Layoff? What layoff? Wolves dump Rogers, stay unbeaten

t Team hot

on mats despite enduring a 19-day scheduling freeze.

South Kitsap High School’s wrestling team didn’t miss a beat against the state’s sixth-ranked team despite a 19-day break between competitive matches.

In fact, coach Chad Nass said the Wolves looked as good as ever Tuesday en route to a 38-28 victory against Rogers of Puyallup.

“That was a fun match,” Nass said. “It came right down to the wire.”

Adam Ferguson’s 5-3 overtime win against Brian Bitney in the 135-pound weight class proved the difference.

Ferguson, who crumpled to the mat less than 15 seconds into the match with a cramp, overcame both that and a questionable reversal call late in the match to score a takedown in overtime to give South three points and a 34-28 lead.

“I was glad they let them settle it in overtime,” Nass said. “(Ferguson) flat-out beat the kid.”

Simon Kipperburg (119), Taylor Lyman (145) and J.C. Parker (189) scored pins for the Wolves, who improved to 3-0.

“It’s a huge confidence booster, but it’s by no means the season,” Nass said of the victory, coming off an unusually severe snowstorm that even froze the practice schedule for more than a week. “We’ve got a lot of wrestling left to do, but I think right now for a measuring stick we should have a lot of confidence after that match.”

Tuesday’s match was South’s first competition — the team practiced Friday, Saturday and Monday after Christmas — since Dec. 9, when it beat Bellarmine Prep 67-9.

But neither rust nor conditioning appeared to be an issue.

“Sometimes things like that happen and kids can lick their wounds, rejuvenate their batteries and come out with a new enthusiasm,” Nass said. “The kids looked like that today. They were fired up and ready to go.”

Nass praised the efforts of both Cody Barich (125), who beat Darin Yantzer 8-5, and Parker, who pinned J.D. Forks in 2 minutes, 37 seconds.

“Cody just kept battling ,” he said. “That was a huge, huge win for us.”

Parker, meanwhile, simply outlasted Forks, who Nass said looked “pretty evenly matched.”

Sophomore Connor Hartman filled in at 160 despite having little varsity experience, delivering an 11-0 win over Rogers’ Tim Lockey.

“He went out there and beat the guy, just dominated,” Nass said. “That was really exciting.”

South visits Shelton at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Results

103 — Trey Carter (R) p. Pedro Amador, 1:14; 112 — Tyler Carlyle (R) d. Joel Miner, 9—0; 119 — Simon Kipperburg (SK) p.Khrys Ross, 3:33; 125 — Cody Barich (SK) d. Darin Yantzer 8—5; 130 — Adam Ferguson (SK) d. Brian Bitney, 5—3 OT; 135 — Kyle Fenton (SK) d. David Wetmore, 13—1; 140 — Jordan Borcherding (SK) d. Jared Bradley 8—1; 145 — Taylor Lyman (SK) p. Ryan Butler, 3:23; 152 — Bradley Zurn (SK) d. Kyle Giovannini, 3—0; 160 — Connor Hartman (SK) d. Tim Lockey, 11—0; 171 — Michael McAlister (R) p. Michael Neiner, 2:05; 189 — J.C. Parker (SK) p. J.D. Forks, 2:37; 215 — Ryan Rude (R) p. Chris Johnson, 1:59; 285 — Allan Thompson (R) p. Tom Decker, 3:11

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