FRANKLIN — In a final tune-up before the Greater Western Ohio Conference tournament on Feb. 17, Northmont’s wrestling team traveled to Franklin last Thursday night and pinned a 37-34 non-conference loss on the Wildcats.

Despite having a lineup consisting of mainly freshmen and sophomores, Franklin pushed Northmont to the limit.

Franklin forfeited at 106 pounds to make the score 6-0 Thunderbolts.

113: Daniel Osborne (Fr. – Franklin) won by a fall over Printiss Moore, So. (Thunderbolts 6, Wildcats 6.

120: Spencer Blair (Fr. – Franklin) scored a 14-3 major decision over freshman Adam Wallace. (Thunderbolts 6, Wildcats 10).

126: Dareyan Egner (So. – Franklin) won by a fall (1:53) over senior Henry Pergram. (Thunderbolts 6, Wildcats 16).

132: Noah Allen (Northmont) won by forfeit. (Thunderbolts 12, Wildcats 16).

138: Franklin won by forfeit. Thunderbolts 12, Wildcats 22).

144: Landon McCargish (So. – Northmont) won by a fall (0:50) over junior Acheron Marcum. Thunderbolts 18, Wildcats 22).

150: Carter Reed (Jr. – Franklin) won by a fall (3:43) against senior John Wright. (Thunderbolts 18, Wildcats 28).

157: Charlie Wendt (Fr. – Northmont) scored a 10-9 decision over sophomore Cody Ferguson. Thunderbolts 21, Wildcats 28)

165: Jack Berry (So. – Franklin) won by forfeit. (Thunderbolts 21, Wildcats 34).

175: In what amounted to perhaps the most bizarre match of the season, Marcos Velasquez (Sr. – Northmont) won by a fall (3:10) over Bryant Ferguson. Velasquez put Ferguson on his back and the referee slapped the mat signaling a pin, then jumped up and waved off the call stating it was a near fall. When the match resumed Velasquez quickly put Ferguson on his back again and secured the pin, only this time it counted. Weird. (Thunderbolts 27, Wildcats 34).

190: Devin Jones (Jr. – Northmont) scored a 12-0 major decision over sophomore Dillon Smith (Thunderbolts 31, Wildcats 34).

215: Christian Moncrief (Sr. – Northmont) scored a 4-1 decision over sophomore Brayden Isaacs. (Thunderbolts 34, Wildcats 34).

285: Charlie Henson (Jr. – Northmont) scored a 2-0 decision over senior Izak Bowman. (Thunderbolts 37, Wildcats 34).

“This was a final tune-up and it allowed us to get some kids in the right position and healthy before the conference tournament,” said Northmont coach Brad Statzer.

“We are still banged up, but we have a week to get right and hopefully have a good showing at the GWOC Championships on Feb. 17,” Statzer said. “I hope we can finish in the top four, but you never know. Hopefully, some of our seniors will step-up in leadership roles that have been there before and show up like they did as freshmen and sophomores when we finished in the top three.”

Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or email [email protected].