By Garth Shanklin-
Ill-timed injuries resulting in a depleted roster put the West Union wrestling team in a tough spot entering an in-school dual at Bethel-Tate on Friday, Jan. 17.
Down four wrestlers overall, two to injury, the Dragons were forced to forfeit seven weight classes against the host Tigers, spotting Bethel-Tate 42 points in what became a 69-6 Tiger victory.
Of the four missing Dragons, one chose not to return to the team this season while another is no longer with the program due to disciplinary issues. The remaining two are injured. “I lost two kids to shoulder injuries the same day within 12 minutes of each other,” West Union head coach Michael Felts said. “When you’re walking into a dual down 48-0…”
Both teams forfeited at 106 pounds. At 113 pounds, Bethel-Tate’s Trinity Donahue broke a 4-4 tie with a pin of West Union’s Jacob Reed just before the end of the first period, putting the Tigers ahead 6-0.
West Union then forfeited the next three bouts. When the Dragons returned to the mat down 24-0, Waylon Queen fell to Bethel-Tate’s Trent Riley 5-2 in the 138-pound class.
The Tigers won the 145-pound bout as well, with Alex Whittington pinning Dayne Rainwater at the 4:32 mark of the match. Bethel-Tate led 33-0 at that point.
West Union forfeited again at 160. In the 170-pound match, Bethel-Tate’s Mikey Molloy pinned Austin Babb in 1:48.
The Tigers won the 182, 195 and 220-pound classes via forfeit.
West Union’s lone win came at 285. Jack Steed fell behind Bethel-Tate’s Jayce Glenn 3-0 after one period.
Glenn escaped, taking a 4-0 lead in the second. Steed flipped the script, toppling Glenn and pinning him in 3:03 to pick up the victory.
“Jack is the glue that keeps us together,” Felts said. “His attitude is great. His willingness to go out and fight and scrap every time is something these kids can look up to. Jayce is a great kid. We beat him earlier in the season and Jack wanted to make sure that wasn’t a fluke. He went out and wrestled well, stuck to the game plan.”
Even with the lopsided result, Felts thought his six wrestlers that were able to do some positive things despite a lack of on-mat experience.
“We’re very new to the sport, very green to the sport,” Felts said. “The aggressiveness and the attitudes were great, the finishing of the matches not so great. We’re new.”
Bethel-Tate wrestlers are not nearly as new to the sport. The Tigers have won regional team dual championships two of the last three years and were regional runners-up to Blanchester in 2019.
“We’re wrestling kids that have been wrestling since they’re 10, 11, 12, trying to close that gap is difficult,” Felts said. “We just need a little more experience in those situations.”
