Upsets lift Blues past Scots

--- Scott D. Weaver/The Capital-Journal

By Ken Clark

The Capital-Journal

When two talented city wrestling programs meet for the second time in two weeks, the outcome can either be predictable or an upset.

However, in the case of the matchup between Washburn Rural and Highland Park Thursday night, Rural walked away with a predictable 39- 31 victory that was not without a few upsets. Both teams faced each other a week ago in the county tournament when Rural finished third and Highland Park sixth.

"We were worried coming into the match about giving up a couple of weight classes," according to Rural's first year wrestling coach Stacey Smith. "But the two upsets we managed really helped us out."

Rural forfeited the 215-pound and 275-pound weight classes, giving away 16 points up front.

The first sleeper for Rural was in the 145-pound weight class which matched Josh Johnson against Jason Wright of Highland Park. Although Wright was the favorite, Johnson matched him move for move, keeping the score within two points throughout the third period and finally pulling out a 12-10 decision over Wright.

Rural's Levi Wealand came out of nowhere to upset Grant Gould at 160. Both wrestlers were tied at 3-3 with 47 seconds left in the second period when Wealand scored a reverse and a escape that led to a pin with 7 seconds left in the period.

"I knew I had to wrestle pretty well and get through the first period," Wealand said. "In the second period I thought I was wrestling pretty good. He got out of position and I was able to put him on his back and get a good hold on him."

Park scored on a pin by Jesse Cook over Trevan Ewing in the 103- pound weight class with 1:01 remaining in the first period. Joey Rondash also pinned Nick Brondan at 119 at the 1:21 mark of the second period. At 125, Park's Jose Labrador won a 9-3 decision over Rural's Travis Short.

Both teams face each other again next week in the league meet at Washburn Rural.

Individual scoring

103 --- Jesse Cook, Park, pinned Trevan Ewing, Rural; 112 --- James Ahrens, Rural, 8-6 dec. over Jason Weaver, Park; 119 --- Joey Rondash, Park, pinned Nick Brondan, Rural; 125 --- Jose Labrador, Park, 9-3 dec. over Travis Short, Rural; 130 --- Kenney Short, Rural, 15-5 dec. over Joey Bowen, Park; 135 --- Aaron Ziadeh, Rural, pinned Justin Wassinger, Park;140 --- Nicky King, Park, 8-0 dec. over Joel Johnson, Rural; 145 --- Josh Johnson, Rural, 12-10 dec. over Jason Wright, Park; 152 --- Logan Corbin, Rural, pinned John Lykin, Park; 160 --- Levi Wealand, Rural, pinned Grant Gould, Park; 171 --- Eric Seim, Rural, 17-4 dec. over John Miller, Park; 189 --- Billy Duncan, Rural, pinned Chris Escalante, Park; 215 --- Mavin Robinson, Park, won by forfeit; 275 --- Tim Exum, Park, won by forfeit.

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