The Titans fell just short in their PAC Dual doubleheader against the Mount Vernon Wildcats and the North Posey Vikings on Dec. 5.
To start the night, the Titans faced the Wildcats, and it came down to a dramatic finish. Sophomore Brody Klem started the meet for the Titans and picked up a quick 45-second pin to win the 215-lb class. Sophomore Blake Ulm followed with another quick pin in the 285-lb class. Junior Jacob Stallsmith continued with a win by forfeit in the 106-lb class, but freshmen Jeter Simmons and Parker Clevy both lost by pin in the 113 and 120-lb classes. In an overtime thriller at 126 pounds, sophomore Jax Coleman at 126 lb class fell just short when senior Wildcat Mason Suits took Coleman just seconds into overtime.
With three straight losses, the Titans were only leading 18-15. The Titans then lost the 132 and 138-lb weight classes by pinfall, giving the Wildcats the lead. Finally, freshman Deacon Dressler picked up a win by decision, but the Titans could not build off the momentum. Sophomore Kemper Pennington was pinned in the 150-lb weight class. The Titans needed to win by pinfall in their next three matches to stay alive. This they did. In the 157-lb class, sophomore Charlie Whitten was down 6-2, and it looked like it was over for the men. But, Whitten was able to fight off his stomach and come back and win by pin, keeping the Titans alive.
“It felt great,“ Whitten said.
Senior Jack Rose and his brother, junior Beau Rose, closed out the dual, both winning by pin. However, without a 175-lb wrestler, the Titans could only end the dual in a 39-39 tie. The Wildcats took the win based on criteria set for dual meets that end in tie.
“I feel like we got pinned too much, and I thought we could have beat them,” head coach Josh Elpers said. “We should have competed better and not have gone to our back as much”
After getting a bye, the Titans ended the night against the North Posey Vikings. This dual had five total forfeits, one by the Titans at 175 pounds and four by the Vikings at 106,144,157 and 215 pounds. After Stallsmith won by forfeit, Simmons and Clevy both lost by pin. Coleman picked it up for the Titans with a hard fought win by decision, winning just 2-0.
According to Coleman, the key to his win was being offensive and putting pressure on the opponent’s shoulder.
Once again, the Titans would not capitalize on the momentum from Coleman and would lose their next three matches. Once again, the Rose brothers both picked up wins, and it would come down to the last match with the Titans leading 37-33. Ulm lost by pin and the Titans came up short, losing 39-37.This made the Titans 0-2 to start conference action.
“I thought we could have wrestled a lot better,“ Elpers said. “We had some upsides, but we should have wrestled better.”
The Titans wrestle in the Jeff Classic Singles Tournament on December 16.
