CHARLOTTESVILLE — In a dual meet where all contested matches ended with a fall, Eastern Hancock’s injury-riddled boys wrestling team was defeated 54-30 by Frankton on Senior Night at Eastern Hancock High School Tuesday.
Six Royals were out with either injury or illness and one of their backups failed to make weight.
Eastern Hancock gave up two forfeits and won five, all by pins, of the 12 contests.
“Tonight was a tough one,” Eastern Hancock head coach Sam Pfaff said. “We had six varsity guys that did not wrestle tonight, whether sick or injury. We were down six starters so you’re already behind the 8-ball. The guys that were in there wrestled tough and did what they could do. Sometimes you just don’t come out on the winning side.
“[Frankton has] a really good program and I knew they were going to bring a lot of numbers. I knew they’d be tough, disciplined and really well-coached and they showed that. It was a good team and I wish we could have been a little more competitive with them.”
Pfaff said he hopes to have senior starting 106-pounder Jackson Cook available for Thursday’s dual at Greenfield-Central. He also hopes starters Logan Gilman (120), Hayden Jackson (138), Dominic Shelby (165) and Gabe Johnson (175) are able to return for the Mid-Eastern Conference meet (Jan. 20) and Centerville Sectional (Jan. 27).
After six weight classes Tuesday the match was tied 18-18.
Eastern Hancock senior standout Cameron Volz, who became the school’s all-time wins leader over the weekend, won by fall in 1:46 over Conner Kelly in the opening match in the 132-pound class.
Volz beat the all-time win record of 122 set by Jared Waterman from 2012-16. The senior is ranked No. 9 in the state and second in the New Castle Semi-State.
After a Frankton victory at 138, the Royals won the next two.
At 144, sophomore Hunter Survant won in 3:45 against Riley Molnar, which tied for the longest match of the night. Frankton’s Caine Oakley, a winner over EH’s Sy Hunt, also won in 3:45 in the 157-class contest.
At 150, Eastern Hancock senior Kolton Gilbreath trailed 11-4 in the second period to Riley Inglis, but was able to turn it around and get a pin in 2:53.
“He’s pretty good at when he gets down he continues to wrestle and just wrestle into positions and find ways to gut-out wins,” Pfaff said of Gilbreath. “That’s kind of been his career over the past four years. He was a two-year varsity guy and got beat in a wrestle-off last year and had to spend some time on the JV. He stuck with the team, worked all offseason to get ready for this year and he’s having a really good season.”
Frankton won the next seven, including forfeits at 165 and 190.
Eastern Hancock won two of the final three matches.
Remaining unbeaten on the season, Eastern Hancock 106-pounder Bradyn Volz, a freshman, had the quickest pin of the night, defeating Jaden Hughes in 35 seconds.
“The Volz boys do what the Volz boys do,” Pfaff added on his two winningest wrestlers.
In the final match at 126, Eastern Hancock senior Zane Badgley won in 3:32 over Ethan Ballard.
“Badgley is having an amazing season.” Pfaff said. “His goal is to make a push for state, so he’s trying to do what he needs to do to get there.”
