Forfeit stars for Central wrestlers

Central's wrestling team won only one match in a home dual meet against North County on Tuesday night.

And while it may not have been a very successful night for the Tigers' wrestlers individually, due to a host of forfeits by the Raiders, Central won the meet 39-21. Central (5-3) has won three straight duals.

Central coach Josh Crowell said while winning by forfeit is not necessarily the way he likes to get a win, it just gets the team that much closer to back-to-back winning seasons.

"We've still got to have one more dual to have a winning season," he said. "It's been something like the late 1980s since we've had back-to-back winning seasons."

Central has two more dual meets left this season. The Tigers will host Rockwood Summit and Marquette on Tuesday in a home double dual.

Against the Raiders, it was Central's lower weight classes that saw action. After a double forfeit at 103 pounds, Central's Chris Griffith faced North County's Brandon Wisdom. Griffith battled hard through all three periods but lost a major decision 13-3.

"Griffith, the guy he faced, took second in the nation as an eighth-grader," Crowell said.

Matt Latham picked up Central's only win at 119 pounds. The match was close throughout with neither wrestler able to get ahead by more than three points. North County's Cody Coale brought the score to 8-7 late in the match, but Latham held on for a 9-7 decision.

"We've got a lot of good young wrestlers -- especially our 119-pounder," Central senior captain Jonathan Poston said of Latham. "Woody has exceeded all expectations."

In another competitive match, Poston, who was coming off an individual championship at the St. Charles Tournament, lost a 7-4 decision to North County's Brandon Lunsford. Lunsford finished second in the state in 112 pounds last season.

Poston remained close through much of the match, trailing only 4-2 after one period. Lunsford got two points late in the second to put the match out of reach at 7-2.

"That I only lost by three and had a few good shots, I was pretty proud of that," Poston said.

Dan Coonce lost a tight 10-6 match for Central at 135 pounds, and Garrett New lost a technical fall 16-0 at 140 pounds. In possibly the most exciting match, Central 145-pounder Josh Smoot was pinned by James House with only 19 seconds left in the third period. The pair was deadlocked most of the match.

North County led 20-6 after the pin, but the Raiders forfeited matches at 152, 160, 171, 189 and heavyweight to give Central the win.

Central will have the rest of the week to gear up for Saturday's conference meet at New Madrid County Central.

Poston said Tuesday's win over North County should help Central's lower weight-class wrestlers as the season winds down.

"It helps us going into districts and sectionals and shows us what we need to work on," he said.

Central 39, North County 21

103 -- double forfeit

112 -- Brandon Wisdom (NC) maj. dec. Chris Griffith 13-3

119 -- Matt Latham (C) dec. Cody Coale 9-7

125 -- Brandon Lunsford (NC) dec. Jonathan Poston 7-4

130 -- Tyler Yeargain (C) forfeit

135 -- Jacob Vogt (NC) dec. Dan Coonce 10-6

140 -- Jesse Coale (NC) tech fall Garrett New 16-0

145 -- James House (NC) pinned Josh Smoot

152 -- Cory Huskey (C) forfeit

160 -- Russell Smith (C) forfeit

171 -- John Moseby (C) forfeit

189 -- Jason Poole (C) forfeit

215 -- double forfeit

HVY -- Chase Yager (C) forfeit

JV winners

Aja Reutzel