Momentum can be a great thing when it is going your way, but a killer when it isn't.
The No.1-ranked and undefeated West-Oak High Warriors won the final three matches against third-ranked Fort Mill to come from behind twice for a 33-23 win in the Upper State semifinals dual playoffs.
The win knocked Fort Mill out of the playoffs and put Warriors at 33-0 for the year.
Fort Mill led nearly the entire match, but lost seven of their final eight matches to have their season end abruptly.
"We got a good draw and started off as well as we could," said Fort Mill head coach Chris Brock. "We did all we could do with what we had."
The Jackets went up 15-0 through the first four matches, and stayed ahead until the 145-pound weight class, where they lost the lead for the first time and went down 21-18.
Fort Mill regained the lead when senior Jonathan Miskelly beat Andrew Addis by a technical decision 17-2 at 152-pounds, putting Fort Mill back on top 23-21. It would be their last win of the match and the last time they had the lead.
"It's been a touch year with injuries and other issues," Brock said. "It finally caught up with us."
West-Oak's Matt Westbury beat junior Michael Mockridge 9-6 at 160-pounds, putting the Warriors back on top at 24-23.
The swing of momentum kept going West-Oak's way as they went up 30-23 when Randy Warren pinned junior Drew Cunningham in the second period.
West-Oak finished off things by having Phillip Kern beat junior Nick Sinicrope 9-3 to give the Warriors the win.
The draw to start the match was at 215-pounds. Junior Brian Daubenspeck beat Ethan Smith 7-3 to have Fort Mill strike first and go up 3-0.
His win was followed by the Jackets' Zach Dulcie at heavyweight 5-3 win over Trevor Kirk.
Things kept going Fort Mill's way as they rolled back around to the lighter weights with freshman Tyler Turner beating Timothy Rogers at 103-pounds. Fort Mill junior Seth Frase got the Jackets' first pin of the match beating Alex Dickert in the second period at 112-pounds.
Up 15-0, the Jackets' lost at 119-pounds as Dallas Croen was pinned by Brandon Croney in the second period.
But despite their first loss of the match, Fort Mill was able to shake it off and bounce back at 125-pounds as senior Alan Parks beat Chase Kern 6-2, giving the Jackets' an 18-6 lead.
After that win, West-Oak started chipping away at Fort Mill's lead.
The Warriors' Bill Sexton beat Fort Mill's Ryan Dugas at 130-pounds, and then Nick Bower beat the Jackets' Ryan Cass at 135-pounds.
Fort Mill's Nick Leitten fell 3-2 to Patrick James at 140-pounds to have West-Oak pull within three at 18-15.
The Warriors' got their first lead of the night at 145-pounds when Chris Welborn pinned Fort Mill's Javian Sullivan in the first period. And besides Addis' technical fall to Miskelly, the momentum had swung in West-Oak's favor.
Despite being knocked out of the playoffs, the Jackets aren't finished. They still have 13 wrestlers that have qualified for the individual Upper State tournament at Eastside High School next week.
WEST OAK 33, FORT MILL 23
Draw was at 215-pounds.
215 - Brian Daubenspeck (FM) dec. Ethan Smith (WO), 7-3; Hwt. - Zach Dulcie (FM) dec. Trevor Kirk (WO), 5-3; 103 - Tyler Turner (FM) dec. Timothy Rogers (W), 11-4; 112 - Seth Frase (FM) pinned Alex Dickert (WO), 4:55; 119 - Brandon Croney (WO) pinned Dallas Croen (FM), 4:46; 125 - Alan Parks (FM) dec. Chase Kern (WO), 6-2; 130 - Bill Sexton (WO) dec. Ryan Dugas (FM), 10-6; 135 - Nick Bower (WO) dec. Ryan Cass (FM) 10-5; 140 - Patrick James (WO) dec. Nick Leitten (FM), 3-2; 145 - Chris Welborn (WO) pinned Javian Sullivan (FM), 1:37; 152 - Jonathan Miskelly (FM) tech. fall Andrew Addis (WO), 17-2; 160 - Matt Westbury (WO) dec. Michael Mockridge (FM), 9-6; 171 - Randy Warren (WO) pinned Drew Cunningham (FM), 3:51; 189 - Phillip Kern (WO) dec. Nick Sinicrope (FM), 9-3
Records: West-Oak 33-0; Fort Mill 19-5.
