Week Nine: L.E.L. Home match

In the last home match of the year and on Senior Parents night we had a night of ups and downs. To begin the night, the Panthers were handily defeated by newly crowned L.E.L. champs, Lorain Titans. It is their first year as a newly merged high school of the old Southview powerhouse and Admiral King. They went 8-0 in the L.E.L. and have won three tournaments this winter. Picking up victories, in the 59-18 loss, were Rynell Roper, Dylan Norwood, and Linje Ross, all by pins.
Next Seniors were honored along with their families for Senior Parent Night. Lamar Gunter had his father, Steve escort him to the center of the mat. David Cozart was escorted by mother Christine Kelly and grandfather Gary Pringle, who was a member of Euclid's 1958 OHSAA State Championship wrestling team. Dylan Norwood was escorted by parents by Eva and Desmond Davis. Zak Adkins and parents Kelly and Mischa Adkins, and also grandmother Agnus Adkins, were last to cross the mat for senior night.
Inspired by the seniors, and wanting to send them home with a victory in their last home match, Bedford jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead. We tied it up with a late decision by Darsheed Mustafa and pin by Freshman Reggie Phillips. Bedford took the lead again with a pin at 140, before the Panthers roared back and put the match out of reach with victories by pins from Zak Adkins and David Cozart, and decisions from Rynell Roper and Lamar Gunter. Bedford won at 215 and 285, but the match was already Euclid's. It ended with forfeit victories at 103 and 112 going to the Panthers, making the final score 46-24.
The Panthers are now 12-8 overall and 5-3 in the L.E.L., good for 4th place in the league. The team finishes the regular season tonight at VASJ against Shaw, Cleveland Heights, and the host Vikings.