Pam Pack pins Panthers in opener|Gardner comes up with key victory
Published 5:32 am Friday, November 20, 2009
By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
With Washington clinging to a 33-28 lead and just two matches remaining, Michael Gardner came up huge for the Pam Pack. The 130-pound junior pinned North Pitts Tevin Suggs in only 51 seconds, sealing the win for the Pam Pack in Thursdays wrestling opener.
Matthew Williamitis ended the match with an exclamation point, needing just 29 seconds to take down Thomas Edwards in the 135-pound match. That gave the Pam Pack a 45-28 win over the Panthers.
It wasnt bad (for an opener), Washington coach Dan Riggs said. We had a lot of new guys. The guys that I expected to win got wins for us, but we still have a lot of room for improvement. For a first match, Im pretty pleased.
Justin Weasel Moore got his highly-anticipated senior season off to a hot start. Moore pinned Chris Grimes in 64 seconds in the 171-pound match.
It was important to start well, Moore said. You have to come out and start with a bang.
Moore, who said his goal is to win the state championship, improved to 125-7 in his career. The win total matches that of Russ Chesson (125-7) for third place all-time at WHS.
Gerald Lawrence (139-13) holds the school record for wins, while Gabe Gardner (128-44) is second.
Marquin Hill (275), recently removed from football, pinned Tyrone Perkins at the 2:43 mark. Hill hasnt been practicing with the wrestling team much because of football.
Im still way out of (wrestling) shape, Hill said. My goal tonight was really just to win. I didnt care about a pin.
The Pack also got pins from Thomas Sutton (145) and Daniel Garcia (119).
Michael Goldberg (160) posted a 4-3 decision and Timothy Tetterton (140) won by forfeit.
Senior Scott Baytala may have dropped an 8-2 decision to Brandon Summers at 215 pounds, but he earned the respect of his head coach. Baytala, who faces surgery to repair a severely damaged knee suffered during football season, showed grit and heart in his six-minute match.
Scott really showed me something, Riggs said. This was the only match Im giving him because of the knee. He showed a lot going out there and finishing the match.
Baytala might not wrestle again with the Pack, but hell stay with the team, which means a lot to Riggs.
I love a kid like him, Riggs said. He shows a lot of leadership. He shows support not only for the team, but for the school.
Riggs is looking for leadership out of his state qualifiers, Moore and Hill, along with the likes of Williamitis, Gardner and Garcia.
Im going to be pushing them and expecting a lot out of them, Riggs said.
With 33 wrestlers on the team, that means there could be some jockeying for starting spots.
That number makes me feel good, Riggs said. It means the kids are willing to make the commitment and work hard. When I got here, we had just enough to make a team. It makes me feel good to get this many.
The Pack will wrestle in Saturdays Charles B. Aycock tournament, before returning home Tuesday for a match against New Bern.
Washington 45, North Pitt 28
103 Cameron Phillips (NP) p. Seth Derner 1:20, 112 John Thigpen (NP) p. David Giordano 1:13, 119 Daniel Garcia (W) p. Jeremy Avery 1:39, 125 Earl Harris (N) 16-5 maj. dec. over Oscar Alvarez, 130 Michael Gardner (W) p. Tevin Suggs 0:51, 135 Matthew Williamitis (W) p. Thomas Edwards 0:29, 140 Timothy Tetterton (W) won by forfeit, 145 Thomas Sutton (W) p. Laquan Johnson 1:06, 152 Larry Grier (NP) 12-6 dec. over John Campell, 160 Michael Goldberg (W) 4-3 dec. over Sebastian Brothers, 171 Weasel Moore (W) p. Chris Grimes 1:04, 189 Brandon Summers (NP) 8-2 dec. over Scott Baytala, 215 Mikaeel Middleton (NP) p. Jeremy Deitrick 1:05, 275 Marquin Hill (W) p. Tyrone Perkins 2:43