Tigers meet the criteria: Dual with LCHS decided on sixth tie-breaking step

Fort Scott High's wrestling team split a Southeast Kansas League triangular here Thursday night. But it had to wait a while to find out if it did.

The final match of the night between the Tigers and Labette County ended with the score tied at 24-24. But wrestling duals aren't allowed to end in ties anymore.

The officials gathered around the scorer's table to go through a list of criteria established by the National High School Federation that is now used to break ties.

It took six steps -- "Criteria F" -- before the Tigers found that they had won the dual. A point was added to reflect the tie-breaker in their favor, making the final score 25-24.

"Our kids are not even conscious of (the criteria)," Fort Scott head coach David Brown said. "They just wrestle hard and know they want to score first. It just so happens that it works out to your advantage as a team. I feel very fortunate."

Independence (2-2 SEK, 9-5 overall) swept their duals, beating Labette County, 58-19, and the Tigers, 48-27.

With as many things as the officials look through to break the ties, any little thing the Tigers (3-2, 8-7) did right could have been the thing that won the dual.

What the Tigers did right was score the first point more often in a dual. That's what Criteria F is and Fort Scott scored first four times while LCHS did so twice.

The dual could have come down to Denzell Davis having the choice of taking the bottom position in the third period of his 119-pound match with Phillip Martin. The score was 0-0 after two periods but Davis chose down and escaped 20 seconds into the period of a match he won 5-0.

"The decision in the second period, when you get choice of top or bottom, people don't think that's such a big deal until you get a 0-0 match," Brown said. "But whoever scores first has the option in overtime, if it goes that far. You add that and take the tie and when it comes down to who scores more first points, that decision to be on the bottom with a chance to score becomes a very big deal. And we came through on that in a couple of weight classes. It made the big difference."

Brown noted that Davis' win would have some long-term implications since both Fort Scott and LCHS will be in the Caney Valley Regional later this season.

"Denzell's match with Martin was truly exciting but it also has big implications come Regional time because Phillips' a good kid and a potential State qualifier," Brown said. "Denzell had to match up with him to get to State last year. He matched up well and we hope to continue that."

Another key to winning the LCHS dual might have been Jesse Malveaux's ability to fight off Brad Bohenblust in the third period of the 189-pound match. He went into the third period with a 4-0 lead. Bohenblust had the top position in that period and scored a near fall. But Malveaux was able to fight off the attempt for a pin and hold on for a 4-3 win.

Without Malveaux's grit, the Grizzlies (0-3, 1-7) would have taken the lead. The Tigers had no one available to wrestle 215 and 285, thus Labette County would have won the dual.

"Labette was going to be a tough one for us to come through on," Brown said. "They had a some kids not in their normal weight classes and that opened the door for us to take some matches."

The Tigers held a 15-6 lead after Davis' win and a pair of forfeits. Then Alec Ramirez wrestled a tough 145-pound match against Colton Grant of LCHS. He trailed 4-0 after two periods and was down 6-0 when he got a reversal and a near fall with 30 seconds left to with within a point.

But Grant scored a reversal of his own to go up 8-5 just seconds later. Ramirez escaped but didn't have enough time to take Grant down.

"I honestly, honestly believe that Alec Ramirez had him pinned," Brown said. "Then all this going to criteria is moot. I couldn't see it because it was away from me but in my heart, I do. He did a great job and has come so far."

The Tigers were up 21-6 after Lee Culbertson won by injury default at 152 when Chris Bussen suffered a dislocated kneecap.

In the Independence dual, Davis and Justin Sharp (125) scored back-to-back pins to tie the dual at 12-12. Michael Durossette won an 11-10 decision over Indy's Tim Erbe even after Erbe scored five points in the last 30 seconds.

Culbertson, Blake Cowen (160) and Dane Cummings (171) picked up two decisions and a pin, respectively, to get Fort Scott within 30-27 before Indy took two pins and a forfeit to lock up the dual.

"Dane Cummings did a great job against Independence," Brown said. "He went out and wrestled a big kid. Strength on strength, it was interesting to watch. He weights 158, maybe 159 but we bumped him up to 71 so we could fill the slot. He went out fearless both times. Second match (versus LC's John Hambleton), State medalist but he went right after him like he was anyone else in the wrestling room."

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INDEPENDENCE 48, FORT SCOTT 27

103: Jacob Davis (IN) won by forfeit. IN, 6-0.

112: Matt Threlkeld (IN) won by forfeit. IN, 12-0.

119: Denzell Davis (FS) pinned Joe Van Dyne, 2:48. IN, 12-6.

125: Justin Sharp (FS) pinned Errion Dungey, 1:05. Tied, 12-12.

130: Cody Adkins (IN) won by forfeit. IN, 18-12

135: Michael Durossette (FS) dec. over Tim Erbe, 11-10. IN, 18-15.

140: Cory Wright (IN) pinned Luis Martinez, :39. IN, 24-15.

145: Micah Knight (IN) pinned Alec Ramirez, 1:32. IN, 30-15.

152: Lee Culbertson (FS) dec. over Dustin Oliver, 9-5. IN, 30-18.

160: Blake Cowen (FS) dec. over Ryan Taylor, 10-7. IN, 30-21.

171: Dane Cummings (FS) pinned Johny Ainsworth, 2:23. IN, 30-27.

189: Delon Knight (IN) pinned Grant Stuckey, 1:01. IN, 36-27.

215: Mike Lyon (IN) pinned Jesse Malveaux, 1:27. IN, 42-27.

285: Kenyon Leopard (IN) won by forfeit. IN, 48-27.

FORT SCOTT 25, LABETTE COUNTY 24

(Criteria F)

103: Both teams open. No score.

112: Both teams open. No score.

119: Denzell Davis (FS) dec. over Phillip Martin, 5-0. FS, 3-0.

125: Channing Hosey (LC) dec. over Justin Sharp, 4-3. Tied, 3-3.

130: Michael Durossette (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 9-3.

135: Luis Martinez (FS) won by forfeir. FS, 15-3.

140: Both teams open. FS, 15-3

145: Colton Grant (LC) dec. over Alec Ramirez, 8-6. FS, 15-6

152: Lee Culbertson (FS) injury default over Chris Bussen. FS, 21-6.

160: Both teams open. FS, 21-6.

171: John Hambleton (LC) pinned Dane Cummings, 1:33. FS, 21-15.

189: Jesse Malveaux (FS) dec. over Brad Bohenblust, 4-3. FS, 24-15..

215: Heath Steeby (LC) won by forfeit. FS, 24-18.

285: Bryce Backer (LC) won by forfeit. Tied, 24-25.

Criteria A: No unsportmanlike conduct deductions.

Criteria B: Each team won five matches (forfeits included).

Criteria C: Each team had three falls, defaults and/or forfeits (double forfaits not included).

Criteria D: No technical falls.

Criteria E: No major decisions.

Criteria F: Fort Scott scored first in a match four times. Labette County scored first twice. FS, 25-24.