BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Union County High School hosted Gainesville and Interlachen for a wrestling match on Jan. 23, with the Tigers defeating both teams.
The match opened with Interlachen defeating Gainesville 53-30.
Union then took on Interlachen. After forfeiting two weight classes, the Tigers won eight straight head-to-head matches, which were then followed by two straight forfeit wins. All of those head-to-head matches were wins by pins: Hunter Cruz in 1:03, Akireon Boykin in 1;20, Wyatt Elixson in 58 seconds, Carsen Thomas in 3:20, C.J. Ivey in 2:11, Matthew Rogers in 3:59, Mason Fassett in 3:32 and Breydan Peugh in 18 seconds.
Interlachen then forfeited two classes, which put Union ahead 48-24. The Rams did earn one head-to-head win, but the Tigers’ Gavin Sparkman closed out the match by pinning his opponent in 44 seconds for a 54-30 win.
The Tigers the faced Gainesville, winning 42-30.
Union got wins from Cruz, who pinned his opponent in 2:39, and Preston Griffin, who pinned his opponent in 31 seconds, but three head-to-head wins by Gainesville and the forfeiture of classes by both teams had the match tied at 30-30.
A forfeit by Gainesville put the Tigers up 36-30. It then came down to one head-to-head match, which Union’s Sparkman won by pinning his opponent in 20 seconds.
