Smith escapes to top Lopez

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The outcome between Cleveland and Soddy-Daisy was all but predetermined, especially after coaches confirmed that the visiting Trojans would be giving up 18 points due to forfeits.

Cleveland's wrestlers improved to 11-3 with a 44-23 win but the highlight for most in Jones Wrestling Center was the 135-pound match between up and coming freshmen wrestlers Darren "Turbo" Smith of Soddy-Daisy and the host Blue Raiders' Aaron Lopez. Smith got an escape with 10 seconds left before scoring a takedown in the first overtime period for a 3-1 victory.

"That's the first match that comes to mind," Soddy-Daisy coach Steve Henry said. "You have two wrestlers the caliber of those two kids going at it."

Smith is ranked second in the state at 135 pounds and Lopez fourth at 140. Lopez, though, pared the necessary pounds and met the criteria in the state's complicated weight management system to wrestle Smith, who had bested him three times previously.

"He came to me and said he wanted to drop because he'd never beaten Smith and I said 'Go for it,'" Cleveland coach Eric Phillips said.

Lopez didn't get over the hump but he has closed the gap from a loss by pin and a one-point setback.

Both teams are quite young. Cleveland has just three seniors leading two juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen.

All three of the seniors came through with wins -- Bailey Jones (160) and Will Moreland (171) posted decisions and Chip Norwood (189) won by forfeit. Cleveland also got wins from Austin Oliver (103), Marvin Lopez (130), Dre' Moore (145), Isaiah Nichols (152) and Jesse Jones (285).

Soddy-Daisy, which has battled injuries and sickness since practice started, has just one senior, a junior and the rest a mix of sophomores and freshmen.

"Soddy-Daisy is struggling but they're still solid," Phillips said. "Any Soddy-Daisy kid, if he's been there any time at all, is going to know how to counter most moves. "I thought we wrestled pretty well. We had been working a couple of areas pretty hard and the kids executed well in those areas."

Jake Gamble, the Trojans' lone senior, won by technical fall. The Trojans' other winners were Jacob Stevens (112), Jacob Adams (140) and Casey Jordan.

"I can leave here and feel good driving home," Henry said. "Cleveland is a very good team. They're animals on the mat and gentlemen off the mat. But I told the kids to walk out of here with the heads held high. We spotted them 18 points but our guys wrestled with heart, which is something people expect from Soddy-Daisy. We're getting better."

The Trojans were without 215-pound Billy Swanson and 285-pound Alex Seeley, one recovering from a sinus infection and the other a borderline case of pneumonia. Cleveland was missing Brandon Strickland (125), who has the flu, and both of its heavyweights -- Jordan Hines and Heath Shamblin.

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