Raytown needed some big-time performances in its last three matches.
The Blue Jays trailed Suburban White Conference rival Truman 34-23 going into the 190-pound bout and needed to rattle off some wins to take the dual.
Adonis Holguin got Raytown off to a good start on the comeback by pinning Abdullah Zmerda in just 22 seconds.
After that Chace Lindsay (215 pounds) and Zach Ryland (285) came up with big pins in their matches to complete the come-from-behind 39-34 victory over the Patriots Wednesday at Truman High School.
Raytown was able to get the win despite missing some of their main wrestlers due to injury including Sam Pilkington, Eddie Orozco and Josiah Hogan.
“We had a bunch of young kids who stepped up,” Raytown head coach Daniel Hedrick said. “We had some guys that were dinged up at the end. We really pulled through at the end.
“Zach has been on a little bit of a hot streak lately. He’s been getting some pins.”
Ryland wasted little time to get his pin over Regenal Nicholson as he got a takedown and used a half nelson for the turn and fall in 45 seconds. The sophomore, who is on the junior varsity team, filled in for Pilkington.
“I was going out looking for a pin for sure,” Ryland said. “I was able to get behind him and get him down and he gave me the half and I ran it.”
Ryland’s pin was set up by Lindsay’s pin as he used an armbar to earn his 24-second victory over Aaron Baylee.
“I felt him get low and I had to capitalize,” Lindsay said. “I used a double chicken wing into a half.”
Other to collect wins for the Blue Jays included David Ayala (113), who pinned Bentlee Stockton in 3:04; Lehi Butler (132), who won by fall over Drake McCutcheon in 3:17; Michael Battaglia (138), who pinned Dominick Vaughn in 5:17; and Tyler Whitmire (150), who edged Brandon Coffman 14-10.
Truman was missing some of its main wrestlers at the dual, including Daylen Curry and Noah Talato, but head coach Levi Goes was OK with how his team competed.
“We knew Raytown was a little light coming in, too, so we knew this was going to be a competitive dual,” Goes said. “It’s always fun to be in a competitive dual. You have to wrestle with who you got.
“I think we are doing alright. We’re where we need to be in the heart of the season. There are a lot of things we need to work on, though.”
Below is a summary of the wins for Truman:
120: Casey O’Hara won by forfeit.
126: Emilio Recarte pinned Conner Patrick in 27 seconds with a cradle.
144: Kylan Bolin got a pin out of a scramble and headlock in 32 seconds over Jayden Jones.
157: Anthony King was down 6-5 before he got a reversal and managed to flip over Victor Ceron to get a pin in 5:24.
165: Marc Gonzalez topped Roman Butler 16-4 in a major decision and got seven of his points off near falls.
175: Gabriel Soliz used a half nelson to turn Ethan Pilkington and get a win by fall 1:41.
Girls
The Truman girls team won three out of four contested matches and that helped it take a 35-18 victory over the Blue Jays.
Carmen Williams (105), Da’Mia Dunbar (110) and KeNiyah Coleman (115) all won by forfeit; Molly Saak (120) earned a 16-1 tech fall victory over Joslin Orr; Trinity Harrison (155) pinned Ciara Collins in 39 seconds; and A’Nyla Davis (235) won by fall in 1:28 against Brina Howard.
For the Blue Jays, Ulalia Butler (125) and Mya Nelson (130) got wins by forfeit and Leuia Vai Iatala (190) pinned Majisty Harrison in 3:31.
