Warriors record five pins in win over Alliance

By Carol McIntire
Editor
Carrollton picked up what looked like a lopsided 51-23 win over the Alliance Aviators last Thursday in Alliance.
Take away the 18 points the visiting Warriors picked up in forfeits and the match was much closer than the final score card showed.
Carrollton won five matches by pin and one by decision while Alliance earned two pins, two major decisions and one decision. Add up the scores from those matches and Carrollton takes a 33-23 win home.
“Our kids wrestled well tonight,” Carrollton Coach Joe McGee said following the win. “It went pretty much the way we thought it would. Our kids understand what dual meets mean to our school and they know their job.”
Carrollton started the night off at 157 lbs. with junior Dalton Sweeney who earned a pin over Rayden Carver in 3:21 to take a 6-0 lead.
Alliance took the next three matches with a pin and two major decisions.
Junior Josh Rhiel, who is filling the 215-lb. slot for an injured Owen Spilker, wasted no time building a 6-1 lead heading into the third period. He scored a takedown before Aviator Alex Hartman scored the final three points, to earn an 8-3 win.
Freshman Cael Lowdermilk picked up Carrollton’s first forfeit at 106. Kail Snair (120 lbs.) and John Childs (132) also picked up forfeit points.
The strongest part of the Warriors’ lineup, posted quick pins.
Senior Landon Jenkins (113) pinned Chase Kesier in 5:30 and Carrollton regained the lead at 21-20. Senior Levi Pidgeon put JaKoby Mashema on his back 26 seconds into the match and senior Josh Carman (138) followed suit with a 36 second pin of Messiah Geisleman.
Warrior Darrion DePalmo brought the Carrollton fans to their feet in the final match of the night (150) as he built a 14-0 lead over Aviator Logan Kager in the first two periods and finished off the match with a pin with 41 seconds remaining.
McGee had words of praise for his team, including the underclassmen who helped pick up the win.
“Darrion is a sophomore and it’s his third year wrestling,” McGee said. “He wrestles hard and gives us effort. He has a lot to work to do, but he is going to be ok.”
The Warriors improved to 2-0 in Eastern Buckeye Conference action with the win. The team hosts Salem this Thursday (Jan. 25) for senior night. The Warriors then hit the road to close out the league action at West Branch Feb. 1 and Minerva Feb. 8.