Mat Ramblers earn first Walker Cup in eight years
For what is believed to be the first time since 2014, the Walker Cup resides on the south end of the county.
LaFayette took the annual trimatch title this past Thursday night after wins over Ridgeland and Gordon Lee in front of a big crowd at Dan Priest Arena.
GORDON LEE 40, RIDGELAND 39
The first match of the night had the most thrilling finish as the Trojans rallied from nine points down with two bouts remaining to score the win.
Starting at 138 pounds, Kaden Ellis got a pin for Gordon Lee, but Ridgeland came right back with pins from Zack Gravitt (144) and William Tredy (150). Malachi Hutchinson (157) then picked up a minor decision to give the Panthers a 15-6 lead.
Gordon Lee came charging back with four straight six-point victories. Layne Vaughn (165), Mason Dougherty (175) and Harrison Walker (190) won by pin, while Timy Duke (215) scored a win by forfeit as the Trojans went ahead 30-15.
Carson Middleton broke the drought for Ridgeland with a pin in the heavyweight match and the Panthers picked up forfeit victories by Branson Dean (106), Tyler Hansford (113) and Haley Gordy (120) to go up 3930 with just two bouts left on the docket.
But Landon Brown kept Gordon Lee alive with a pin at 126 and Corbin Curd got the major decision he needed at 132 to put the Trojans over the top.
LAFAYETTE 63, RIDGELAND 15
The second match of the night saw the Ramblers open up a 39-0 lead at the midway point as they rolled to the win.
Braxton Beavers (144), Gabe Warren (150), Levi Ledford (157), Jacob Brown (175) and Nicholas Cigalina (190) all had pins for LaFayette. Vlad Plott (165) won by decision and Aaron Zwiger (215) picked up a win via forfeit.
Middleton (HWT) and Dean (106) had back-to-back pins for Ridgeland, but Shelby Hall (113), Eli Hudson (120) and Jacob Hamilton (126) countered with pins for the Ramblers.
The two squads halved the final two matches. Evan Doyal (132) won by decision for Ridgeland, before Haygen Baker (138) scored a pin for LaFayette.
LAFAYETTE 54, GORDON LEE 27
The final clash of the evening saw the Ramblers open up with four pins in the first five bouts to take a 24-6 lead. Warren (150), Ledford (157), Brown (175) and Cigalina (190) earned the pinfalls, while Vaughn (165) got a pin for the Trojans.
Gordon Lee pulled to within six points of the lead after backto-back pins by Duke (215) and Gabe Lowe (HWT), but a lack of lightweights would hurt the Trojans as they were forced to forfeit to Brayden Cameron (106), Hall (113) and Hudson (120). Those three results gave LaFayette a commanding 42-18 lead.
The Navy-and-White got a hard-fought minor decision by Brown (126), while Curd (132) followed up with a pin to bring the score to 42-27. However, Baker (138) and Beavers (144) would get back-to-back pins for the Ramblers to end the night.
LaFayette was slated to host Heritage and Northwest on Tuesday of this week. Gordon Lee was set to wrestle at Signal Mountain, along with Polk County, while Ridgeland and Darlington were scheduled to battle at Ringgold.