Huntington, Midland ready for big Nitro meet

By DAVID WALSH - The Herald-Dispatch
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The road trip is shorter, but the competition matches, or perhaps surpasses, what Huntington High and Cabell Midland wrestlers have encountered to date.

"It�s another grind," Knights coach Ernie Sparks said of the 23-team Nitro Invitational scheduled today and Saturday at Nitro High School.

"It should be real close and real tough," Huntington High coach Bill Archer said.

Cabell Midland�s last start was the Domino Duals on Dec. 27-28 at Wheeling Park. The Knights had a two-day mark of 3-5-1. They beat Edgewood (52-25), Edison (45-33) and Martinsburg (48-36), and tied University (39-39).

"It was nine matches in two days and they go at it," Sparks said. "We looked like the walking wounded coming out of there. We grew up a lot, too."

Cabell Midland�s lineup features eight sophomores and just two seniors.

At 119 pounds senior Justin Stanley went 9-0. Heavyweight Byron Wellman, the other senior starter, had a 7-2 mark. Sophomore Chris Gibbs finished 8-1 at 130 and junior Jarod Diamond was 7-2 at 152.

Before the Wheeling stop, Cabell Midland traveled to North Marion for a tri-match and lost to the host Huskies (41-39) and Herbert Hoover (45-27).

Huntington High�s last start was Dec. 22 in the Floyd Central Super Duals in Floyd Knob, Ind. The Highlanders finished 3-2. They beat Indianapolis Pike (62-18) and Oldham (52-18). They lost to eventual champion Louisville St. Xavier (36-28) and runner-up Floyd Central (41-21).

"A few of the young kids got picked apart," Archer said of the losses to the top two teams. "We�re doing good, though."

North Marion is the defending champion at Nitro. Also in the tournament are Buckhannon-Upshur, Calhoun County, East Fairmont, George Washington, Lewis County, Riverside, Shady Spring, Cambridge (Ohio), Capital, Chesapeake, Logan, Martinsburg, Nicholas County, Robert C. Byrd, Sissonville, Spring Valley, Wahama, Winfield and Beckley.

After the Nitro event, Cabell Midland and Huntington will prepare for a Jan. 12 dual at Huntington. On Jan. 13, the two schools go to Herbert Hoover to take on the Huskies and John Marshall in a tri-match.

Elsewhere this weekend, Ravenswood is hosting the Jackson County Invitational. Joining the Red Devils are Big Creek, Greenbrier West, Point Pleasant, St. Albans, St. Marys and Wirt County.

On Dec. 16, Point Pleasant edged Lancaster for the title in the Logan Dogwatch Invitational in Logan, Ohio.

Point Pleasant had three champions. They were Nick Duncan at 125, Jesse Nott at 130 and Jeremy Nott at 135. Placing second for the Big Blacks were Nick Russell at 130, D.J. Dewees at 145 and John Bonecutter at 160.