March 29, 2024

Clarke drops three duals at home

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Clarke dropped all three matches Thursday at its home meet against Davis County, Centerville and Wayne.

Clarke head coach Brian Reece said the main problem for the Indians at this point in the season is the injuries.

“We’ve got to get some guys healthy,” said Reece. “That’s where we’re at right now.”

During the Indians’ first dual against Centerville, Clarke lost 60-22 with 36 points coming from forfeits.

Since Clarke had so many wrestlers out of competition, each match was important for the Indians.

“It’s imperative (to get wins),” said Reece. “We’re in a situation where, going into Davis County and Centerville, we’re not going to win those duals. … Our focus is on learning and growing and teaching, me trying to stay patient and calm about it. I told them, prior to the meet, it’s not about results, it’s about effort.”

In the first match competed, Tyler Binning fell at 195 to Centerville’s Ryan Currington. Binning scored a near fall in the first period, but Currington was able to score a reversal which led to the pin.

Jake Smith (220) and Will Smith (285) scored points for Clarke with a 15-4 majority decision win and pin at 1:41, respectively.

Jake Smith dominated, scoring takedown after takedown throughout the match and scoring a near fall in the first period, but couldn’t complete the match with a pin. Will Smith scored a quick takedown and was able to flip Jace Lang from his stomach and record the pin to take six points for the Indians.

Kayden Ludington scored a forfeit win for the Indians before they gave up three consecutive forfeits at 113, 120 and 126.

Zethann May (132) and Kacey Boyer (138) fell to back-to-back pins before Kenneth Fry flipped the script at 145. Fry was able to score a first-period takedown and rolled Centerville’s Leland Henderson before recording a pin at 1:45.

Reece said in the first meet back the Indians fell into some “bad habits again,” but is growing despite the young age of the team.

Davis County rolls to win

The Indians fell to Davis County 48-27 with forfeits continuing to hurt the Indians.

Clarke again gave up six matches to forfeit, with an additional double forfeit.

Binning pulled out a strong performance during his second match. He scored a takedown in the first period and recorded a pin at 0:52. Jake Smith backed up the early pin with one of his own. Jake Smith led 2-0 after the first period from a takedown. He then stuffed a takedown from Davis County’s Clayton Garmon before taking top position and recording a pin at 3:46.

Will Smith fell at 1:03 after Davis County’s Dalton Main took back position, then moving to top before the pin.

May, Boyer and Fry won from a 10-8 decision, disqualification and pin at 1:37, respectively. Boyer’s performance was the match that stuck out to Reece.

“I think Kacey Boyeris a good example of that,” said Reece. “He kept fighting a battling against Davis County and ended up winning the match because he kept doing that. But even if he hadn’t earned that disqualification, we would have been just as proud of him for the way he just pushed throughout the entire match.”

Wayne takes final dual

Wayne took Clarke’s injuries and ran away with a 57-12 victory.

Reece said he saw improvements and growth from the young, inexperienced team as the night went on, not necessarily the results.

“I think in our next two duals (Davis County and Wayne), some of those mistakes got cut out, and that’s what I’m looking for,” said Reece. “So, if we continue to make the same mistakes, that’s not good, but if we can learn from them then that’s what we want to see.”

Binning started the night out with a pin at 0:23 after a takedown allowed him to take position and control. Jake Smith followed Binning with a pin of his own at 0:54 to finish the night 3-0.

Will Smith and Ludington fell to a pin and 10-7 decision loss, respectively, to give Wayne its first nine points of the dual.

Wayne recorded forfeit wins at 113, 126, 138, 152, 170 and 182 – with a double forfeit at 120 and 160 – to roll on to the victory.

The Indians never recovered from the numerous losses from forfeit as Boyer and Fry fell to pins at 0:37 and 1:59, respectively.

Reece said despite the outcome the team has progressed since the beginning of the season.

“I think we’ve come a long way,” said Reece. “Although, I feel like tonight, especially the first dual because we hadn’t competed for a while we slipped into some of those bad habits again. With the youth, we don’t have the guys in the wrestling room where if you put your ear on the mat, they’re going to punish you for that.

“So, you don’t learn by mistakes in the wrestling room as much because we don’t have the guys making them pay for those mistakes. That comes more in competition, and we haven’t had a competition in a few weeks, so we slipped into some bad habits again.”