Rosewood experiments with lineup, Dogs tweak basics

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 11, 2013 1:52 PM

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PRINCETON -- Bad habits are hard to break.

So, the coaching staffs at Rosewood and Princeton are working diligently to reinforce good technique and endurance with their respective wrestling teams just three-plus weeks into the season.

Each seemed pleased with his team's performance Tuesday evening during a tri-meet that included Tarboro. The Eagles rolled past the Vikings 57-18 and turned back the Bulldogs, 51-29.

Princeton upended Tarboro, 51-24.

The outcomes didn't count toward the Class 1-A Carolina-Coastal 10-Two Rivers Conference standings. The five-team league will determine its regular-season champion during a day-long, dual-team meet Jan. 4 at Rosewood.

"We had a great overall effort by the team tonight," RHS head coach Bill Edmundson said. "People are still moving around in the weight classes, and we're trying to give the young wrestlers a shot at live competition whenever possible."

Edmundson rested several starters in lieu of this weekend's Eagle Invitational, which attracts some of eastern North Carolina's top wrestling programs. It's the longest-running individual tournament in the county.

Rosewood (13-1 overall) held a 6-4 edge in contested matches against short-handed Princeton, which conceded forfeits in three weight classes. Quan Joyner, Jordan Batson, Trevor Thompson, Kaleb Smith, Rayquon Jones and Matt Raynor each won in live action.

Dylan Melgar, Chad Keefer, Andrew Magliochetti and Ticoree Owens each drew a forfeit.

Princeton (2-4) got individual wins from Cameron Cook, Dillon Pace, heavyweight Quinton Rhue, Haley Melville and Michael Daughtry.

"Overall, we did well, but we're still trying to get in wrestling shape, we're not quite there, but we're coming," PHS head coach Terry Braswell. "We've got to step it up a little bit. We're a little sloppy on some things. We've got to work on the basics, the regular moves instead of putting in a tilt and getting our points from behind whether than trying for the pin.

"We need to be a little smarter (on the mat)."

The Eagles scored the first 27 points against Tarboro, which stopped the run on Anthony Costanza's second-period fall over Shawn McCullen at 160 pounds. Rosewood finished off the Vikings with six wins in the final eight matches that included two forfeits.

The Bulldogs built a 27-point advantage over the Vikings with pins in four of the first five matches by Martin Bayles, Cook, Pace and Jesse Tomljenovich. Taylor Farrell added an 11-6 decision over Quad Hopkins at 145 pounds.

The teams traded individual victories and forfeits the rest of the way.