Tigers roll over Vikings, Tornado

Fort Scott 152-pound wrestler Blake Cowen controls Coffeyville's Cory Turner during a match at the FSHS gymnasium Tuesday night. Cowen pinned Turner in the second period, one of the Tigers' 10 victories in the dual they won 67-30.
(Tribune/Scott Nuzum)

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Fort Scott only had 10 wrestlers. But Coffeyville brought only nine and Parsons had just three. So while only two Tigers got to compete in both duals, FSHS won 10 of the 11 matches that actually took place.

"We wrestled well as a team," Fort Scott head coach David Brown said. "I can't be more pleased. And I don't know how anybody could be unenthused with the performance the kids put forth tonight."

Coffeyville and Parsons only drew out a lineup card for three matches in the opening dual, meaning their dual had 11 double forfeits which score 6 points for each team. Parsons won the three matches that were held, resulting in a somewhat deceiving 81-66 win for the Vikings.

Fort Scott defeated Coffeyville in the second dual, 67-30, and Parsons in the finale, 79-24.

"It's unfortunate Parsons was unable to field a (full) team," Fort Scott head coach David Brown said. "Every school is facing lower numbers within every sport and wrestling in particular.

"The work level required for success is many times more than a high school student-athlete is willing to put forth. It's a rare breed who's going to go (to practice) two hours a night and fight every night and then come out for six minutes of opportunity. You have to salute the kids who are there and credit them with the effort they put in whether they're from Fort Scott, Parsons or Coffeyville."

Tyler Sharp was the only Tiger in the lineup who didn't get to wrestle at all, picking up two forfeits as neither Coffeyville nor Parsons had a 103-pounder. None of the three teams had 112-pound wrestlers.

So both of Fort Scott's duals started at 119. Senior Denzell Davis pinned Coffeyville's Tyler Cook 1:40 into that match. But Davis, who was unable to compete at the Basehor-Linwood tournament last weekend due to illness, had to overcome some of the lingering effects in order to hold on for a 7-6 win against Parsons' Thatcher Murdock.

Senior Justin Sharp received a forfeit from Coffeyville and took a major decision over Parsons' dalton Murdock, 15-4, in the 125-pound weight class.

Senior Michael Durossette bumped up one class to 140 and took a 17-10 decision over Coffeyville's Blayne Kimmell. He picked up a forfeit at 135 against Parsons, who didn't have any wrestlers between 125 and 171.

The final senior, Blake Cowen, pinned Coffeyville's Cory Turner with 1.4 seconds left at 152. He also received a forfeit from Parsons.

"It was great for the seniors in their last home dual," Fort Scott head coach David Brown said. "Before the last one they were asking if they were going to go ahead and to announce the lineup. I said, 'This is my last time to hear your name called as a Fort Scott High School wrestler. You're never going to hear your name called in this gym again.' And for two or three of them, you could tell it hit them that they only have a short time left."

The only other Tiger who got to wrestle twice was 171-pound sophomore Dane Cummings, who registered two pins. He stuck Coffeyville's Curtis Bolden in 1:39 and Parsons' Jake Blevins in 2:57.

Victor Hughes won his 130-pound match against Coffeyville's Trey Thompson with a pin in 1:02. John Metcalf, at 160, took a 14-5 major decision over Coffeyville's Mateo Francisco. And Drew Bryant pinned Coffeyville's Isiah Gundy in 1:47 at 285.

Jacob Gillen suffered the only loss by a Tiger wrestler. The freshman 140-pounder was pinned by Coffeyville's Evan Hensley in the second period.

As these were Southeast Kansas League duals, Fort Scott moved into a first-place tie with Columbus and Chanute at 2-0 in league duals. Columbus (4-0 overall) hosts a league triangular with Independence and Pittsburg Thursday. Chanute (10-5) doesn't compete again until next week.

For Parsons, the win over Coffeyville was its first dual victory of the season (1-3, 1-8). Coffeyville has not won any yet (0-2, 0-3).

Brown hopes that Tuesday's results will be a good lead-in to this weekend's Paola Tournament, which is expected to be tough, and the remaining league duals.

"It's going to be hard when we're giving up (four) weight classes," Fort Scott head coach David Brown said. "But as long as our kids perform like they did tonight, we're going to be competitive. Win, lose or draw, we're going to make some gains and improvements."

NOTES -- The Fort Scott Kids Wrestling Club held a sort of exhibition during the duals. The held matches during the Coffeyville-Parsons dual and some breaks in varsity action.

"That program is gaining popularity in our community with kids," Fort Scott head coach David Brown said. "I'm excited that we have that feeder program that will increase the number of kids to be involved. Tonight was a great stage for them to perform on. I hope they had a good time and it certainly seemed like they did."...

FORT SCOTT 67, COFFEYVILLE 30

103: Tyler Sharp (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 6-0.

112: Both teams open. FS, 12-6.

119: Denzell Davis (FS) pinned Tyler Cook, 1:40. FS, 18-6.

125: Justin Sharp (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 24-6.

130: Victor Hughes (FS) pinned Trey Thompson, 1:02. FS, 30-6.

135: Both teams open. FS, 36-12.

140: Michael Durossette (FS) dec. Blayne Kimmell, 17-10. FS, 39-12.

145: Evan Hensley (C) pinned Jacob Gillen, 2:27. FS, 39-18.

152: Blake Cowen (FS) pinned Cory Turner, 3:59. FS, 45-18.

160: John Metcalf (FS) maj. dec. Mateo Francisco, 14-5. FS, 49-18.

171: Dane Cummings (FS) pinned Curtis Bolden, 1:39. FS, 55-18.

189: Raul Pascual (C) won by forfeit. FS, 55-24.

215: Both teams open. FS, 61-30.

285: Drew Bryant (FS) pinned Isiah Grundy, 1:47. FS, 67-30.

FORT SCOTT 79, PARSONS 24

103: T.Sharp (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 6-0.

112: Both teams open. FS, 12-6.

119: Davis (FS) dec. Thatcher Murdock, 7-6. FS, 15-6.

125: J.Sharp (FS) maj. dec. Dalton Murdock, 15-4. FS, 19-6.

130: Hughes (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 25-6.

135: Durossette (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 31-6.

140: Jacob Gillen (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 37-6.

145: Both teams open. FS, 43-12.

152: Cowen (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 49-12.

160: Metcalf (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 55-12.

171: Cummings (FS) pinned Jake Blevins, 2:57. FS, 61-12.

189: Both teams open. FS, 67-18.

215: Both teams open. FS, 73-24.

285: Drew Bryant (FS) won by forfeit. FS, 79-24.