Normally, Platte County coach Reggie Burress preaches the importance of bonus points in the outcome of a tight dual. The Pirates ended up using a more difficult approach in the first ever meet for the program in the new Pirate Fieldhouse.
Platte County junior Jackson Woolsey tries to finish a takedown on the edge of the mat during the 132-pound match in a dual with Blue Springs on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Platte County rolled up nine total victories in a 38-27 victory over Blue Springs on Thursday night — four by decision and two by major decision. The Pirates opened with dramatic victories for junior varsity debutant Jackson Woolsey (132 pounds) and sophomore Evan Maccuish (138 pounds) but closed with a pin from freshman Grant Fadler (126 pounds) to secure the victory.
With one of just two pins on the night, Fadler went into the match needing to avoid a loss by fall or technical fall to secure the victory for Platte County and dominated on the way to the second-period fall.
“I think they understand more after tonight,” Burress said. “It took every single person to get this done. I’m proud of them. We’re a pretty inexperienced bunch, but they’re showing that growth.”
Platte County improved to 2-1 in duals, having spent much more time in difficult, deep tournaments to this point in the season. The Pirates held on in a back-and-forth affair despite being without senior Draiden Chilcoat (illness) and junior Shane Leary (skin condition).
Platte County freshman Cole Johnson scrambles with his opponent in a 175-pound match of a dual with Blue Springs on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
The return of seniors Bryan Jennings (165) and Mar’Ques Brown (285) bolstered the lineup, but out of the four new faces in the lineup, only Woolsey ended up with a win.
Blue Springs led 15-10 after six matches, thanks to a pair of early pins — two of four for the Wildcats in five total wins.
Platte County started to close the gap with freshman Cole Johnson, who gave up an early takedown but quickly battled back. Blue Springs’ Lake Johnson came up with the first takedown but did not score again.
Cole Johnson scored a reversal in the second period to take the lead for good and added two near-fall points then a third period takedown to take a 7-2 decision.
At 190, Platte County freshman Quinn Lightle came out on the better end of a first period scramble, catching Carter Atagi in a head-and-arm and putting him to his back in a tight headlock. Lightle earned the fall at the 1 minute, 47 second mark of the first period after switching to a cradle to put the Pirates back in front at 19-15 — a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“Johnson is a grinder,” Burress said. “That’s where we swung the dual. Quinn, he’s got a good front headlock to a cradle that’s going to get bigger and better.”
Platte County freshman Quinn Lightle works for a pin in the 190-pound match of a dual with Blue Springs on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Platte County went into the final six matches with a four-point lead and defending state champion Jake Fernandez (215) and two-time state qualifier Caden Hulett (113) still to wrestle along with an open for Blue Springs at 106 for the dual’s only forfeit. Fernandez visibly frustrated Conor Tindle of the Wildcats in their matchup and came up with a late takedown to score a key extra point with a 10-2 major decision.
Blue Springs closed within 23-21 after a fall at 285, but the six points for freshman Gabriel Wittel at 106 plus a 10-4 decision for Hulett over Aleksei Wojkieicz pushed the lead back to 11 with two matches to go. The Wildcats came up with one last pin at 120 to give themselves a chance, but Fadler closed the door.
Fadler scored the only takedown of the first period against Blue Springs’ Riley Smith and started the second period neutral. Up 2-0, Fadler added a takedown and then turned Smith to his back twice, the second stint on his back ending with a pin at the 3:20 mark.
Platte County sophomore Evan Maccuish scrambles with his opponent in the 138-pound match of a dual with Blue Springs on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
“I think that’s big for Grant,” Maccuish said. “He’s a great freshman; he’s confident. That’s what you need as a freshman. If he keeps trusting himself, I feel like he can go a long way.”
“I think some coaches don’t believe in getting kids those really tough matches early. I always have, and I think the benefits of that showed tonight,” Burress added.
The result could have looked much different if not for a strong start to the dual.
With Leary ruled out, Woolsey not only found himself in the lineup but competition in the opening match. He scored the 132 match’s opening takedown but trailed 3-2 going deep into the third period against Evan Hamontree.
Woolsey finished a takedown on the edge of the mat with 5 seconds left and held on for a 4-3 decision.
“I think it was good that he stood up and kind of led the way a little bit, starting us off good, getting the momentum rolling,” said Maccuish, who was preparing for his match when Woolsey gave Platte County a 3-0 lead. “It kind of got me pumped up seeing him get his first win on varsity.”
Platte County sophomore Darrell Smith finishes a takedown in the 157-pound match of a dual with Blue Springs on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Maccuish’s match with Devin Baldwin at 138 ended up heavy on dangerous scrambles resulting in no points for either wrestler in the first two periods. Maccuish started the third period down and took the lead with a reversal.
Hammontree closed within 2-1 with an escape, but Maccuish finished a takedown late, winning another scramble on his way to a 4-1 decision victory.
“I love to scramble” he said. “That’s what I practice at practice a lot — just letting people get to my legs. Sometimes I’ll give my leg there and then scramble. I always elevate the leg when I pass that ankle. I always know the highest person wins; that’s what Burress always says.”
Blue Springs quickly erased the 6-0 deficit thanks to a pin at 144 with Isaiah Seymour at that weight with Chilcoat out. The Pirates then fell behind 9-6 after senior David Olson wrestled well but dropped a tight 5-2 decision after giving up two takedowns in the third period.
Platte County junior Jake Fernandez holds on to his opponent in the 215-pound match of a dual with Blue Springs on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Platte County went back in front with sophomore Darrell Smith back from an injury scare suffered at the pre-Christmas Kansas City Stampede. Smith scored 11 takedowns in a 22-10 major decision.
“He’s good when he sticks with the game plan,” Burress said.
Platte County led 10-9 at that point but would split the first six matches with the two Blue Springs pins giving them the 15-10 lead that would dissolve over the next two matches. The Pirates not only dominated the head-to-head, but including Wittel’s forfeit at 106, they ended up with four freshman and a last-minute fill-in making a varsity debut among the nine winners.
“Jackson stepped in there, and we needed that win tonight from a kid that doesn’t have a lot of experience,” Burress said. “We had four freshmen win tonight. That’s huge.”
Dick Burns Mat Classic
Platte County placed a distant second in a 14-team tournament Saturday at Bonner Springs High School in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Fernandez (215), Fadler (126) and Maccuish (138) all reached the finals for the Pirates.
Platte County junior Caden Hulett keeps control of his opponent during the 113-pound match of a dual with Blue Springs on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Fernandez ended up with three pins — one each in the first, second and third period — in his three matches to take the 215 title. He needed just 3:31 to finish Lucas Conover of Olathe Northwest (Kansas) in the championship.
In the three matches, Fernandez allowed just four escapes.
Maccuish continued a strong start to his second season with three straight wins by fall to reach the final. He ended up in overtime against Tyce Allen of Paola (Kansas) tied at 4-4. Allen came up with a takedown and three back points, couldn’t finish off the fall and ended up with a 9-4 decision win in the 1-minute sudden victory period.
Fadler took a difficult route at 126, opening with a 6-0 decision over Ethan Gray of Osawatomie (Kansas) in the quarterfinals. Fadler then followed with a 3-2 decision over Leo Blanding of Olathe Northwest to make the final, which Xander Meinig of Paola won with a second period pin.
Platte County also put Hulett (113), senior Peyton Nickell (150), Jennings (157) and Cole Johnson (175) in the third-place matches.
Hulett dropped a tight 4-2 decision to Brock Sutton of Ottawa (Kansas) in the 113 semifinals but came back to bit Aiden Pina of Olathe South (11-0 major decision) and Gabe Sherrell of Olathe Northwest 2-1 to place third. Sutton scored the winning takedown in a previously tied match with 18 seconds left in regulation, while Hulett took the third-place match with a stalling penalty point with 17 seconds left in regulation.
Nickell, Jennings and Johnson all placed fourth.
One of two entered at 150 for Platte County, Nickell didn’t score any team points having lost a wrestle off for the varsity spot to Olson in December. However, Nickell impressed with three victories on the day — two in the consolation bracket by fall to reach the third-place match.
Jennings dropped down a weight class to diversify his postseason options and lost in the 157 quarterfinals. He came back with an adventurous 19-15 decision over Max Worden of Paola then a third period pin against Brandon Chambers of Bishop Ward (Kansas). Against Chambers, Jennings tied the match 7-7 with a reversal in the third period that ended up resulting in a pin.
Both losses for Jennings came to Jovani Caudill of Osawatomie — the second in the third-place match.
Johnson lost his opener in the quarterfinal and ended up going 2-2 with both of his losses to Zackary Coetzee of Lee’s Summit North — the only other Missouri school in the field. Johnson pinned Sam Clevenger of Ottawa then held on for a 3-1 decision against Nick Bock of Blue Valley Northwest (Kansas) to reach the third-place match.
