Historic season continues for Aiken High wrestlers
Feb. 6—AIKEN 43, BEAUFORT 28
New stage? No problem for the Aiken High wrestling team.
The Region 5-AAAA champions stormed out to a big early lead in Saturday's second-round playoff match against Beaufort, then got the results they needed late in a 43-28 victory that sends the Hornets to Monday's third round.
"Honestly, we haven't seen either of these teams this year so we weren't sure what to expect," said Aiken coach Brent Cook, referring to Beaufort and South Florence, its first-round opponent. "I did a little digging on both sides for both of those guys, and they had a great match together first. They had a lot of great guys on both teams, a lot of studs.
"But our guys decided to show up today, thank goodness. When they decide to show up, it's always a good day for us usually. Like I always tell them, if we go out there and lose, as long as you're fighting 100% I couldn't care less. It's all about if you show up and wrestle. I'll take the losses any day as long as we're wrestling our best."
Aiken scored the first 22 points of the match to take firm control, but Beaufort made a charge midway through to give the Hornets a scare at 28-19 and then at 31-25. Aiken responded, though, with 12 of the last 15 points to seal the victory.
"I had quite a few kids step up and make some big moves," Cook said. "Some kids held off from getting pinned by good kids on their side. Some of their kids showed up in some matches that we weren't expecting. Both ways kind of threw me back and forth. Once we started getting three or four matches out, I was like, 'OK, I think we've got this one.'"
A pivotal match came at the 170-pound weight class, with Aiken clinging to that 31-25 lead. Enter Jonathan Mangione, who powered his way to a quick pin that gave the Hornets the breathing room they needed.
"First-year senior. He had some things in his past that kind of prevented him from being able to join the wrestling team, but he's always wanted to do it," Cook said. "He's been with me since the beginning of the season. Man, that kid's a hard worker. He went out there, I told him to go do his job, and he looked like he had the fire in his eyes to go take care of it for us. I had no doubt he was going to do that."
Jayden Fuller got the day started with a win at 220 pounds, and reigning Lower State champion Triston Williams followed that up with an emphatic pin for a quick 10-0 lead. Two forfeits later, and the Hornets had their 22-0 edge.
"Those two there, I usually feel pretty confident in those two," Cook said. "Those two big guys, the dangerous duo up there in the 200s. They like to go out there and take care of business and usually give us a good cushion. I can always count on those guys to go up there and do what they're supposed to do."
Justin Sharp scored a pin at 132 pounds for a 28-9 lead, and Cody Young got a win at 152 to make it 31-19.
Saturday's victory continues a hot streak for the ninth-ranked Hornets, who won the region title last week and then had five wrestlers — Fabian Johnson at 160, Mangione at 170, Will Brinkley at 182, Austin Grant at 195 and Williams at 285 — win individual league titles.
