Battery Creek wrestlers earn return trip to state finals
If Nathan Day was running a company, not coaching the Battery Creek High School wrestling team, Craig Truett might be his first hire.
The Dolphins senior is where he should be at the appointed time and delivers the work asked, Day said. That's what made one of Saturday's most important results so satisfying for the coach.
Truett won his bout at 170 pounds with a takedown of Malcolm Stroman in the final second of the third period, the decision helping propel Battery Creek to a 45-23 victory over Bamberg-Ehrhardt in the Class 2-A/1-A Lower State wrestling final.
"He's going to be a great employee, whatever he does in life," Day said. "He just shows up to work every day and does what he's supposed to do. Sometimes he doesn't win as much as he wants to, but he's always positive."
The Dolphins will defend their Class 2-A/1-A state championship, wrestling Upper State champion Liberty at Dreher on Feb. 14, a rematch of Battery Creek's win last year.
Battery Creek won without three key members, including upper weights Alex Nelson and Seth Priester.
Surprise results like Truett's helped swing the match. Each time Day and his staff had drawn up possible results, all had finished with a tighter margin than the final tally Saturday.
Liam Payne's pin at 138 was another unexpected result for Battery Creek, and Joseph Sanchez's match with Sterling Dempsey wasn't automatic.
Sanchez entered as the second-ranked wrestler at 106 but was wrestling up. He got the pin with less than 30 seconds remaining in the third period.
Battery Creek sophomore Cooper Kaminsky fought back from an early hole at 182 and won with a takedown in overtime.
"Our mindset was just trying to get back to the big one," Kaminsky said. "It's been a while since we've been back to back, so we're trying to get it done."
Perhaps no result was bigger than Truett's. Wrestling in his final home match, Truett spotted an opening as the clock ticked down and with everyone yelling for him to take a shot.
"The double leg (takedown) was just right there," Truett said.
The swing helped soften a Battery Creek forfeit at 195. Three consecutive pins for Battery Creek in the lower weights put the match away.
And so the Dolphins will try for the school's sixth state duals championship. They defeated Liberty 39-18 in 2014, but only Caleb Weaver, Kaminsky and Nelson from the current team earned points in the championship match last year.
Battery Creek believes in its younger wrestlers, including the highly ranked Sanchez. The young wrestlers have impressed the older ones with their grit and ability to provide tough practice partners.
Class 2-A/1-A Lower State final
Battery Creek 45, Bamberg-Ehrhardt 23
Note: Match started at 145
106: Alex Steedley (BE) pinned Josh Carroll, first period
113: Joseph Sanchez (BC) pinned Sterling Dempsey, third period
120: Jimmy Kearse (BC) pinned Kardarius Oliver, first period
126: Omar Daniels (BC) pinned Dorian Risher, first period
132: Desmond Mullen (BC) dec. Mitch Robinson, 6-2
138: Liam Payne (BC) pinned Cody Kinsey, third period
145: Casey Johnson (BE) dec. Caleb Weaver, 8-2
152: Porter Mahan (BC) pinned Deondre Horry, first period
160: Kohl Gagum (BE) major dec. Ahman Smalls, 13-5
170: Craig Truett (BC) dec. Malcolm Stroman, 6-4
182: Cooper Kaminski (BC), dec. Deonta Rice, 6-4 (OT)
195: Raquan Brown (BE) won by forfeit
220: Zach McPeek (BC) pinned Raysheem Dickerson, first period
285: Charles Still (BE) major dec. Michael Selby, 10-2
Other results
Semifinals
Battery Creek 63, North Charleston 9
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 42, Marion 36
Quarterfinals
Battery Creek 60, Bishop England 19
North Charleston 60, Edisto 24
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 57, Waccamaw 19
Marion 59, Aynor 21
First round
Note: Six teams had byes
Bishop England 54, Barnwell 24
Aynor 65, Whale Branch 14
Follow assistant sports editor Stephen Fastenau at twitter.com/IPBG_Stephen.
This story was originally published February 8, 2015 at 12:26 AM with the headline "Battery Creek wrestlers earn return trip to state finals."