CBA pins Triton wrestling
By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 26, 2012 1:48 PM
PIKEVILLE -- Triton nearly spoiled Charles B. Aycock's senior night celebration before its largest home crowd of the season Wednesday.
Three grapplers, including two underclassmen, denied the Hawks' upset bid in a pivotal Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference wrestling match that shouldn't have been that close.
Senior David Romo, along with juniors Daniel Romo and Charlie Mills, combined to score the final 15 points and seal the Golden Falcons' come-from-behind, 39-30 victory. C.B. Aycock (31-5 overall, 3-1 ECC) secured its 14th straight bid to the N.C. High School Athletic Association dual-team playoffs, and 15th overall in program history since 1996.
"When I put the lineup to paper according to matchups, it was pretty much fail-safe," said Golden Falcons' head coach Marc Peck. "We lost a couple of matches (I thought) we were supposed to win (and) I anticipated losing a couple of matches, which happened.
"Give credit to Triton, they fought hard. Those kids gave us a fight and made us earn a state-qualifying opportunity."
The short-handed Golden Falcons emerged victorious in eight of 11 individual contested bouts, but surrendered three forfeits during the early stages of the match. Back-to-back pins by senior co-captain Preston Tucker (145 pounds) and returning state qualifier Khaleil Owens (152) gave Aycock a 12-0 advantage.
Triton (10-19, 2-2) reeled off 21 consecutive points, yielded a decision to Aycock 220-pounder Jorge Flores and then stole the heavyweight match. Golden Falcon senior Bradley Fisher turned Hawks freshman Shawn Chance on his back twice in the opening period, but Chance reversed his misfortune and earned a pin at the 1-minute, 48-second mark.
"Those things happen," shrugged Peck.
Freshman 106-pounder Zack Howard turned the match back in Aycock's favor with a first-period fall. Teammate Nick Jones squeezed out a 13-8 decision at 113 pounds, but the Hawks answered with another "steal" -- Jason Bryant's come-from-behind, 9-8 decision over Jordan Bailey.
Down 30-27, the Romo brothers combined for a first-period pin and major decision to push the Golden Falcons in front 34-30. Mills walked back and forth behind the bench while Daniel Romo wrapped up his 39th victory of the season.
"I knew Daniel was going to get it done because he's a good wrestler and a good partner (in the weight room)," said Mills. "He scared me a little at the beginning, but I knew I was the better wrestler and I knew I had to finish."
Mills logged the initial takedown against 138-pounder Zack Fields, who reversed his position on the mat and tied the match at 2-2. Mills escaped Fields' hold, took him down again and quickly posted five nearfall points.
Fields, a freshman, never recovered and Mills triumphed 21-4.
"When you're finishing with Romo, Romo and Mills who are going against two freshmen and a senior (with a losing record), I'm pretty confident down six that we're going to take care of business," said Peck. "Something crazy has got to happen and if it does, and we don't wrestle well, then we don't deserve it."