NAPPANEE -ÊWawasee's wrestling Warriors boosted their season record to 8-2, defeating NorthWood in the midst of a roaring crowd at the Panther Pit Thursday, 40-27.

Competition opened at the 275-pound class. As Wawasee was about to receive a forfeit, the Panthers moved their 215-pounder up for the match. In response, the Warriors brought out theirs and the two went at it on the mat. NorthWood's Randy Mitschelen came out the 7-3 winner against Mike Hall, giving the Panthers a 3-0 advantage.

Wawasee built a big lead with forfeits awarded at 103 and 112, and then a fall for Eracleo Vallejo at 119.

But it was no cakewalk for Vallejo when he faced NorthWood sophomore Derek Burnett. The Wawasee senior scored the opening takedown, but Burnett escaped and pulled quite a stunt, scoring a takedown of his own and putting Vallejo on his back. However, the skilled veteran Vallejo managed to elude being stuck, reversed control, and pinned the feisty Panther in 1:52.

Deme Vallejo (125) gave another win to Wawasee, in a 10-5 drubbing of A.J. Rhymer. Cody Ramseyer (130) followed, contributing more Warrior points, patiently squeezing NorthWood's Adam Jenkins for the fall in 1:28.

Those five wins in a row seemed to put the Warriors in control, but Wawasee had yet to face the meat of the Panther lineup. The strongest part of NorthWood's team went to the mat and took five consecutive wins to tie the score.

Northwood senior Troy Cox (135) faced off against Wawasee's Brandon Davis. Cox scored five takedowns and a nearfall in a 14-3 major decision, taking his high school record to 85-11.

Dillon Whitacre (140) nailed Wawasee's Brice List in 1:46, and Jason Hochstetler (145) polished off Tyler Rosebrugh even more quickly at 59 seconds.

Another NorthWood senior, Brandon Garner, who has a freestyle state championship to his credit, is a three-time Northern Lakes Conference champion. He pounded out eight takedowns and nearfall for a 22-7 technical fall at the final buzzer against Jered Brickey. Garner moves to 19-1 in his final season.

Chad Davis (160) tied the team score at 27-all when he battled for a 9-5 victory against Wawasee's Grant Gibson.

However, that was the end of the scoring for NorthWood.

Wawasee rattled off four staight wins to finish the evening. Trevor Brown (171) was down 5-3 entering the third period but came back to tie the score and then win 10-8 in overtime against NorthWood's Austin Mattern.

Nick Hanlin (189) sealed the deal for the Warriors when he took it to David Mishler in a 12-1 major decision.

Finally, two freshmen met the final match, with Ryan Thornburgh (215) adding icing to the Warriors' cake by pinning Sam Telschow in 2:50.

The Warriors move to 8-2 on the season and 4-1 in the NLC. NorthWood falls to 2-2 and 6-5 overall. Wawasee competes Saturday in the East Noble Invitational while NorthWood meets two conference foes, Goshen and Concord, in a six-way superdual at Bremen on Saturday.

Wawasee def. NorthWood, 40-27

103 John VanderReyden (Wawasee), forfeit

112 Josh Lozano (W), ff

119 Eracleo Vallejo (W) pinned Derek Burnett (NorthWood), 1:52

125 Deme Vallejo (W) def. A.J. Rhymer (N), 10-5

130 Cody Ramseyer (W) pinned Adam Jenkins (W), 1:28

135 Troy Cox (N) def. Brandon Davis (W), 14-3 maj.

140 Dillon Whitacre (N) pinned Brice List (W), 1:46

145 Jason Hochstetler (N) pinned Tyler Rosebrugh (W), :59

152 Brandon Garner (N) def. Jered Brickey (W), 22-7 tech.

160 Chad Davis (N) def. Grant Gibson (W), 9-5

171 Trevor Brown (W) def. Austin Mattern (N), 10-8 ot

189 Nick Hanlin (W) def. David Mishler (W), 12-1 maj.

215 Ryan Thornburgh (W) pinned Sam Telschow (W), 2:50

275 Randy Mitschelen (N) def. Mike Hall (W), 7-3 [[In-content Ad]]