Senior Night Showdown

Junior Nate Tasker earned career win #100

On Thursday evening, the 11-2 Mountain Ridge Miners visited the 12-1 Southern Rams for the final regular season dual meet.  The winning team would earn the #1 seed in the 1A West Dual Meet Championships and would earn the right to be the host for the Regional Duals on Wednesday evening, February 7th.  The gym was packed with excited fans looking to witness a great wrestling match and they were not disappointed.

Our amazing seniors and their parents honored prior to the big match

After our annual Senior Night festivities and the presentation of plaques for our 100 career winners, the match was set to begin.  Wrestling started in the 138 pound weight class and featured two state ranked wrestlers.  Camren Ritchey from Mt Ridge is currently ranked 6th in the state and he was in search of his 100th career win.  He faced off against sophomore Jake W. Sweitzer who is currently ranked 18th in the state.  After a scoreless first period, Sweitzer took the lead in the second with an escape but gave up a takedown late in the period to go down 2-1 heading into the final period.  Ritchey was able to escape and fight off Sweitzer's attacks to win the match by a decision, giving the Miners an early 3-0 lead.

Senior Bradley Davis wins by major decision

Jace Guy took the mat at 145 for the Rams and was a winner by pin.  Senior Brad Davis won by major decision at 152 and the Rams had a 10-3 lead.  Mt Ridge won by major decision at 160 and senior Joe Embleton won a decision at 170 and the Rams had a slight 13-7 lead heading into the upper weights.

Senior Alec Horner in a battle against Mt Ridge

Senior Kris Tusing fought a great battle at 182 against one of the Miners top wrestlers.  Tusing kept it close and fought hard before giving up a quick pin with only seconds remaining in the match.  Southern's Hunter Park scored a fall at 195 which set the stage for Trenton Tasker's first ever varsity match at 220.

Trenton Tasker with his first varsity win in a pressure packed situation

The 10th grade Tasker has worked all season to drop 50 pounds to make 220 and he took the mat looking to score a win for his team.  The match was close throughout and as the clock was ticking down, the crowd was going wild as Tasker was able to hold on the a 6-4 advantage to win the decision for Southern.

Senior Joe Embleton with another big win for his team

At 285, Southern's Cole Sweitzer won by fall and the Rams led 28-13 with 5 bouts remaining.  The Miners won at 106 and 120 but Southern scored wins with Brogan Kealy at 113, Jake E. Sweitzer at 126 and Nate Tasker at 132 to close out the 44-24 victory for the Southern Rams.  For the second match in a row, senior Jake E. Sweitzer took the mat with the ability to clinch the victory for his team by winning his bout and for the second match in a row, he came through with a big pin for the Rams.  The win by Nate Tasker in the final match of the evening was his 100th career win and he joined the exclusive club of outstanding wrestlers who have come before him.

Jake E Sweitzer squares off with the match on the line

Southern 44 - Mt Ridge 24

138 - Camren Ritchey (MR) dec Jake W Sweitzer (SG) 5-1
145 - Jace Guy (SG) pinned Daimen Harold (MR) 2:38
152 - Bradley Davis (SG) m dec Chase Thomas (MR) 13-5
160 - Jay Miller (MR) m dec Alec Horner (SG) 13-2
170 - Joe Embleton (SG) dec Dustin MacDonald (MR) 6-0
182 - Marcus Folk (MR) pinned Kris Tusing (SG) 5:50
195 - Hunter Park (SG) pinned Luke Vinci (MR) 1:20
220 - Trenton Tasker (SG) dec Kenny Muir (MR) 6-4
285 - Cole Sweitzer (SG) pinned Nick Harden (MR) :44
106 - Jesse Fresh (MR) pinned Colum McCann (SG) 2:49
113 - Brogan Kealy (SG) m dec Jordan Kight (MR) 12-4
120 - Teddy Baker (MR) tech Joey McComas (SG) 16-0
126 - Jake E Sweitzer (SG) pinned Jacob Renotas (MR) :53
132 - Nate Tasker (SG) pinned Michael Warnick (MR) 1:22

The Southern Rams concluded the regular season with a record of 31-3 and a record of 13-1 in MPSSAA regional dual meet competition.  Southern will play host to the 1A West Dual Meet Championships on Wednesday the 7th with wrestling set to begin at 5:30pm.