Four open weights out of the final five matches cost the McDonald County High School wrestling team any chance of defeating Grove in a dual held Feb. 3 at MCHS.
The Ridgerunners, trailing 36-18, won the final five matches of the dual -- four by forfeit, to pull out a 48-36 win.
McDonald County jumped out to a quick 12-0 lead with first period pins by Jakob Gerow (106) and Daniel DeSantiago (113).
Grove's Pedro Lara picked up the Ridgerunners' first points with a pin of Landin Foreman at 120 pounds.
McDonald County's Christian Willman received a forfeit at 126 pounds before Grove's Jesse Martin pinned Nathan Knadle at 132 pounds.
Truman Craig and Josh Kinser then recorded back-to-back pins for the Mustangs to give McDonald County a 30-12 lead. Craig pinned Tanner Vaughn early in the second period while Kinser pinned Seth Miller in the first.
Grove cut the margin to 30-18 when Garrett Sisco pinned Isrrael DeSantiago at 152 pounds.
Christopher Dalton recorded the final McDonald County points by pinning Hayden Wilkinson at 160 pounds.
The dual served as senior night for the wrestling program. Four seniors on the 2014-2015 team -- Foreman, Dalton, Kinser and Andrew Coberley -- were honored prior to the matches.
McDonald County is at the Missouri Class 3 District 3 Wrestling Tournament Feb. 13-14 at Branson High School. The state championships are set for Feb. 19-21.
Sports on 02/15/2015