BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Bradford Middle School won nine of the 12 head-to-head matches, giving the program its first-ever win as the Tornadoes topped visiting Lake Butler on Jan. 6.
The first-year Bradford program defeated the Tigers 65-48 after falling behind 24-0.
Bradford didn’t have wrestlers in the 75- and 80-pound weight classes, giving Lake Butler two wins by forfeiture. The Tigers then got two straight wins in head-to-head competition, with Kyson Waters and Winston Sparkman both pinning their opponents in less than 20 seconds in the 85- and 90-pound weight classes.
The Tornadoes got their first win with Demetrius Hunter pinning his opponent in 22 seconds to win the 95 class.
Lake Butler was awarded another two wins due to forfeitures, which put the Tigers ahead as a team 36-6.
Julius Givings and Nathaniel Givings gave Bradford wins in the 113 and 120 classes, respectively, with both pinning their opponents — Julius Givings in 25 seconds and Nathaniel Givings in 47 seconds.
The Tigers’ Landon Douglas won the 126 class, recording a pin in 1:02.
Bradford got a 17-1 win by technical fall in the 132 class from Stanley Varnum. That was followed by Colton Rowe pinning his opponent in 36 seconds to give the Tornadoes the win in the 138 class.
The Tornadoes had to forfeit the 145 class, which put the score at 48-29 in favor of Lake Butler.
Bradford recorded three straight wins by pins, with Mason Lowe earning the victory in the 150 class in 23 seconds, Jaland Carey earning the win in the 157 class in 25 seconds and Keden Drayton earning the win in the 165 class in 1:03.
Lake Butler didn’t have a wrestler in the 190 class, which gave Bradford a forfeit win and a 53-48 lead. Kaison Pierce then pinned his opponent in 2:42 to win the 215 class.
The Tigers also had to forfeit the heavyweight class, which accounted for the 65-48 final score.
