MARION -- An avoided pin kept Marion's wrestling team ahead and two pins secured a 48-35 win over Pinckneyville in a dual match Wednesday night at Cuss Wilson Gymnasium.
The match started at 195 pounds and Pinckneyville's Jeremy Opp notched a second-period pin of Joseph Mareno, then Marion tied it when two-time state qualifier Michael Cantrell pinned Andrew Stevens in 41 seconds.
Pinckneyville won the heavyweight bout as Will Smith pinned JoeAbe Eroh in 3:27.
Rolling to the lighter weights, Marion's Gage Kent and Gaige Owens both pinned their opponents, then the Panthers got six points from Ryder Parson with a cradle pin of Riley Winters at 120.
Marion picked up 24 straight points after that starting with Lydell Hoskins, Landon White and Charles Neil earning pins and Allen Abernathy taking a forfeit.
At 152 pounds, Pinckneyville's James Lamke beat Daniel Gilley by a 17-1 score but Gilley's determination to somehow avoid being pinned several times proved crucial.
That's because in the next bout, Pinckneyville's Jordan Keester pinned Noah James in 2:13 and that made Marion's lead 36-35 -- had Gilley been pinned the match would've been tied.
The Wildcats sealed it though as senior Rohan Cook pinned Luke Zelasko and freshman Thomas Dudley pinned Deacon Bradley for the final margin.
Marion now travels to a 27-team tournament in Mascoutah that runs Friday and Saturday.
Marion grapplers stop Panthers
updated: 12/15/2017 1:55 AM
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