The McClain Tigers varsity wrestling team improved to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the Frontier Athletic Conference (FAC) on Thursday when they defeated the Adena Warriors and FAC foe the Chillicothe Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers were the first to fall to the Tigers on the night as they lost 48-13.
The first match of the evening saw Quinton Smith of McClain lose on points to Caleb Lake of Chillicothe in the 126 pound weight class.
152 pounder Keegan Rawlins got the points back and then some for McClain when he pinned McKellan Lee in just over a minute to put the Tigers ahead 6-3 in team scoring.
Nathan Frazier followed Rawlins’ lead in the next match as he pinned Chillicothe’s 160 pound man, Dominic Nunziato, in the first period to claim six more team points for the Tigers.
Kyler Trefz (182) and Kade Rawlins (220) each won matches on points help McClain secure the team win and start their FAC season 1-0.
The Warriors of Adena were next up for the McClain team as they wrestled their way to 2-0 on the night with a 61-6 victory.
The Tigers’ 106 pounder, Lucas Jansen, pinned James Gregory with nine seconds remaining in the first period.
McClain only dropped one match to the warriors on the night as the Tigers’ 160 pound wrestler, Frazier, was pinned in the first period by the Warriors’ Dalton Metzger.
Smith (126), Phil Waters (170), and Trefz (182) also recorded wins against the Warriors to help secure the win for the Tigers.
McClain head coach Shane Paul was pleased with the effort of his team in their home opener. “It was really good to open up 2-0 at home and 1-0 in the league against Chillicothe. I was very happy with how the team wrestled, they were very tough tonight and everyone was solid,” said Paul.
The McClain coach was complimentary of both of his opponents. “Chillicothe matches up well with us in the upper weight classes. They have some solid athletes in the higher weight classes. Adena wrestles tough, they have a good program. They have better day ahead of them,” Paul said.
McClain will be back in action on Thursday December 21 when they travel to Washington Court House to take on FAC rivals the Blue Lions and the team from Tipp City Tippecanoe.
Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
