MIDDLETOWN — If you think victory is sweet the first time around, it”s twice as nice when you repeat as champion of your own tournament.
And that”s exactly what the Middletown Mustangs did on Saturday, capturing the team title at the Mustang Invitational, which wrapped up its two-day run with title matches in all 13 weight classes.
Middletown, winless in its own tournament each of the first 19 years of its existence, has now won twice in a row. This year, the Mustangs piled up 184 points to beat back strong challenges from Clear Lake (168) and Corning (157). Tied for fourth place were Windsor and Upper Lake with 135 points.
“I”m pretty happy about the repeat,” Middletown coach Troy Brierly said. “I thought we had a shot at it but so did Clear Lake.”
Brierly said it wasn”t only his experienced wrestlers who pulled the victory together for the team, but also the performances by his novice wrestlers.
“What won it was our supporting cast, our third- and fourth-place finishers,” Brierly said. “My freshmen really made a show. If we didn”t have those kids, Mike (Humble, Clear Lake”s coach) would have beat us.”
The Mustang freshman did make an impressive showing, including Taylor Hoefer the winner at 140 pounds; Matt Dakin, who was third at 152 pounds; and Brierly”s son, Terry, who took fourth place in the loaded 160-pound weight division, one that was split into A and B divisions.
In one of the more exciting matches at 160 pounds, Upper Lake”s Robert McCutcheon pulled out a surprise win over Clear Lake favorite Michael Kroppman, who carried a 11-3 lead into the second period. But McCutcheon capitalized on a Kroppman mistake, which led to a quick reversal and pin 3:37 into their championship match.
“I”m really proud of our kids,” Upper Lake coach Tom Cox said. “They”ve really dedicated themselves to the season.”
Cox point out that Upper Lake has come a long way in the last two years, graduating from the bottom of the Coastal Mountain Conference to one of the conference”s top five teams.
Also at 160 pounds, Middletown”s Tommy Sheffer and Josh Brock of Analy were locked in a low-scoring duel in their consolation championship match that had Brock leading 8-7 in the final seconds. That”s when Sheffer was literally knocked out of the competition by an injury forfeit as the two wrestlers accidently butted heads.
In other action, Clear”s Justin Mills carried a 12-6 lead into the third round against Mandella Evans of El Molino in the 145-pound title match and went on to score a 15-8 decision after he just missed pinning Evans at the end of the second period.
Derek Holt of Clear Lake took a 5-2 decision over Tommy Edwards of Windsor in their 152-pound title match.
Six Clear Lake wrestlers reached their weight class finals and four came away with first-place medals.
(the top four wrestlers in each weight division are listed in the high school results agate on Page A9).
