Opponents are starting

to find out that all

they’ll be taking home

from Warren County are

bumps, bruises and losses

once they step into the

mat in the indoor facility

at WCHS. The Pioneers

ran through both Moore

County and Riverdale

Thursday night at home,

defeating the Raiders 75-6

and Warriors 55-22.

Getting the advantage

of being at home isn’t

something the Pioneers

get much as Thursday

was just their second of

only three home dates this

year, but Warren County

made sure not to waste

the opportunity. They

started by squashing

an undermanned group

from Moore County, then

sent a big statement to the

rest of District 7-AA by

whipping the Warriors.

In the matchup with the

Raiders, it was a steady

stream of Pioneers walking

on the mat and immediately

getting their hand

raised. Moore County forfeited

seven weight classes,

giving Warren County

42 easy points (and the

win before the matches

even started).

One of the forfeits

proved to be more memorable

than others as Zerek

Keel, by virtue of weighing

in at 215 pounds

and taking the mat, was

awarded his 139th career

victory as a Pioneer. It

broke the school record

held by Taylor Bain (138

wins in heavyweight

from 2007-10) and Keel

would go on to add to his

total with another victory

against Riverdale later in

the night.

Even when Moore

County did have an opponent,

the Pioneers seemed

to make quick work of

the visiting Raiders. Zaydon

Lovvorn won in 28

seconds, Tylan Lusk and

Raul Manus also won in

less than a minute (55 and

56 seconds, respectively)

and Xavier Simmons

worked a pin in one minute

in the heavyweight

division.

Matthew Hicks (technical

fall 23-8 victory) and

Braylon Powers (9-1 major

decision) rounded out

the victories on the mat

against Moore County.

Riverdale provided a tougher

test for the Pioneers, but they

were more than up for the task

to finish the night. Freshman

phenom Huck Damon got Warren

County started with a pin

early in the second round of his

matchup at 132 pounds, while

Isaiah Keyes helped keep the

momentum with a dominant

20-2 victory at 150 pounds.

Manus got another firstround

pin against Noah Hall

at 157 pounds, then Hayden

Watts grinded his way to an impressive

pin in the third round

of his battle with Jeffrey Gooch

in the 165-pound weight class.

Riverdale gained some traction

with wins at 175 and 190

pounds, but Keel stopped the

Warrior run by taking down

Tyson Spink 11-1. Simmons

followed by beating the firstround

buzzer with a pin in the

heavyweight division.

First-round pins by Jakoby

Odineal and Burgess Galligan,

along with a 15-4 major decision

win by Jaylen Clayton,

helped seal the victory for the

Pioneers.

Warren County can take a

big step toward a district title

this week when it travels to

face Coffee County Tuesday

and Oakland Thursday. Both

matches are set to begin at 6

p.m.