SIKESTON, Mo. --The Poplar Bluff wrestling team swept three matches Wednesday in returning to the mat for the first time in nearly three weeks.
The Mules beat a pair of Illinois teams, Marion 49-27 and Carterville 60-24, before winning a rematch with host Sikeston 42-32. The Bulldogs had beaten Poplar Bluff by a point Dec. 9 at the Farmington Duals.
"That didn't sit well with them that we lost by one last time," Mules coach Kelton Thompson said. "They were amped up ready to go."
Jake Lawrinenko, Kade Richardson, Garrett McClure, Josh Lawrinenko, Andrew Dugas and Tanner Dunivan each earned pins for the Mules against the Bulldogs while Quinten Bell and Kendrick Gordon won tight matches after splitting two previous meetings with their Sikeston opponent.
Bell's third-period takedown broke a tie in his 120-pound match with Sikeston's Josh Rishton as the sophomore won 9-8. Rishton led 3-0 after an escape to start the second period but Bell got a takedown and a 3-point nearfall only to fall behind 6-5 entering the third in the bottom position. Rishton got a 2-point nearfall to start the third but Bell escaped to tie the match then got a takedown for the lead.
Gordon won the heavyweight match in overtime. The Poplar Bluff junior escaped the bottom position in the second period and got the first takedown, taking a 3-1 lead into the third. David Rowland, however, escaped the bottom position and led 5-2 with a takedown. Gordon escaped and tied it with a takedown before his takedown in overtime.
Jake Lawrinenko got a pin at 126 pounds in 1:26 while Josh Lawrinenko's pin at 145 pounds came in 1:08.
McClure needed 46 seconds for a pin at 138 pounds while Dugas needed just 19 seconds for his pin at 170. Dunivan led 7-0 in the third period of his 182-pound match after a reversal out of the bottom position led to a pin at 4:21.
The Bulldogs got a pair of forfeit wins and pins at 160 and 195 pounds along with an 18-3 major decision at 220 pounds and a 10-3 win at 152.
"They're a tough matchup for us the way we line up with them," Thompson said. "We can't drop any matches. We give them 12 (points) to start. We have to wrestle really well."
Poplar Bluff got seven forfeit wins against Carterville while McClure earned a pin in 32 seconds and Dugas got his pin at 3:20. Josh Lawrinenko won by major decision 14-2 while the Mules were pinned at 160 and 220 pounds.
Bell, McClure, Dunivan, Gordon, Jake Lawrinenko, Josh Lawrinenko and Austin Aubuchon each had pins against Marion. Richardson earned a major decision while Luke Welborn won by decision at 195 pounds. Dugas suffered an 11-8 loss while the Mules gave up a pair of pins.
Poplar Bluff (9-4) returned to the mat for the first time since the Tiger Classic on Dec. 15-16.
"As a whole, I think the break did us some good," Thompson said. "We looked fresh."
Thompson said the lineup will change with Dunivan moving up to 195 pounds, Dugas dropping to 160 and Luke Welborn moving into 182 as the team gears up for the postseason.
The Mules travel Saturday to Wildwood, Missouri for Lafayette's Fred Ross Invitational featuring 15 other schools, including seven in Poplar Bluff's district.
"We'll have a real good look at who we need to beat," Thompson said. "Get a good test for districts."