Black Diamonds lose dual to Salina
It was a rough home opener Thursday night at Paul Post Field House for the injuryplagued Sallisaw Black Diamonds wrestling team as the Black Diamonds lost 55-22 to the visiting Salina Wildcats.
The Black Diamonds (0-2) got a 2:23-pinfall win by Cason Craft at 113 pounds, a 1:37-pinfall victory by Talon Flynn at 150 pounds, a 17-8 major decision by Cole Mayfield at 157 pounds and a forfeited win by Mason Duke at 120 pounds.
The Wildcats (3-1) won the other six contested matches as well as receiving three forfeits.
“There wasn’t really anything that was surprising,” Sallisaw boys wrestling coach Mark Smith said. “Some of those were guys we bumped up. Some of those guys are freshmen that have never stepped in. We’ve been pretty banged up the first part of the year. I don’t ever remember being this banged up. We just have some big hitters who are out, and it’s making a difference in these duals. When you have six to seven guys hurt, that’s half of your line-up. We’re having to bump guys up just to cover weights. So, we’re giving up weights at some of those places. This program is going to be fine. We just have to get guys healthy, and we’ll be right up there at the top of the state. That’s the key right now. We have to get healthy, then we have to stay healthy.”
Fort Smith (Ark.) Northside also was to be present for Thursday’s dual but could not make it. Thus, it kept the Lady Diamonds from having a dual as the Lady ’Cats only have one wrestler — Macy Gorczynski.
Gorczynski ended up wrestling one of Sallisaw’s returning state qualifiers, Emilie Robbins. Gorczynski pinned Robbins in 1:30.
The Black Diamonds won the junior high dual from the Wildcats 69-15, with seven wrestlers — Xander Montgomery, Tite Cox, Kobe Johnson, Jaxton Roth, Anthony Adame, Keaton Brant and Hagan Compton — winning by forfeit.
Mason Leach (80 pounds, 3:07) and Tilden Gates (106, 1:00) each won by pinfall, Briar James won his match at 155 with a 16-0 technical fall and Toren Gates beat his opponent with a 15-4 major decision at 86 pounds.
The Black Diamonds will be idle until after the Christmas Break when they go to the Diamond State Duals on Jan. 3-4 at Springdale (Ark.) Har-Ber High School.
The Lady Diamonds will be off until participating in the Inola Tournament, which will begin at 10 a.m. Jan. 10.
