In one of the final home wrestling matches of the season, the Emery High wrestling team honored the senior wrestlers on the team prior to the team defeating Piute 48-27. Dakota Curtis, Ryan Cox, Hunter Hatch, Duncan Thomas, Zach West and Korwin McPherren along with their parents were front and center on the mat and were honored by the fans in attendance.
Piute actually won the score for the bouts contested but unfortunately for them they simply did not field enough competitors to win the match. Emery’s Logan Ewell at 106, McPherren at 160, Matt Mecham at 170, Hunter Hatch at 182, Duncan Thomas at 220 and Zach West at 285 all were the recipients of a forfeit by the visitors. It is hard for any team to win when they give up 36 points before any match is even held. Neither team had a 195 pound wrestler.
Out of the seven match’s contested, Emery only won two of those. McKoy Christiansen at 120 pounds and Ryan Cox at 145 pounds each pinned their man to gain 12 team points for the Emery team.
Christiansen took his opponent down quickly, came close to pinning him right off the bat and then as the first round wound down, McKoy almost pinned his man three times before he finally got him with one second left on the clock.
Cox and his opponent battled evenly through the first round. Cox got the opening takedown but eventually got reversed and the first round ended 2-2. Starting from the up position in the second round, Cox allowed his man to reverse him before he quickly returned the favor and Ryan pinned his man 51 seconds into the second round.
Cole Stoddard at 113, Justin Jennings at 126, Delan Funk at 132, David Bird at 138 and Dakota Curtis at 152 were all defeated in their matches. Bird was the lone wrestler that was not pinned by his Piute opponent.
Emery has matches left with Manti and American Leadership Academy before the 2-A Divisional Tournament is held at Richfield on February 7-8 at the Sevier Valley Center.
Emery wrestling v. Piute/senior night
"Ryan Cox catches his man. He goes on to get the pin."