By Mike Frank
Examiner Sports Writer
West Liberty-Salem seems to be hitting their stride at just the right time.
The Tigers took a break from the tournament circuit, facing fellow Ohio Heritage Conference member Madison Plains in a dual meet Wednesday. The Tigers came out on top by a score of 55-24.
“It’s nice to do something that’s not going to take all day and get fans a chance to come out and watch,” said West Liberty-Salem head coach Andy Hartshorn.
“We work really hard to peak toward the end of the year, and we’re getting close to that. We like an opportunity to see areas where we’ve been getting better and areas where we need to keep getting better.”
On Wednesday, the Tigers won eight of the 10 contested bouts, getting a major decision, tech fall or pin in all of them.
Earning falls for the Tigers were Zayden Shafer (113), Madden Kilgore (120), Lucas Merriman (126), Kyler Langhardt (138) and Sam Bradford (190).
Silas Krabill dominated at 165 for a tech fall, while Derek Wall (144) and Maverick Reames (215) both got major decisions (a win by eight points or more).
West Liberty’s Lance Saylor (132) and Robert Park (157) got wins by forfeit, with the Golden Eagles winning at 150 and 285 without an opponent.
Starting the night off at 106 pounds were Peyton Whitt for the Golden Eagles and Wyatt Shoemaker of the Tigers. Whitt grabbed a 7-0 lead with a takedown and four back points midway through the first period. Shoemaker fought back, getting a reversal and two near-fall points at the end to make it 7-4 Shoemaker was awarded a penalty point and got a reversal in the second to tie it up. They battled into the third, with Whitt earning a pin with 1:01 to go.
At 113, Shafer took on Andrew Stoltz. Shafer got the first takedown, then fell behind 4-3. After a penalty on Stoltz tied it, Shafer escaped then got a takedown and two back points in the closing seconds for a 10-4 lead. Stoltz broke free for one point in the second, but Shafer scored a takedown with just a couple seconds left. Shafer continued to pile up the points in the third until getting the pin with just over a minute left.
Kilgore was taken down by the Eagles’ Ethan Pool to start things at 120. He got a two-point reversal, then collected six back points. He ended the match early in the second period with a reversal and then the pin.
At 126, Merriman, the team’s only junior, scored a takedown of Madison Plains’ Blake Doughty and added two more points for a near-fall 30 seconds in. Doughty fended him off for the rest of the period. In the second, Merriman broke loose from the bottom position, and got the pin just before the midway point of the period.
After Saylor’s forfeit win, Langhardt got the first score against the Eagles’ Landon Hottinger, a three-point takedown after 30 seconds. Hottinger eventually got free for one point, but Langhardt gained control again for a 6-1 edge. They battled through most of the second period. Then, with 25 seconds to go, Langhardt put Hottinger’s shoulders to the mat, making it 30-6 for the Tigers.
The most closely contested match of the night came next at 144 featuring Wall of the Tigers and Wyatt Evans for Madison Plains. The first period saw Wall have the upper hand with three takedowns. Evans managed to get out each time, making it 9-3. Wall got out from the bottom position to start the second. Evans then took him down, cutting it to 10-4. A reversal just before the buzzer boosted Wall’s lead. In the final two minutes, Wall got another three-point takedown, and allowed just one to get the 15-7 major decision.
The teams traded forfeit victories at 150 and 157. The two wrestlers — Park of WL-S and Tre Smith of the Golden Eagles — then had an exhibition match and Smith earned a pin.
Moving up to 165, Silas Krabill took on MP’s Tyler Hook. Krabill repeatedly took Hook down, then allowed him up to get more scoring opportunities. The match ended with 18 seconds left in the first as Krabill was ahead 18-3.
Madison Plains’ Richie Roeder got his squad’s second win of the night with a pin of the Tigers’ Tim Krabill in 33 seconds.
At 190, Bradford faced Michael House. A quick takedown led to a pin at 59 seconds of the first.
Reames faced Tyler Martin in the 215-pound class. He was awarded a point for Martin stalling, then scored six more at the end of the first period. The second was scoreless, but a takedown and four near-fall points in the third gave him the 14-0 win worth four team points.
Logan Bush of Madison Plains then went unopposed at heavyweight to conclude the evening.
“Having a full lineup is kind of a new thing for us,” said Hartshorn. The team has grown from four kids when he started five years ago to 17 this year, including four girls.
“It’s given kids with less experience an opportunity to compete with the older guys in the room,” he said. “We see everybody as equals in there. They get the treatment and feel like coaches work specifically with me on these days. And it gives us a chance to build some confidence and go out there and really get lots of reps and do what you saw tonight.”
West Liberty-Salem will compete in a tournament hosted by Lima Central Catholic this weekend.
West Liberty Salem 55, Madison Plains 24
106 — Peyton Whitt (MP) pin Wyatt Shoemaker (WLS), 4:59
113 — Zayden Shafer (WLS) pin Andrew Stoltz (MP), 4:57
120 — Madden Kilgore (WLS) pin Ethan Pool (MP), 2:16
126 — Lucas Merriman (WLS) pin Blake Doughty (MP), 2:48
132 — Lance Saylor (WLS) win by forfeit
138 — Kyler Langhardt (WLS) pin Landon Hottinger (MP), 3:35
144 — Derek Wall (WLS) maj. dec. Wyatt Evans (MP), 15-7
150 — Tre Smith (MP) win by forfeit
157 — Robert Park (WLS) win by forfeit
165 — Silas Krabill (WLS) tech fall over Tyler Hook (MP), 2:42
175 — Richie Roder (MP) pin Tim Krabill (WLS), 0:33
190 — Sam Bradford (WLS) pin Michael House (MP), 0:59
215 — Maverick Reames (WLS) maj. dec. Tyler Martin, 14-0
285 — Logan Bush (MP) win by forfeit