Wilson Fike’s Bella Murillo, top, avoids getting caught up in a pin combination by Southern Wayne’s Oswaldo Quiroz during their 132-pound match Wednesday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne heavyweight Eli Hulet, back, bear hugs Fike’s Nicholas Rodgers. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Eli Hulet, left, tries to escape from Fike’s Nicholas Rodgers during their heavyweight match Wednesday evening. Hulet pinned Rodgers in the third period. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
South Johnston’s Jamarion Ward, left, goes for the single-leg takedown against Southern Wayne’s Lamontez White during their 220-pound match Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne junior Eli Hulet, right, works against South Johnston’s Amando Guerrero in their heavyweight match Wednesday evening. Hulet defeated Guerrero, 1-0. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne freshman Omar Soler Sanchez, bottom, works against Fike 113-pounder Caleb Winstead on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Omar Soler Sanchez, bottom, tries to bridge out of a pin combination by South Johnston’s Ethan Brownlee on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne junior Daylan Kornegay, top, keeps Fike’s Rashaun Atkinson on the mat during their 170-pound match Wednesday evening. Kornegay improved to 10-4 this season with a pin over Atkinson. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Oswaldo Quiroz, back, works against Fike’s Bella Murillo during third-period action Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Lamontez White attempts to throw Fike’s Tashaun Thorne during their 220-pound match Wednesday evening. White eventually pinned Thorne for his 10th win of the season, (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Lamontez White, top, keep a tight grip on Fike’s Tashaun Thorne. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Daylan Kornegay, back, gets South Johnston’s Luke Kaspar in a headlock and drives him to the mat during their 170-pound match Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Joseph Evans, right, locks up with South Johnston’s Jake Wilson during their 182-pound match. Evans pinned Wilson for his fourth win of the season. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Amari Thomas, top, gets the upper hand against South Johnston’s Austin Starling during their 145-pound match Wednesday evening. Thomas pinned Starling. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — Sometimes you need a little good fortune, especially when you’re searching for points with a short-handed lineup.
Southern Wayne certainly did Wednesday evening.
Despite forfeiting two weight classes, the Saints pulled off two surprises and prevailed 40-36 over Fike during a three-team, Quad County 3A dual meet. Earlier, South Johnston reeled off 34 consecutive points and cruised 58-21 over Southern Wayne.
“I’m always going to be a tough critic, so there are many things we can improve on … takedown defense, wrestling on top,” SW head coach Tori King said. “We focused this week in practice on not getting caught with our hands up underneath the guy and getting caught with our elbows pinched in.
“Tonight, we didn’t have a lot of guys reaching back. A lot of guys were cross facing, pushing the head away.”
The Saints (2-7 overall, 1-1 Quad County) logged five pins, a major decision and one forfeit against the Golden Demons.
Fike bolted ahead 12-0 on back-to-back pins, but Southern Wayne answered with a match-changing 24-6 run.
Senior Daylan Kornegay earned his 10th win of the season with a fall over Rashaun Atkinson at 170 pounds. Joseph Evans (182), Lamontez White (220) and junior heavyweight Eli Hulet each stuck their respective opponent.
Down in the third period, Hulet avoided a bear hug from Nicholas Rodgers and eventually took him to the mat. Seconds later, Hulet earned the pin with 54.3 seconds on the clock.
“We had God on our side on that one,” King said.
Freshman 113-pounder Omar Soler Sanchez and 120-pounder Josiah Bell each filed a pin in the scorebook. SW junior Oswaldo Quiroz registered a 13-1, major decision over Bella Murillo at 132 pounds that sealed the outcome.
“They had the same issues as far as we had missing weight classes and that evened it out a little bit, made it closer at the end,” said King, who has yet to put a full lineup on the mat this season.
Kornegay, Evans and 145-pounder Amari Thomas each recorded a pin against South Johnston. Hulet scored a 1-0 decision over Trojan heavyweight Amando Guerrero in a tension-filled, physical affair.
Southern Wayne returns to action Saturday in the 31st annual Pierce-Davis Memorial at North Pitt High School. The individual tournament begins at 9 a.m.
