EHS wrestlers keeping busy

By Ivan Sanders
STAR CORRESPONDENT

   The old saying is "that if you are going to be the best, you have to beat the best."
   The EHS wrestling program is definitely taking on some of the toughest competition around to better themselves when it really counts. It is beginning to pay dividends.
   In a three-way meet with Greeneville and Jefferson County on December 11th, the Cyclones faced the best team in District 2 in Jeff Co. It wasn't a banner day against the Patriots as the Cyclones were defeated.
   The Ross brothers, Andy and John, did have outstanding matches against another set of brothers, Scooter and Jerrod Houston. Scooter finished fourth in the state last year at 119 and Jerrod was second at 130.
   Even though both were defeated, the Rosses pushed their opponents to the limit. As a team, the Cyclones didn't wrestle with the intensity needed to compete with the Patriots.
   Against the Greene Devils, the Cyclones in head-to head matches wrestled the Greene Devils to a five-point difference if the forfeits were removed. The intensity level was also much better against Greeneville.
   Josh Fair wrestled in the 160 weight class and pinned both of his opponents to run his record to 14-1 for the season. Patrick Jenkins also had a solid night for the Cyclone grapplers.
   The Cyclones traveled to Cleveland, TN to participate in the Bradley Co. Invitational against some of the toughest competition in the Southeastern U.S. on December 14th. Coach Potter felt like the Cyclones could have wrestled with a little more focus and intensity, but was pleased overall with their effort.
   Fair dropped a double-overtime match to Carlirio from Hoover High in Birmingham, Ala. to keep him from placing in the top four. He went 2-2 for the tournament, as did Andy Ross and Patrick Jenkins.
   Buddy Puckett picked up a big win in the 215 weight class over a solid wrestler from Seymour. Puckett has shown vast improvement with each and every match.
   Daniel Sochalski also notched a victory in his weight class for the Cyclones as well. The Cyclone grapplers were in a match in Knox Gibbs on Tuesday night against Knox Halls, Gibbs and Union County in a Quad match. Results were unavailable at press time.