By AMBLE SMOKER
ONE FEATHER STAFF
In what would go down as an impressive team performance, the Cherokee Braves Wrestling Team was triumphant over the Andrews Wildcats on Tuesday, Jan. 14 by a team score of 54-12. The Braves racked up a total of six pin falls on the night to help cement the victory.
Cherokee’s Raymond Taylor gets the leg of Andrew’s Dylan McCubbin during a match at Cherokee on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Taylor got the pin at 3:55 in the match. (AMBLE SMOKER/One Feather)
The night began with four exhibition matches showcasing the rising talent of the Cherokee Middle School wrestling program. After a brief prelude of forfeitures, the exhibition matches commenced with Cherokee taking three out of four matches.
As the varsity Braves took the mat, several members of the team were looking for their first victory.
113 – Jessie Queen (Ch) won by forfeit
120 – Steven Meuse (Ch) won by forfeit
126 – Levi Swearengin (Ch) pinned William Cable (And) at 1:40
132 – Anthony Toineeta (Ch) pinned Thomas West (And) at 1:18
138 – Caleb Bennett (And) pinned Ethan Swearengin (Ch) at 3:50
145 – Jaron Bradley (Ch) pinned Aaron Eller (And) at 2:31
152 – Luis Badillo (And) won by forfeit
160 – Justin Buchanan (Ch) pinned Dillan Ward (And) at :46
170 – Daniel Griffin (Ch) pinned Dalton Tilet (And) at Dalton Tilet at 1:08
182 – John Tramper (Ch) won by forfeit
285 – Raymond Taylor (Ch) pinned Dylan McCubbin at 3:55
After the match, Coach McCoy extended his congratulations to several members of the team who won their first match.
“Most kids that haven’t won a match, they got one tonight,” Coach McCoy gleamed at the conclusion of the final bout. “We did pretty good, as a team we won our first match. Individually, the kids did great.”
While the Braves look to build off their stout performance on Tuesday night, Coach McCoy emphasizes “There’s still some stuff we’ve got to go over. I tell the kids all the time we’ve got to turn a corner, so to speak.”
The upcoming schedule includes a home match against the Swain County Maroon Devils on Tuesday, Jan. 28 and the Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament in Hiawassee Dam on Saturday, Feb. 1.
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