Highlanders win final five matches to retain Cabell Co. team championship

By DAVID WALSH - The Herald-Dispatch
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Randy Snyder/The Herald-Dispatch Huntington's Robbie Williams, top, works for a third-period pin against Cabell Midland's David Ratcliff on Thursday. Huntington beat Cabell Midland, 48-24, to retain the Cabell Co. team championship trophy.�

ONA -- When freshman Matt Wilson scored a first-period pin against Josh Dudley in their 103-pound match, Cabell Midland suddenly found itself even with rival Huntington 24-24 in the annual dual between Cabell County rivals.

At that point, partisan Knights fans in the Midland gym on Senior Night came to life. The favored Highlanders needed someone to dampen that enthusiasm. Enter Steve Riner and Baxter Fullen.

Riner pulled out a 4-3 win over Patrick Setliff at 112 and Fullen, down 8-6 to Chris Morgan early in the second period, turned the tables and won by pin. Then, Huntington had a 33-24 advantage.

Jeremy Ray (125), Robbie Williams (130) and Chad Nelson (135) closed out the run to give the Highlanders a 48-24 victory and keep the Cabell County Team Championship Trophy in Huntington�s trophy case another year.

"I knew I had to get the win," Riner said. "That was horrible the way I wrestled. I�m just glad we won."

"I messed up a couple of times," Fullen said. "At the end, I got my head up, got the pin and the points. If I didn�t, I knew we�d hear from coach (Bill Archer). It feels good. We get to keep it (trophy) at our school."

Both teams had just four days to recover from the Nitro Invitational, which Huntington won. The short break took its toll.

"We were a little bit flat," Archer said. "We just get through a tournament and both teams know each other so well. We had our best guys up at the end. It�s fun to wrestle and I�m glad we won."
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Huntington won 10 of the 14 matches, two by forfeit. All four wins by the Knights came by pin.

Cabell Midland didn�t have Jarrod Diamond available at 160. He suffered a broken jaw in practice Wednesday and it�s not known how long he�ll be out.

"Not having him hurt us emotionally," Cabell Midland coach Ernie Sparks said.

Once Riner won his match, Sparks knew the Knights were in trouble.

"Now, we�re in a drought," he said.

Right before Wilson�s win, senior Mark Childers, heavyweight for the Knights, pinned Trevor Washburn at 1:20 to jump start the surge.

"We needed to catch a break and didn�t," Sparks said. "When you wrestle a team like Huntington High, you won�t catch a break."

Wilson said he enjoyed his first encounter with the Highlanders, except for the outcome.

"We were down. They were counting on me," Wilson said. "I was a little nervous. The pin kind of got everybody going again. It�s a big match. We�re rival schools. I�ve got three more years to go after them."

Childers said the loss stings, especially for the four seniors since it was their last shot.

"I�m disappointed," he said. "I thought we�d do better. I knew I had to put six on the board to get some momentum."

Both teams have just a day to prepare for their next action. The Knights and Highlanders meet John Marshall and Herbert Hoover on Saturday at Cabell Midland. Action begins at noon.

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