Hubs buzz Rebels in near sweep

January 26, 2006|by ANDREW MASON

The last time South Hagerstown beat North Hagerstown in a wrestling match, most of today's Hubs were still in diapers.

Over the last 14 years, the Hubs have learned how to clean up their own messes.

"North came over here and just wiped our mats with us tonight," South coach Ralph Stottlemyer said Wednesday, following his Rebels' 70-3 MVAL Antietam loss to their visiting cross-town rival. "I was hoping to keep it a little closer, but ... I don't think I've ever been beaten that bad in my career."

The Rebels' best chance to take the lead was in the night's first bout, in which South 135-pounder Dustin Hines had a 7-2 lead on Robbie Wood late in the third period.

"I looked up and saw the clock and I just thought, 'It has to be done. I'm going to start the night off with a pin or at least a win,'" said Wood, who used a headlock to take Hines down to his back, pinning him in 5:32.

"Robbie started the momentum for us," North coach Greg Slick said.

Wood was one of 13 winners and eight pinners for North (5-3, 3-1).

"Every match is big to me," Wood said. "But North-South is the biggest of them all."

Slick's freshly shaven head attested to that.

"Our guys sat and talked about the North-South tradition and the rivalry and all the friends we had on the South side of the mat," Slick said. "And I talked about how important it is to me. I said something like I'd make some sort of sacrifice, that I'd even shave my head. I said, 'If you want to shave my head, go for it.'"

The Hubs were razor sharp against the Rebels (4-18, 2-4).

Jake Turner (125), Jim Eichelberger (130), Adam Griemsmann (145), Jesse Combs (152), Josh Borland (160), Derek McCarty (171) and Tyler Hartman (275) had pins for the Hubs, while Michael Cline (215) won by major decision, Joe Breehl (112) and Dustin Smith (119) each won by decision and Delon Agee (103) and Joey Lamp (189) picked up forfeits.

"It always feels good to beat somebody, but it feels even better to beat someone who you're good friends with," Slick said. "It's North-South. It's a great rivalry. That's what high school sports is all about."

Travis Oyler won by decision at 140 for South's only victory.

"North is very strong and very experienced, and we're young and inexperienced," Stottlemyer said. "I knew they were going to be very tough tonight. We're just a lot slower and not as well-conditioned as them. North's coming around at the right time. They could be the best team in the county."

|

|

|