Nevada wrestlers beat Mac County

By Joe Warren

Nevada Herald

Despite spotting the McDonald County Mustangs 18 points in their dual meet Thursday, the Nevada Tiger wrestlers beat the defending Southwest Conference co-champs 48-30.

Having to forfeit at 119-pounds, 125 and 130 because of injuries and lack of depth, the Tigers rebounded by winning nine matches, seven of them by pin.

Mason Heard (103), Matt Kennedy (135), John Christie (145), Keith Overton (152), Spenser Daniels (160), Jerrod Alexander (171) and Tyler Shouse (215) won their matches by pin.

David Hawks (140) and Clayton Leonard (Heavyweight) won decisions for Nevada.

The win was a good rebound for the Tiger grapplers after losing a hard-fought, close dual to Carl Junction on Tuesday.

In that match they again forfeited three matches giving Carl Junction 18 points, and still almost came back to win.

The Tigers were also without Hawks, who has been one of the most consistent wrestlers on the squad this season.

"If we had (Hawks) we would have won that dual," Nevada coach Larron Hurst said.

The Tigers lost 42-36, but Hurst was happy with the effort of his wrestlers this week.

"They don't think they're ever out of it," Hurst said. "We had a chance to win (against C.J.), but these last two matches have been real good."

Hurst said that the team is still relatively young, and that with time they could be pretty solid.

"They just need mat time," he said.

"They just need to wrestle. We're such a green team, we just need mat time."

The Tigers wrestled Saturday at the Excelsior Springs tournament.

The Tigers have two home matches next week, as they host Harrisonville Tuesday and Carthage Thursday.

Both matches next week are big. The dual against Harrisonville will help determine seedings for the district tournament.

Carthage is the other defending co-champion in the Southwest Conference.

"We need to win if we want to still be in this conference hunt," Hurst said of the Carthage dual.

Both matches are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at Wynn Gymnasium.