COLUMBIA – The Fort Mill High School Yellow Jackets wrestling team secured their third consecutive state championship with a hard-fought 33-28 victory over the Lugoff-Elgin Demons at Dreher High School. The win capped off a perfect 19-0 dual season for Fort Mill.
The match saw the Yellow Jackets trailing only once, at the very beginning, before they mounted a strong comeback. The championship marks the 39th state team title in Fort Mill High School’s history and the fourth state title for the school this academic year.
The match began at 190 pounds, where Lugoff-Elgin took an early lead with a 19-8 major decision victory. Fort Mill quickly responded with a pin by Ted Ernst at 215 pounds, followed by another pin by heavyweight Jonathan DaSilva.
Lugoff-Elgin won the 106-pound match by decision, but Fort Mill responded with an 8-5 decision victory from Luke Van Beynum at 113 pounds and a dominant 19-7 major decision from Cole Wartinger at 120 pounds.
Tucker Gibson rallied at 126 pounds to secure a 9-8 decision, pushing Fort Mill’s lead to 22-7. Lugoff-Elgin stayed in contention with a pin at 132 pounds, but Fort Mill answered with a 17-1 technical fall from Lincoln Green at 138 pounds and a 10-7 decision by Jayden Nguyen at 144 pounds.
Lugoff-Elgin earned a pin at 150 pounds, as well as wins at 165 and 175 pounds. However, Fort Mill’s lead proved insurmountable.
Match Results:
Fort Mill 33, Lugoff-Elgin 28
190 – Logan Hinton (L-E) maj.dec. Maurice Lawrence (FM), 19-8
215 – Ted Ernst (FM) pin Ladon Lyone (L-E)
285 – Jon DaSilva (FM) pin Issac James (L-E)
106 – Tyler McChesney (L-E) dec. Brody Harris (FM), 13-7
113 – Lucas Van Beynum (FM) dec. Quentin Benjamin (L-E), 8-5
120 – Cole Wartinger (FM) maj.dec. Titan Magee (L-E), 19-7
126 – Tucker Gibson (FM) dec. Shayne Ross (L-E), 9-8
132 – Rylan Griggs (L-E) pin Grayson Wallen (FM)
138 – Lincoln Greene (FM) tech.fall Nathaniel Scott (L-E), 17-1
144 – Jayden Nguyen (FM) dec. Kendel Coker (L-E), 10-7
150 – Gabe Rush (L-E) pin Keenan Coston (FM)
157 – Vincent Damico (FM) dec. Rivers Moak (L-E), 15-14
165 – Eddie Jefferson (L-E) dec. Broden Mitcheson (FM), 5-4
175 – Jakaleb Robinson (L-E) pin Mason Metcalf (FM)
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