Wrestlers split matches at dual meet

The Outlaws wrestling team split their matches at home on Thursday, January 15. Sisters defeated the Junction City Tigers 36-33 and fell 59-21 to the La Pine Hawks.

In the opening dual meet the Outlaws gave up four forfeits because they had no wrestlers to fill the weight classes. Nick Head (137 pounds), John Connolly (142 pounds), Benton Urquhart (147 pounds) and Andrew Goodwin (287 pounds) received forfeits due to the fact that the Tigers were unable to fill weight classes.

In the second period, senior Dylan Mackenzie (154 pounds) recorded a fall over Shane Moore. Mackenzie was ahead 8-4 when he turned Moore and pinned him with a half nelson.

In the next match, Kody Johns was narrowly defeated by Kevin Knox. Aaron Fegenbush (158 pounds) stepped up and wrestled at 173 pounds. The match was very close, but the extra weight led to a fall by Josh Berg.

The Outlaws won the dual when standout senior, Thomas Schantz, won his match by a fall. Schantz flattened Ben Goodman at 2:25.

Coach Jeff Smith said, "This win was a total team effort. Aaron Fegenbush's effort when wrestling up really put a stop to any momentum Junction City had gained with the narrow win at 162. And the two falls, by Mackenzie and Schantz, sealed the win for us."

Smith told The Nugget that the Outlaws' loss to La Pine was due to the Hawks' superior numbers. Sisters forfeited six weight classes and won half of the contested matches.

Nick Head finished the night 2-0 by recording a fall over Justin Farleigh with six seconds remaining in the first period. Dylan Mackenzie got his second win of the night with a tough 4-2 victory over La Pine senior, Lee Gregory.

Kody Johns followed and pinned Ty Slater at 1:55. Slater had placed third in the Sky-Em Conference last year, so John's win was significant over a standout opponent.

Schantz recorded his second fall of the night when he pinned Garrett Searcy early in the second round.

The Outlaws will face the Marist Spartans in La Pine on Thursday, January 22.