The Pickens High School Dragons wrestling team recognized its senior class with brief ceremony between matches over Union and Cherokee. Pickens picked up two wins on the night, pouncing on the Panthers 48-36 before charbroiling Cherokee 48-27.After Cherokee and Union wrestled, the varsity Dragons stepped on the mat to wrestle with Union County. The match began with Pickens picking up a forfeit at 138 lbs. This was followed up by Michael Casey wrestling a very tough match against Adam WIlliams of Union. After several back and forth exchanges, Casey managed to pin Williams to the mat to secure the six points for the Dragons.

Senior Will Logan was hurt earlier in the week at practice, so the Dragons were forced to go with a JV wrestler at 152 pounds. The experience difference was too great as Union picked up its first win of the dual and cut the Pickens lead in half. Another loss at 160 tied the dual. A forfeit victory at 170 pounds returned Pickens to the lead. A loss at 182 tied the dual back.

However, buoyed by two consecutive forfeits at 195 pounds and 220 pounds, The Dragons began to build a lead. Senior Elliot Gallagher made short work of his opponent at heavyweight. Union elected to forfeit to Pickens at 106 lbs. At this point, Pickens was ahead 42- 18 but the reality of the three forfeits

Pickens has faced in duals all season loomed large. Pickens entered the 113 match needing anything but a loss by pin to avoid defeat. Freshman Michael Hernandez rose to the occasion as he pinned Brendan Mason of Union in 40 seconds to seal the victory. The final score was 48-36.

The Dragons then honored six senior wrestlers and one senior manager. The senior wrestlers were Jake Coleman, Cole Millsap, Will Logan, Josh Massey, Elliot Gallagher, and John Holbert. The one senior manager was Lizzie Murphy.

“All of our seniors are young people of great character, which is one of our goals in this program,” said head coach Grady Flanagan. “All six are great leaders with a lot of grit and determination and Lizzie has saved us a few times in matches.”

The Dragons returned to the mat to wrestle a Cherokee team depleted by some injuries but still very dangerous. After wrestling a tough match in the first dual, Michael Casey wrestled an even tougher one in this dual. The match ended 11-10 in favor of Cherokee but it was one in which both wrestlers showed great determination and toughness. Another defeat at 152 put the Dragons down 9-0 early on.

Senior Jake Coleman stepped on the mat at 160 pounds determined to get a win in his final home match and he delivered with a thirteen second pin. Cherokee forfeited at 170 lbs and Coach Flanagan elected to bump Senior Josh Massey up to 182 pounds.

Massey delivered at the higher weight. One senior victory was followed by another as John Holbert pinned his opponent at 195. A loss at 220 was followed by Gallagher picking up his second win of the night, this time in sixteen seconds.

Playing a little bit of strategy, Pickens elected to double forfeit and bump sophomore phenom Koby Milner to 113 and Freshman Michael Hernandez to 120. Both delivered victories to seal the dual. Kyle Tidwell wrestled the final dual match of the season and picked up a quick pin to set the final score at 48-27.

On the season, the Dragons finished with a 6-6 record in duals. The team had failed to win a single dual in the previous two seasons.

“We made a goal this year to win duals, put the previous two seasons behind us, and begin building this program to level we knew it would be. Tonight, we wanted to try our very hardest to send every senior out with a win. We almost accomplished that on an individual level. We did, however, as a team, send our seniors out with two dual victories on their home mat. That was big for us.”

– Coach Flanagan

Senior Night Ceremony