Returning from the Christmas break, the Durant Lion wrestling team ran into tough dual competition while coming up on the short end of a pair of contests ahead of the Pauls Valley Tournament where junior Aiden Polk claimed a weight class title.
The Lions fell to Ada (64-18) on Tuesday and then Madill (53-25) as forfeit decisions cost the Durant team key points in each.
Coach Jim Taylor’s club yielded forfeit points in four weight classes against Ada, picking up their three match wins by the catalysts in the middle of the lineup.
Mac Barbush notched a first period fall in just 28 seconds at 150 pounds to get the Lions on the scoreboard. Aiden Polk followed suit in 67 seconds at 157 pounds and Britton Trotter was a pin fall winner in exactly one minute at 165.
Durant had a bit more success in the Madill dual, giving up forfeit points in just three matches, but only picked up one win before 150 pounds. Kenlyn Pate got that one at 113 with a 37-second fall triumph against the Wildcats’ Coltyn McQueary.
The trio of Barbush, Polk and Trotter provided consistency at the same three weight divisions as the Ada event to cut into Madill’s lead.
Barbush had a 12-3 major decision over Aroddy Camacho at 150, Polk scored an 18-2 technical fall at 157 versus Bryce Culp and Trotter turned back Tyner Roberts by fall in 1:47 at 165.
Joseph Sepalvedoe followed with Durant’s fourth straight win at 175 pounds, outpointing Brylon Gibson for an 11-1 major decision at 175 pounds. That proved to be the Lions’ final match victory.
In girls’ action against Madill, the Lady Lions came away with four match wins.
At 110 pounds Olivia Crossland posted a technical fall against Samantha Ortiz of Madill with Madi Rivera following with a pin fall decision over Hannah Pruitt at 120.
Kenzie Trotter tossed in a fall victory against Kaydence Bourland at 145 pounds with Camila Amana contributing another pin of Madelyn Ritchie in the 190 division.
In the tournament on Saturday, Polk cruised through the 157 pound category by winning all four matches. He was a 2:35 fall victor over Chacone Taylor of Lawton Ike, rolled to an 18-2 technical fall against Anadarko’s Elijah Peterson, won a 15-10 decision versus Barren Hunter from Elgin and then received a forfeit from Elgin’s Braxten Antuna in the title match.
Barbush added a third at 150 pounds with Trotter also third at 165 while in the girls’ division Alliah Davis, Kenzie Trotter and Camila Amaya were second, Madison Rivera ended third and Camryn Eubanks captured fourth.
Barbush’s trek through the event included four victories sandwiched around his lone loss. He stopped Austin Compton (Cashion) and Aylor Dixon (Sulphur) by falls to start things, then closed with a fall triumph over Damien Watson (Lawton) and 12-2 major decision versus Dixon again.
Lady Lion Olivia Crossland pins a Madill wrestler.
Britton Trotter posted a fall quarterfinal victory before falling in the semifinals but answered with a pair of pins, including Anthony Rodriguez (Lawton) in his final match.
Davis snagged fall decisions against Elleaha Benjamin (Lawton Ike) and Alyssa Brown (Lawton) ahead of a title match defeat at 130 pounds.
Kenzie Trotter had a first period pin of Audelia Moralez (Vernon, TX) at 145 pounds to reach the finale where she lost a second period fall.
Amaya meanwhile recorded a pair of fall triumphs facing Georgia Chambers (Lone Grove) and Roman Davis (Cashion) but lost by a pin in the 190-pound championship.
Rivera dropped her first match but recovered with back-to-back fall victories against Nicole Reed (Lawton Ike) and Alyssa Williams (Lone Grove) at 120 pounds while Eubanks was a 9-0 major decision victor against Dowery McKay from Elgin in her lone triumph at 235.
