Central’s Samual Sledge, top, flips Bradley Central’s Andrew Chadwick onto his back during their 195 weight class match Thursday. Bradley Central wrestled against Central High School at Bradley Central on Thursday.CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Central had three starters out of the lineup but the Purple Pounders rolled out their best effort of the year. It just wasn’t enough.
In a battle of defending state wrestling duals winners, AAA champ Bradley Central rallied in the night’s final match to foil A/AA champion Central’s upset bid 37-34. The teams won seven matches apiece the difference came down to a pair of no-contest victories.
“Thank goodness for forfeits,” Bradley Central coach Ben Smith said as he literally wiped sweat from his brow. ‘We got outhustled, and we got outfought. That’s what hurts.”
The meet started at 132 pounds and Bradley Central never saw the lead until the final match. They entered that finale at 126 pounds down 34-31 and their fate fell on the shoulders of Jericho Crutcher. One of a a limited number of Bradley veterans, he came up with a second-period pin to cap his team’s furious rally.
Central had the Bears on the ropes, leading 34-7 entering the final five bouts, but Bradley Central won them all. The Pounders forfeited at 106 and 120 and the Bears coupled those six-point victories with pins from heavyweight Patrick Benson, Dakota Ream (113) and Crutcher for the come-from-behind decision.