In their final wrestling match before Christmas, the Washington Blue Lions hosted the McClain Tigers for a Frontier Athletic Conference match and also welcomed the team from Tippecanoe (Tipp City) for a tri-match Thursday evening.
In the first dual of the evening, McClain defeated Tippecanoe, 65-12.
In the middle dual, Washington rolled up a 54-30 win over Tippecanoe.
In the conference portion of the night’s action, McClain picked up a rare win over the Blue Lions, 39-33.
Shane Paul is now in his eighth year as head coach of the Tigers and he stated that this was his team’s first win over the Blue Lions during his tenure.
“We wrestled really well as a team,” Paul said. “The guys wrestled tough. I tell you, the match of the night was at 152 (Keegan Rawlins of McClain against Zane Nelson of Washington, a 2-1 decision going to Rawlins).
“You have two State-calibre guys right there,” Paul said. “Both of those guys are seniors.”
McClain is now 2-0 in the FAC, along with Jackson. McClain previously defeated Chillicothe in the conference.
McClain will host an invitational Saturday, Dec. 30. Teams who will be participating include Campbell County, Ky., nine-time State champions; Youngstown Liberty, Mason and Dayton Christian.
“There are some good teams coming in for our invitational,” Paul said. “We’re going to be challenged.”
“They out-wrestled our guys,” Washington head coach Louis Reid said. “They earned the win.”
Reid spoke about the Rawlins-Nelson match.
“Keegan is still undefeated on the year,” Reid said. “That’s Zane’s second loss of the year. It was a tough match. They came out on top. Zane was a State alternate last year. Keegan has that kind of potential.
“Collier (Brown) and Jaimie (McCane) wrestled a little bit better than they did last week,” Reid said. “They’re sophomores and they’re still trying to find their place. They had two tough kids in Kyler Trefz and Ethan Taylor. Those are two of McClain’s better kids.
“I’m looking forward to the end of the season when Collier and Jaimie are at their best,” Reid said. “I was disappointed that they lost, but I did see some small improvements with them.”
Washington’s next match will be Thursday and Friday, Dec. 28 and 29 at Wheeling Park, West Va.
“We’ll wrestle nine dual meets over two days,” Reid said. “We’ll get back at it. This is not the outcome we wanted; we wanted to go 2-0 tonight. We’ve got some hard work we have to put in; it doesn’t get any easier.”
McClain 39, Washington 33
106 – Lucas Jansen (Mc) won by pin in :40
113 – Collin George (W) won by forfeit
120 – Levi Clay (W) won by forfeit
126 – Dawson Jansen (Mc) won by forfeit
132 – Quinton Smith (Mc) won by forfeit
138 – Jake Krafthefer (Mc) won by pin in :33
145 – Will Baughn (W) won by pin in 4:38
152 – Keegan Rawlins (Mc) d. Zane Nelson (W), 2-1
160 – Sam Willis (W) won by forfeit
170 – Chris Conger (W) won, 6-2
182 – Kyler Trefz (Mc) d. Collier Brown (W), 4-2
195 – Ethan Taylor (Mc) d. Jaimie McCane (W), 11-6
220 – Kade Rawlins (Mc) pinned Wes Frazier (W), 1:42
285 – Adrian Butterbaugh (W) pinned Kai Borrelli (Mc), :17
McClain 65, Tippecanoe 12
106 – Lucas Jansen (Mc) won by forfeit
113 – double forfeit
120 – Ballard (TC) won by forfeit
126 – Dawson Jansen (Mc) won by pin
132 – Quinton Smith (Mc) won by pin
138 – Jake Krafthefer (Mc) won by pin
145 – Thomas Retherford (Mc) won by pin in :37
152 – Keegan Rawlins (Mc) won by forfeit
160 – Snauffer (TC) won by forfeit
170 – Phil Waters (Mc), won 18-2 (tech fall)
182 – Kyler Trefz (Mc) won by forfeit
195 – Ethan Taylor (Mc) won by forfeit
220 – Kade Rawlins (Mc) won by forfeit
285 – Kai Borrelli (Mc) won by forfeit
Washington 54, Tippecanoe 30
106 – Courtney Walker (W) won by forfeit
113 – Collin George (W) won by forfeit
120 – Ballard (TC) won by forfeit
126 – Abrams (TC) won by forfeit
132 – Bruno (TC) won by forfeit
138 – Law (TC) won by forfeit
145 – Will Baughn (W) won by pin, :36
152 – Zane Nelson (W) won by forfeit
160 – Snauffer (TC) won by pin, 1:59
170 – Chris Conger (W) won by pin, :54
182 – Collier Brown (W) won by forfeit
195 – Jaimie McCane (W) won by forfeit
220 – Wes Frazier (W) won by forfeit
285 – Adrian Butterbaugh (W) won by forfeit
Chris Hoppes is the Sports Editor for the Record-Herald in Washington Court House.
