During the week of wrestling for the Andrews and Murphy varsity teams, the Bulldogs competed at home, while the Wildcats were on the road.
Murphy honored its varsity wrestling seniors at their home duals meet, while Andrews competed in Franklin and Swain County.
The Bulldogs were scheduled to compete in Swain, but did not attend as the football team was competing in the state 2A championship game that same day.
Murphy
The Bulldogs hosted their first event of the season as they held duals against Rosman and Towns County, Ga., on Dec. 8. Prior to the meet, Murphy honored seniors Braiden Martin, Gianna Mayner, Brody McFaddin and Ivy Werner.
As a team, the Bulldogs went 2-0 defeating both teams. Up first, the Dogs faced Rosman and got two wins – 54-30 for the boys, 18-12 for the girls.
The girls competed first as Murphy and Rosman met on the mat. Senior Ivy Werner picked up the win by pinfall to earn the Dogs six points. Senior Gianna Mayner also got a win by forfeit for six more points.
The Lady Dogs secured the win with Kindle Garett getting the win by forfeit in their 18-12 win.
The boys then took the mat. The Dogs started with 18 points as Reyden Galarza, Weston Adams and Lucas Castell got wins be forfeit.
Rosman earned their first six points as Lee Owen defeated Murphy’s James Garrett by fall. Joshua Cutting and Josiah Niebla then got wins by forfeit to give the Dogs 12 more points.
Six more points came the Dogs’ way as Brayden Gunter defeated Soloman Each be pinfall. Jeremiah Bateman, Brodi Haines and Branson Crocker then got wins by forfeit for 18 more points for Murphy.
Rosman then picked up three straight wins by pinfall for 18 points to the total. Rosman earned six more points after a win by forfeit.
Despite late points, the Bulldogs defeated Rosman 54-30 to start their day with a win.
Murphy then took on Towns County and earned a second win 51-29.
Galarza and Adams again picked up forfeit wins for 12 early points. Murphy then earned back-to-back wins as Castell won by decision and Garrett won by fall to extend the Dogs’ lead to 21-0.
Towns County earned six points with a pinfall win. The Bulldogs added to their score as Niebla won by forfeit. Then Braden Edwards and Gunter earned wins by fall.
After Haines got the win by forfeit, Crocker got a pinfall victory to further extend Murphy’s lead.
Towns County then got three wins, with each coming a different way. They earned six points each for a win by forfeit and pinfall, then five points for a technical fall win.
Towns County ended the dual with a win by forfeit, but the Dogs still claimed the win 51-29.
The Bulldogs will compete next Friday and Saturday as they head to Dalton, Ga., for a duals event.
They will compete against teams from across the Southeast at the duals event.
Andrews
The Wildcats started their week by heading to Franklin High School to take on Pisgah and Franklin on Dec. 9.
They opened with a dual against Franklin and lost 60-5. Chase Beasley earned the Wildcats five points after a technical fall victory.
Hayden Virtanen and Ford Ashe also competed, but both lost by fall.
Andrews then faced Pisgah and lost 83-0. Beasley and Ashe lost by pinfall in their weight classes, while Virtanen lost his match by technical fall.
The Wildcats then headed to Swain County on Saturday for the Devil Duals, competing in five duals matches against teams from across the state. Up first, the Cats competed against Charles D. Owen High School and lost 54-4.
Andrews’ four points came as Beasley got the win by majority decision. AJ Johnson and Ashe both lost by pinfall.
The Wildcats then faced Smoky Mountain and lost 66-6. Their six points came as Beasley got the win by pinfall. Johnson and Ashe both lost by pinfall.
Andrews then took on the hosting Swain County Maroon Devils and lost 54-12. The Cats’ 12 points came as Beasley earned the win by pinfall and Johnson won by forfeit.
Ashe then fell to Swain’s Hunter Williamson.
They then faced Clyde A. Erwin High School and lost 48-12. Their 12 points came as Beasley picked up another win by pinfall, while Ashe got the win by forfeit. Johnson competed, but was pinned by Aiden Vail.
To wrap up their day they faced Madison, losing 42-6. The Wildcats’ six points came as Beasley once again picked up a win by pinfall. Both Johnson and Ashe lost their matches by pinfall.