UPPER LAKE >> As the Upper Lake Cougars won five of the first six matches against his Mustangs on Wednesday night at Upper Lake High School, Middletown coach Brian Hunt said it wasn’t unexpected and there was no need to panic.
“They have some really, really, really good lightweights, but they also have a lot of holes,” Hunt said of Upper Lake’s wrestling lineup. “We don’t.”
Trailing 29-3 after those first six matches by virtue of four Upper Lake pins and a technical fall vs. one Middletown win by decision, the Mustangs rallied for a 51-29 victory in the Coastal Mountain Conference match.
Middletown won the final eight weight divisions by either forfeit (six) or pin (two). Besides Jake Kelly’s 6-3 decision over Upper Lake’s Christina Wilson at 120 pounds, the Mustangs emerged victorious at 162 pounds where Scott Kelly won by pin and at 220 pounds where Wyatt Jones won by pin.
Middletown and Upper Lake each posted victories over a small Point Arena squad, the third member of Wednesday’s tri-meet.
“A win is a win,” Hunt said. “We’re 3-1 in our duals and I’ll take that.”
Upper Lake built its 29-3 lead on the strength of Angel Stith’s pin of Angela Egger at 108 pounds; Alex Serrano’s pin of Caden McDowell at 114 pounds; a Junior Fernandez 18-2 technical fall against Quentin Crayne at 126 pounds; an Alex Sanchez pin of Jake Samson at 132 pounds; and Zachary Sneathen’s pin of Noah Williams at 140 pounds.
The only much with any suspense was Kelly’s win by decision over Christina Wilson at 120 pounds.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” Hunt said. “Jake lost to her in the Clear Lake Tournament (Michael Kroppmann Memorial earlier this month). He kept his balance throughout the match and wrestled a very smart match.”
Middletown beat Point Arena 5-4 (the Mustangs didn’t add up all the forfeit points they could have received if needed).
“There were only two (contested) matches,” Hunt said. “We lost a major decision 120 pounds and won by technical fall at 160 pounds,” Hunt said.
Scott Kelly’s lopsided victory at 160 pounds was all the Mustangs needed to beat the Pirates.
Upper Lake has a 2-2 conference record through its first two tri-meets.
Middletown hosts Clear Lake and Fort Bragg next Wednesday at 5 p.m. while Upper Lake is home against Kelseyville and St. Helena, also at 5 p.m.
