By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
Junior Justin “Weasel” Moore notched his 100th career victory Tuesday evening and three seniors earned impressive wins on what was an otherwise dark Senior Night at Washington High School.
The Pam Pack had to forfeit four weight classes and never really had a chance in their final home meet of the season, falling 54-20 in a match that was marred by a 25-minute power outage.
After Washington’s Michael Goldberg dropped a hard-fought 8-4 decision to open the match at 171 pounds, Moore took center stage for his chance at win No. 100.
From the start, it was all Moore, as he raced out to a 10-0 first period lead, before putting New Bern’s Anthony Wawrzonek on his back twice in the second period to win by technical fall, 15-0, in a little over two-and-half minutes.
Moore is now 100-15 in his three-year career.
Pam Pack senior Johnnie Smallwood followed up Moore’s historic victory with a memorable win of his own in the 215-pound bout. Smallwood turned a close match into exciting pin midway through the third period as he was able to put the Bears’ Ramsey Fields on his back with 53 seconds left in the contest.
In the heavyweight tilt, Washington’s Marquin Hill pulled off a thrilling win over New Bern’s Anthony Grist. Trailing 1-0 heading to the final period, Hill scored an escape to start the third, then with 29 seconds remaining scored a takedown, before slamming Grist to the mat with 13 seconds left in the match to put Washington ahead 17-3.
But with the Pam Pack forced to forfeit the next four matches, the Bears went from a 14-point deficit to a 10-point lead.
Pack 130-pounder Gabe Gardner did his best to cut into the lead, scoring a 4-1 decision over New Bern’s Chris Polo to make it 27-20, but Washington could claw no closer.
The Bears scored victories in the final five matches, as Sean Corcoran (135), Ryan Spain (140), Kelvin Dixon (145) and Christian Ipock (160) all won by pin, while 152-pounder Cory Connell scored a convincing 7-0 decision over Washington senior Darien Peele.
Washington (16-4) will be back on the mats on Saturday, when it travels to Eastern Wayne for an individual tournament.
New Bern 54, Washington 20
103: Brian Best (NB) wins by forfeit
112: Zach Jaramillo (NB) wins by forfeit
119: Kevin McConnell (NB) wins by forfeit
125: Anthony Lewis (NB) wins by forfeit
130: Gabriel Gardner (WAS) dec. Chris Polo, 4-1
135: Sean Corcoran (NB) pins Timothy Tetterton, 3:31
140: Ryan Spain (NB) pins Josh Stone, 2:19
145: Kelvin Dixon (NB) pins Michael Smith, 5:16
152: Cory Connell (NB) dec. Darien Peele, 7-0
160: Christian Ipock (NB) pins Charlie Holtzclaw, 2:42
171: Scott Jaros (NB) dec. Michael Goldberg, 8-4
189: Justin Moore (WAS) tech fall over Anthony Wawrzonek, 15-0
215: Johnnie Smallwood (WAS) pinned Ramsey Fields, 5:07
285: Marquin Hill (WAS) pinned Anthony Grist, 5:47