed fourth. Others participating were Harrison Cullison, Sam Moore, Jeremiah Wheat, Dusty Moore, Bradley Wood, Hans Saunders and Fravel.
Mathews will host Middlesex and King William tonight, starting at 5:30. Next week, the Devils will host the Region A tournament.