Dolphin wrestlers sixth at Panhandle
Gulf Breeze in district meet Saturday
BY JOSH JURNOVOY Special to the News

Photo courtesy of Maria Weisnicht Brandon Buchalter (top) competes in a recent match. GBHS will compete at districts Saturday.

The Gulf Breeze Dolphin wrestling team competed in the Florida Panhandle Championship wrestling meet on January 19 at Crestview High School and finished sixth out of 19 teams.

The Dolphins had four wrestlers place in their respective weight classes. Kyle Chavers placed second in the 160 lb. weight class by pinning three of his four opponents.

Taylor Retherford finished second in the 171 lb. weight class as he pinned his first opponent at the 30 second mark. John Stanley placed third in the 152 lb. class as he won two of his four matches by pin. Erich Reitz finished third in the 189 lb. weight class by winning three of his five matches by pin.

Other Dolphins won matches at the meet including George Weisnicht (130 lb. weight class), who defeated his second opponent in a 7-2 decision. Brandon Buchalter pinned two of his four opponents in the 135 lb. weight class.

Tanner Eagley pinned his only opponent in the 145 lb. weight class. Jason Pendergraph and Tyrone Covyeow each pinned one of their opponents in the 215 and 275 lb. weight classes, respectively.

The Dolphins defeated Pensacola Christian Academy on January 22, 31-28.

Chavers, Erich Reitz, Buchalter and Eagley all won their matches by pin. Tyrone Covyeow won his match by forfeit and Retherford won his match in a decision.

But the end result came down to the final match in the 152 lb. weight class as Stanley pinned his opponent to give the Dolphins the three point win.

The next day the Dolphin JV team had a home match against Crestview and lost 33-42.

Ian Beard won both of his matches for the Dolphins in the 160 lb. weight class, his first by pin and his second in an 8-7 decision. Scott Behrans won the first of his two matches in the 152 lb. class by pin at the 1:11 mark.

Mike Reitz won his match for the Dolphins in the 119 lb. weight class by a 9-6 decision. Kyle McKissack pinned his opponent in the 140 lb. weight class. Stanley won his match by decision and Allen Stanley won his match by pin in the 189 lb. weight class.

"The younger guys performed great," said head coach Matt Alt, "They are gaining experience and we are getting a better idea of what their strengths are and what they need to work on."

The Dolphins took on Pace Thursday at home and won 48- 30 in a comeback effort. However, it was not the hardest of comeback efforts.

The Dolphins lost their first five matches and were down 21- 0 heading into the 145 lb. weight class match. Unfortunately for Pace, that match and three others did not happen as the Patriots were forced to forfeit matches in the 145, 160, 215, and 112 weight classes due to not having wrestlers in those classes.

Stanley was the first of three Dolphin wrestlers to compete and win his match. He pinned his opponent at the 2:53 mark using moves knows as the single leg takedown and the half nelson.

"We were a little concerned at that point down 21-6 and I was glad I was able to help turn things around and pin my guy," Stanley said.

Retherford won his match by pin at the 1:10 mark. Covyeow was the last of the Dolphins to win a match not by forfeit as he pinned his opponent using the double grape vine move in which the wrestler wraps his legs around his opponent's once he is on his back and holds him until he is pinned.

The Dolphins will compete in the District 1-A meet Saturday at Arnold in Panama City Beach. The other schools competing are: Arnold, Bay, Bozeman, Marianna, Pensacola Christian, South Walton and Wewahitchka.