Andy Matheson wins WAC wrestling crown

"Andy had a tremendous performance," Coach Ian Roper said. "He had been sick for several days going into the tournament. I was inches away from not letting him wrestle, but he said he wanted to go. He really performed admirably."

Pisgah won the tournament with the Mustangs placing fifth. Roper said his team was hampered by two injuries. Brandon Woodard, the top seed at 130 pounds, and Matt Boud, a contender at 215, had to withdraw with shoulder injuries.

"As a team, we didn't wrestle up to our capabilities," he said. "We came on and wrestled better later in the tournament."

Matheson had a bye in the first round then decisioned Brevard's Stacy Byrd 18-6. He pinned Blake Cagle of Tuscola in the finals.

Placing third were Nathan Novgrod at 145 pounds, Chris McFalls at 171 and Chris Hilton at 189. Novgrod decisioned Franklin's Adam Green 11-7 before dropping a 14-10 decision to Tuscola's Josh King. He bounced back in the consolation round by pinning B. King of Enka and Green in a rematch.

McFalls had a bye then lost to Pisgah's Baxley 14-3. He recovered by pinning Sarver of Tuscola and decisioning Mass of Franklin 1-0.

Hilton also had a bye before being pinned by Godleski of Erwin. In the consolation bracket, he pinned Parker of Franklin and McCracken of Pisgah.

"Nathan Novgrod had a super tournament at 145, and Chris Hilton at 189 wrestled extremely well," Roper said.

He noted they both defeated wrestlers they had lost to earlier in the season.

Back to Sports: 02/08/01.