Doherty edges Palmer by a single point
Doherty fought its way out of an early deficit to claim a 32-31 win over Palmer in a dual that was every bit as close as the score indicated.
Host Palmer actually won seven bouts Tuesday – compared to six for the Spartans – but Doherty won crucial bonus points with three pins and two technical falls.
Senior Evan Boulton fought through a stomach bug to claim the decisive points with a 13-3 major decision over Chris Doty at 138 pounds in the penultimate match of the night.
The Spartans held a 32-28 edge at that point, but after a break to clean up after Boulton, they had to sweat out the final match of the night, a 14-10 decision for Palmer’s Chris Ransom over Tyler Garcia at 145.
“I knew I had to wrestle different and couldn’t go full out,” Boulton said afterward. “I just tried to take him down and hold him down and try to waste some time.”
Despite his personal circumstances Boulton, who pushed his record to 12-0 on the season, was aware of the team’s circumstances as well.
“I was definitely thinking about the team score so we could beat Palmer,” Boulton said.
Ransom, filling in for the Terrors only returning state placer, Sam McCoy who is recovering from a knee injury, started slow, falling behind Garcia 8-0 in the second period. Early in the third the score was 10-2 and Garcia looked to be in control before Ransom scored a reversal and put together three near falls for a 14-10 decision.
If he had converted any of those near falls to pins the Terrors would have won by two points.
“I knew it was going to be close,” Terrors coach Martin Davidson said. “We just gave up too many pins. Give credit to Doherty. They fought hard and didn’t give up those bonus points.”
The Terrors won five of the first seven matches, including a 41-second pin by Kendall Francisco over Drew Handy at 220, opening up a 25-10 lead.
Freshman Jonathon Garcia recaptured the momentum for the Spartans with a dominant 4 minute, 46 second pin of Jeremiah Bettis at 106. Garcia was up 13-0 when he finally stuck Bettis with a favorite move, a Broken Arrow Cradle. Unlike the more experienced Boutlon, Garcia was not thinking about the team score.
“I knew if I was thinking about the score I wouldn’t do good,” Garcia said. “I was only thinking about my match and the moves I was going to do. I try not to look at the scoreboard and think that I’m the first match and we’re tied.”
Nathan Gonzales at 120 and 132 Thaddeus Hayes followed Garcia’s lead with pins of their own. Hayes stuck Sam Martinez in just 55 seconds, setting up Boulton’s opportunity to claim the Spartans’ first lead since 10-7.
Doherty’s Ricky Mahan also improved to 12-0 with a 16-1 technical fall over Robert Morris at 182.
Palmer’s Andrew Pellow, bottom, battles Doherty’s Marlon Heskett in the 126-pound match Tuesday at Palmer High School. Pellow won 3-2 but Doherty took the team score 32-31. Photo by CHRISTIAN MURDOCK, THE GAZETTE
Palmer’s Jeremiah Bettis tries to take down Doherty’s Jonathon Garcia in the 106-pound match Tuesday at Palmer High School. Garcia pinned Bettis in the third round and Doherty won 32-31. Photo by CHRISTIAN MURDOCK, THE GAZETTE