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Wrestlers win four matches at duals
Wrestling Fannin pic
Tiger wrestler Kenneth Davis demonstrates a move on assistant coach Noel Poisson. Dawson won second place at the Fannin Duals on Saturday. - photo by Photo/Pam Jacobs

It was a fantastic week for Dawson County High School wrestling. The Tigers won four of five matches at the Fannin County Duals in Blue Ridge last Saturday, Dec. 20. The lone loss came at the hands of East Jackson, 54-15.

  

Coach Arron Haynes and his hard working team won matches against Towns County, 60-22, West Hall, 48-34, Murphy (N.C.), 60-20 and host Fannin, 45-36.

  

The team currently stands at 12-7 on the season.

  

“We finished four and one over the weekend. We finished second at the Rumble on the Ridge Tournament. We lost to a very strong East Jackson team for first place. We came back and defeated a very strong West Hall team, who we had lost to earlier in the season. That was very positive for us. It’s good to finish in the top two, it’s been awhile. We had been missing that,” said Haynes.

  

Dawson wrestled East Jackson to start the morning. Getting a win by pin was Kenneth Davis (160) in the second quarter. David Wood won his match at 112 pounds with a 5-0 decision. Also winning by decision were: Joe Perry (130) by a 7-4 margin and Zach Paz with 12-5 win.

  

Seven Tiger members won by pin over Towns County. Donavan Spittel (189), Kenny Housel (285), Wood (112), Preston Adams (135), Eian Perry (140) and Tony Sleigh (171) all dominated their opponents in a runaway victory over the Indians.

  

Pinning opponents was the theme of the day for Dawson. The Tigers earned 6 points each, for pinning seven West Hall wrestlers. Getting pins were: J. Perry (130), Adams (135), E. Perry (140), Nick Tobias (152), Davis (160), Spittel (189) and Housel (289).

  

The Tigers blasted Murphy from North Carolina in the team’s fourth match of the day.

  

This time Haynes team totaled 8 pins in the 60-20 victory. Wood (112), J. Perry (130), Adams (135), E. Perry (140), Cody Ridings (145), Davis (160), Spittel (189) and Martin (215) all stuck their opponents shoulders to the mat.

  

The last match of the day was against a very tough Fannin County Rebel squad.

  

Dawson came away with a close 45-36 win to get the Tigers’ fourth win of the day. Wood (112), Perry (130), Adams (135), Tobias (152) and Spittel (189) earned six team points by pinning their foe. Travis Dawson picked up some much needed points by winning a 10-4 decision over Rebel Dakota Born.

  

“We could be better. We have had a lot of four points or less losses that I feel like we could have won. At the same time, we have had a lot of kids that have been sick or injured. Where we’re at is not a bad thing. The record doesn’t show how good we are. Granted we’re not blowing anybodies’ doors off or anything, at the same time we are better than what our record shows right now,” Haynes said about his team’s progress.

  

“David Wood at 112 pounds is wrestling really well for us. Joe Perry at 130 pounds is obviously doing well with only two losses on the year. Eian Perry had a great weekend. He (E. Perry) is very solid for a first year wrestler. Nick Tobias is also leading us right now. Kenneth Davis and Zach Paz are also doing really well for us. We have had several wrestlers step up the last couple of weeks,” Haynes added.