By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
As iron sharpens iron, the Yellow Jackets swarmed to mold and secure the Hardy Hammer victory over East Hardy in the quad match held in the Hive.
During the ensuing match, East Hardy coach Stevie Miller earned his 100th career win against Central Woodstock.
Moorefield won the Hardy Hammer championship against the Cougars with a 54-30 win.
“We wrestled well and are getting better everyday and that is the main thing. We had some good matches today. It has been a while since we had this hammer on this side of the mountain. I am really happy for them about that. It’s Hammer Time. That girl, Sydney Lancaster, made a heck of a video for us. That was special. It all boiled down to working hard and everything just started clicking along. If you get better every week, the wins will start coming.
The Hardy Hammer match commenced with the Cougars pouncing for the initial lead as Aaron Barb recorded a second period pin (1:24) against Moorefield’s LeeAnne Coon in the 106-lb. class.
Barb opened the match with a takedown, but Coon alertly shifted to get out of the circle.
Barb made another attack with Coon twisting around and both got entangled falling to the mat as Barb maintained control from above.
Barb gained back points before Coon managed to flip around to her stomach before time expired.
Barb collected another takedown and used an arm flipping maneuver to create the pin.
The Yellow Jackets tied the match as Teagan Eversole received a forfeit at 113-lb.
Moorefield took the lead 12-6 in the 120-lb. class as Ledziel Matos-Berrios garnered a third period pin at 0:48 over East Hardy’s Madilyn Funk.
Matos-Berrios gained the initial takedown, while Funk pushed and rolled for a reversal with a leg grab.
Funk locked up with Matos-Berrios and their momentum carried out of bounds.
Matos-Berrios earned near fall points as Funk’s hair began to fall in his face and a spin was made for an escape in the second frame.
Matos-Berrios got the takedown and pin in the third period.
East Hardy evened the match at 12-all as Jaedyn Funk (126) pinned Moorefield’s Annie Barr in the second period at the one minute mark.
Funk opened the match lifting Barr up and a shift carried the grapplers out of the circle.
Funk made another elevated grab of Barr and this time recorded a takedown before they rolled out.
There was a short break for blood time.
Barr made a reversal before another blood time whistle.
In the second period, there was spinning and dancing out of the circle prior to the pin by Funk.
The Yellow Jackets took the Hardy Hammer lead for good on a (132) forfeit given to Javier Acosta.
Moorefield gathered wins on the next four matches to bolster a 42-12 advantage.
Moorefield’s Jhon Paul notched a second period pin at 1:36 against East Hardy’s Carter Myers in the 138-lb. match.
Paul created a pair of takedowns in the first period, while Myers managed to escape both times.
Paul didn’t let Myers elude his grasp after the second period takedown and got the pin.
East Hardy’s Khristian Bauserman was too excited to wrestle and came to check in at the table, however, he was two weight classes early and a forfeit was given to Moorefield’s Jordan Fields for the 144-lb class.
There was a long discussion over the early entrance.
The Yellow Jackets extended the lead with forfeits to Alex Rodriguez (150) and Axel Rodriguez (157).
East Hardy’s Cooper Eckard (165) stopped the scoring streak with a first period pin at 1:10 over Moorefield’s Nathan Crites.
The Cougars kept the momentum going as Owen Whitacre (175) pinned Moorefield’s Jake Lumia in the first period at 0:44.
East Hardy’s Caleb Haggerty was given a forfeit (190) as the Cougars closed the gap to 42-30.
The Yellow Jackets earned back-to-back pins to finish off the Hardy Hammer victory.
Moorefield’s Daltan Ault (215) pinned East Hardy’s Ryan Harman in the second period at 1:10.
Harman gained the initial takedown and both rolled out of the circle.
Ault created a reversal and back pins in the opening frame.
Ault was on top to begin the second period and got the arm cross lock and flip for the pin.
Moorefield’s William Atkins (285) pinned East Hardy’s Nick Roomsburg in the first period at 0:44 to end the Hardy Hammer bout and quickly stood up to flex both arms.
This action was considered unsportsmanlike behavior resulting in a penalty.
The Hardy Hammer trophy is painted blue on one side and green on the other and Moorefield coach Larry Schoonover made sure the blue side was on display during the celebrations.
The Yellow Jackets swarmed off mat to the auxiliary gym for an extended celebration before returning to the mat to face Tucker County.
Moorefield shutout the Mountain Lions 78-nil.
Moorefield garnered eight pins against Tucker County by Lee-Anne Coon, Teagan Eversole, Annie Barr, Grace Simmons, Levi Williams, Jordan Fields, Blake Robinette and Braedyn Toney.
Forfeits were given to Morgan Malone, Axel Rodriguez, David Stonestreet, Nathan Crites and Daltan Ault.
The Yellow Jackets completed the Hardy Hammer Quad match sweep with a 48-29 win over Central Woodstock (VA).
Moorefield’s LeeAnne Coon wrestled into the second period before getting an injury forfeit win.
Jhon Paul and Alex Rodriguez earned pins for the Yellow Jackets against the Falcons.
Moorefield received forfeit points for Eversole, Acosta, Fields, Ault and Atkins.
East Hardy Wrestling defeated the Central Woodstock Falcons 42-32 to give coach Stevie Miller his 100th career victory.
The Cougars collected six pins against Central Woodstock: Landon Hess, Khristian Bauserman, Cooper Eckard, Nick Roomsburg, Conner Henderson and Aaron Barb.
East Hardy beat the Mountain Lions 72-12.
The Cougars garnered five pins against Tucker County: Jayden Funk, Madilyn Funk, Morganne Miller, Ryan Harman and Conner Henderson.
The Yellow Jackets won bragging rights for Hardy County with the Hardy Hammer domination, but the Cougars fought well overall in the quad match.
Moorefield and East Hardy battled in the State Duals Qualifier in Keyser along with Berkeley Springs this past Saturday.
The Golden Tornado advanced to the state duals tournament as the champion, while the Yellow Jackets earned a state ticket as the runner-up.
East Hardy will compete in the Mountain Ridge Tournament this weekend.
The Yellow Jackets will participate in the Braxton County Tournament this weekend.
