JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor
The night before the big Cumberland Skull and Crossbones Meet, the Rams drove to Champaign and won a dual meet against a growing program at St. Thomas, 45-21.
The Rams were without a couple of starters, but some underclassmen earned varsity starts and made them pay off. Jeff Gill, one of the Ram team leaders and a former state qualifier, won again to go to 10-1 on the season. Gill (160) scored his first technical fall of the season, winning 17-2.
Alex Jones, another state qualifier from last year, won. Jones (135) won by pin. He had a couple of take downs in the match and then stuck his opponent in just 1:12. Dalton Brown, the Rams' other state qualifier from last year, won by forfeit and saved his energy for the Skull and Crossbones.
Freshman Jordan Brown (145) won a challenge this week in practice and earned a shot at St. Thomas. Brown scored his first varsity win, pinning his opponent in 2:50. Another freshman, Mitchell Barna, filling in for an injured James Gill at 189, got his first varsity win. Barna stuck his opponent in just 45 seconds. A third freshman, Luke Hatfield (152) also got a win. Hatfield won a major decision, 14-2.
Eric Hightower (125) won by forfeit and Alec Jarnagin, who took third at PORTA, won by forfeit. There was double forfeit at 285, as Jarred Fisher is out sick.
Michael Nees wrestled 171 and lost a tough match on points, just 5-4. Freshman Austin VanLue wrestled a good athlete that weighed less and lost.
In exhibition work, Jordan Johnston (130) won by pin (1:05). Josh Hicks got his first JV win by pinning his St. Tom foe in 2:41. Barna wrestled again against a PBL solo wrestler and lost by pin :55. VanLue wrestled the same kid and also lost by pin (2:41). Bryce Henze lost by pin to another St. Tom foe.
Shelbyville is now 4-3 in dual meets and wrestles at the Skull and Crossbones on Saturday.
