By MATMEN, Sunday, 9:05 p.m.
EAST BREWTON, AL — For Rocky Bayou Christian and Milton — as well as one Pace varsity competitor — W S Neal’s Murder Creek Melee was the season kickoff on Saturday.
The Knights finished ninth in the two-day IBT, with 54 points, while Milton was 12th with 24. Pace had no team score. Baker (AL) had a comfortable 63-point lead over Escambia County (AL) and host W S Neal, 180-117, to take the team title.
Two experienced (but still young) Rocky Bayou Christian wrestlers, and one first-year Milton starter, reached the finals in their weight classes.
Freshman (but fourth-year starter) Thomas Pluhar picked up two pins over wrestlers from Baker and over Dothan (AL) to reach the 106 final, where he lost by fall to 7th-grader Drake Wood of Robert E. Lee (AL).
In his second season as a starter for RBC, Wyatt Moore (15th-1A at 106, competing at 113) won by forfeit and then pinned the top seed from Escambia County to get to his title match, where he lost by fall to Orange Beach’s Hayden Scelson.
Fuentes, a first-year senior for the Panthers, opened with a 12-9 decision, but then bagged two first-period pins over wrestlers from Rocky Bayou and Orange Beach to reach the final, where he lost by pin to the hosts’ Braylin Stidham. Fuentes was Milton’s only placer.
Additionally for the Knights, Clay Nelson (126) placed fourth.
Results from the tournament can be found HERE.
Rankings courtesy of Matmen-endorsed Kabra Wrestling, https://www.kabrawrestling.com/rankings/class-1A
North Florida Matmen 