Jackets rebound with pair of blowout wins

Following just its second loss of the season last week, the Fort Mill wrestling team bounced back with dominating wins over Northwestern and Clover.

Fort Mill tore through Northwestern 47-8 and Clover 60-12 to improve to 3-1 in Region III dual meets and 15-2 overall on the season. The Jackets head into this week with duals against rival Nation Ford and York.

The Jackets sit in second place in Region III behind Rock Hill, but need wins in both of those meets to secure better postseason position.

Fort Mill led from the opening match against Northwestern and never trailed as Jarrod Kimball won 7-5 at 132 pounds to open things up. AJ Leitten followed with a 15-0 tech decision to get things rolling for Fort Mill.

Both Evan Stankovits (145) and Stephen Hamilton (152) got decisions by identical 6-2 scores as Fort Mill went up 14-0. Northwestern won at 160 pounds, but Jack Debbout won by pin in the first period at 170 pounds.

Fort Mill then split matches with the Trojans from 182 through heavyweight with Matt Neill (195) and Gray Hinson (hwt.) getting wins as Fort Mill went up 29-8.

Back at the top of the line up with the lower weights, Fort Mill didn’t lose another match as Jacob Sturgeon (106) and John Brotemarkle (113) both pinned their opponents and Brody Claassen (120) and Chris King (126) got decisions.

Fort Mill head coach Chris Brock said despite allowing just eight points, he felt his team was flat in areas.

“Maybe I expected too much too soon,” he said. “But it’s a win. I know we can’t wrestle like that against Nation Ford or York.”

Against Clover, Fort Mill looked more impressive in the 60-12 win. Again, the Jackets never trailed and dropped just three matches in the dual meet. Winning for Fort Mill were Caleb Cisco (220), Hinson (hwt.), Sturgeon (106), Brotemarkle (113), Claassen (120), King (126), Kimball (132), Leitten (138), Hamilton (145), Stankovits (152), Debbout (170), Wade Brock (182) and Neill (195).

After their dual meets against Nation Ford and York early this week, Fort Mill heads into the Region III individual tournament Saturday which takes place at Nation Ford. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will head onto the Upper State individual tournament in mid-February at Rock Hill High.

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Jackets rebound with pair of blowout wins."