Golden Falcons dismantle number one ranked Eagles

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 23, 2004 2:19 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Intensity, emotion and even a smidgeon of revenge factored into Charles B. Aycock's impressive -- and overwhelming -- 68-3 victory against traditional Class 1-A wrestling power Rosewood on Thursday evening.

The Golden Falcons entered the contest disheartened by a performance two days earlier at South Central. They didn't lose may matches, but they certainly didn't wrestle their style or get some individual results they expected.

"The intensity wasn't there for the South Central match, and you get that sometimes with a young team," Aycock coach Kevin Smith said. "The coaching staff discussed this concern with the kids yesterday (Wednesday) at practice and today before the match.

"I thought the kids really took our concerns to heart and wanted to improve."

Plus, Rosewood came into the match ranked No. 1 in the Elite 10 Class 1-A dual-team poll compiled by ncmat.com. Aycock is No. 7 among the state's 3-A teams, but wrestling a top-ranked program increased its incentive on the mat.

The Golden Falcons pitched a shutout through the first 10 individual matches and racked up 54 points. Six matches ended with first- or second-period pins.

"It was exciting to see how my kids reacted to the opportunity to take on the number one-ranked 1-A team in the state," Smith said. "I feel like the boys really responded to the challenge exactly how any coach would want his team to respond."

The Eagles competed without four starters. Two didn't make the trip across the Little River and two others failed to make weight. The absences forced three freshmen and one senior, who hasn't seen much mat time, to fill those voids.

"Four straight days without practice aided in our dismal performance tonight," Rosewood coach Bill Edmundson said. "No tournament (last) Saturday, and Monday off made us complacent and affected our endurance. I have no one to blame for that complacency but myself.

"C.B. Aycock is by far the best team, top to bottom, that we have wrestled this year."

Aycock earned the initial takedown in 13 of 14 matches. When those matches lasted two or three periods, Smith elected to have his wrestlers start from a neutral (standing) position to begin the period. Each time the Golden Falcons picked up the takedown which led to nearfall points or an eventual pin.

One Golden Falcon exacted a little revenge from a previous match contested in the Pilkington Duals on Jan. 3.

Randy Meisenhelder gained the early advantage against the Eagles' Alan Corbett at 145 pounds. Meisenhelder (24-9) held a slim two-point lead after two periods, but opened the third period with an escape. He collected a takedown with about a minute left in the match, and kept Corbett on the mat.

Corbett won the earlier meeting in double overtime.

"Randy has been waiting for a chance to redeem himself ever since he lost," Smith said. "Randy is putting a lot of time and effort into becoming an elite wrestler. I'm very pleased with what he did tonight."

Rosewood (20-6) avoided the shutout after senior captain Aaron Lynch stepped onto the mat for his 152-pound tilt against Tim Harrison. The grapplers battled to a 2-2 tie before Lynch reversed Harrison's hold, and put the Aycock grappler on his back. Harrison managed to avoid the pin as time expired.

Lynch added another reverse in the third period and finished off Harrison 9-3 for his 100th career victory. Lynch has a team-leading 33 victories this season.

That made the overall score 54-3.

Aycock's Will Medus tallied three third-period points and blanked Joseph Edwards 3-0. Teammates John Robertson and Turner Wood finished off the Eagles with back-to-back pins.

Rosewood came close to getting shut out for the first time since a 78-0 loss to Dixon in 1992.

"I thought Alan and Joseph had exceptional matches tonight, wrestling tough opponents and coming up just short of the win," Edmundson said. "The mistakes we made tonight are very correctable and were mainly from being impatient and forcing a move that wasn't there.

"We will retool and focus on what we did wrong, and work on the intensity that will guide us through the playoffs. We will use this match as a wake-up call for the rest of the season."

The Eagles return to action tnight at Eastern Wayne.

Aycock (9-1) captured its eighth consecutive win and returns to action next Tuesday at county rival Eastern Wayne.

C.B. Aycock 68, Rosewood 3

215 -- Lacardra Mitchell (CBA) wbf Phillip Null, 1:46.1; Hwt -- Dustin Gurley (CBA) maj. dec. Clayton Taylor, 13-3; 103 -- Derek Lancaster (CBA) tech fall Jim Bish, 18-1 (6:00); 112 -- David Rose (CBA) wbf Dustin Sittig, 1:41.7; 119 -- Greg Coudriet (CBA) wbf Tyler Daniels, 1:59.2; 125 -- Jackson Massey (CBA) inj. def. Matt Davis; 130 -- Luan Tran (CBA) wbf Bryce Havenook, 3:32.7; 135 -- Ronald Lynn (CBA) wbf Shane Ogburn, 1:37.1; 140 -- Blake Brockmeyer (CBA) wbf Brandon Enriquez, 2:44; 145 -- Randy Meisenhelder (CBA) dec. Alan Corbett, 7-2; 152 -- Aaron Lynch (R) dec. Tim Harrison, 9-3; 160 -- Will Medus (CBA) dec. Joseph Edwards, 3-0; 171 -- John Robertson (CBA) wbf Kyle Scott, 3:42.1; 189 -- Turner Wood (CBA) wbf Antar Shafer, 1:32.7.