Independence closes strong at West Delaware for 47-24 Clash of Highway 20 victory

MANCHESTER – A seesaw affair turned into a one-sided finish.

It was the ending that Independence Coach Michael Doyle expected and mentioned to his team during the midway intermission.

'At halftime, we got together and I said we could go 6-1,' Doyle said. 'Focus. Wrestle hard in every position and we can go 6-1.'

The Mustangs closed strong and made it happen, breaking open the Clash of Highway 20 and beating host West Delaware, 47-24, in a prep wrestling dual Thursday night. Independence hoisted the Del-Buc Trophy, awarded to the winner of this regular-season dual, for the fourth straight time.

The Mustangs (14-19) recorded six falls, including Brady Webb's pin at 126 pounds that gave them a 24-19 lead after the break. Cole Davis (160) and Jacob Schwarting (170) capped the meet with two pins.

The dual was a microcosm of Independence's season, weathering the ups and downs to earn some success.

'We had big wins and by pin,' Doyle said. 'They came together as a team. They wrestled hard for each other.'

Independence's bench erupted with each victory, especially each pin. The Mustangs fed off each other and rode the wave of momentum that remained on their side the second half of the meet.

'If they pin them, everyone gets excited,' 138-pounder Tanner Erickson-Dale said. 'It makes a difference. It fires everyone up.'

Erickson-Dale notched a key win that gave Independence a 30-19 lead with just four matches left. He reversed a major decision loss to Cole Engel into a 4-3 decision.

Erickson-Dale scored two takedowns, recording the decisive one in the final period. The energy from his teammates and the crowd provided a boost.

'This is the biggest atmosphere we wrestle in,' Erickson-Dale said. 'I enjoy this dual. I was really pumped up.'

Doyle has had to maneuver his weights around because of being short-handed. The moves at 195 and 220 and from 120 to 132 almost all went their way. The Mustangs were prepared for any move that Doyle wanted to make.

Hunter Crawford (195) and Tate Freidhof (220) had consecutive pins to put Independence up 12-4 after three weights. Freidhof hit a headlock for a fall in one minute over Ben Ridenour.

'Sometimes you don't know what you're going to get,' Doyle said about Freidhof. 'You're going to get something. It's always exciting.'

Webb and Matthew Doyle (126) moved up a weight class and both earned victories. Doyle beat Mason Gillihan, 9-4. Thomas Matteson (113) also had a pin for Independence.

'It worked,' Doyle said. 'It's their first Independence-West Delaware dual. You don't know how they will handle it.'

West Delaware (7-10) won four of the first seven bouts, forcing six lead changes in the first eight matches. Harrison Goebel (182) opened the dual with a major decision. Heavyweight Kaleb Zieser and Luke Farmer (106) won by decision and pin, respectively, giving the Hawks a 13-12 lead.

Ryan Phillips (120) added a pin right before the break for West Delaware's last lead at 19-18. The Hawks lone win after intermission came from Mitchel Mangold, who had a technical fall at 145.

AT MANCHESTER

Independence 47, West Delaware 24

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

182 pounds – Harrison Goebel (WD) major dec. Peyton Nolting, 13-0 (2,0); 195 – Hunter Crawford (I) pinned Brady Antons, 1:39 (1,0); 220 – Tate Freidhof (I) pinned Ben Ridenour, 1:00 (1,0); Hwt. – Kaleb Zieser (WD) dec. Drew Evens, 1-0 (0-0); 106 – Luke Farmer (WD) pinned Brock Elridge, :24 (1,0); 113 – Thomas Matteson (I) pinned Evan Woods, :59 (1,0); 120 – Ryan Phillips (WD) pinned Fischer Crawford, :50 (1,0); 126 – Brady Webb (I) pinned Jordan Rausch, 4:42 1,0); 132 – Matthew Doyle (I) dec. Mason Gillihan, 9-4 (3,0); 138 – Tanner Erickson-Dale (I) dec. Cole Engel, 4-3 (2,0); 145 – Mitchel Mangold (WD) tech. fall Spencer Shonka, 15-0 (2,0); 152 – Seth House (I) tech. fall Tristan Voelker, 24-9 (9,0); 160 – Cole Davis (I) pinned Jack Neuhaus, 3:59 (2,0); 170 – Jacob Schwarting (I) pinned Jordan Bries, 3:43 (1,0).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns – Independence 21, West Delaware 6. Reversals – Independence 4, West Delaware 6. Escape – Independence 3, West Delaware 13. Nearfall points – Independence 12, West Delaware 10. Penalty points (awarded) – Independence 0, West Delaware 6. Total match points – Independence 65, West Delaware 53.

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