Wrestling Mocs 'OK' in two romps

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Arkansas-Oklahoma State Live Blog

UTC 50, LIFE 3125--Byron Smith (UTC) won by forfeit; 133--Zach Bridson (UTC) won by forfeit; 141-- Nick Soto (UTC) won by forfeit; 149--Austin Sams (UTC) dec. Dillan Schouw, 5-3 OT; 157--Michael Hooker (UTC) tech. fall over Jeff Drever, 2:40; 165--Oliver Burkhardt (L) dec. Kevin Cooper, 11-4; 174--Trey Stavrum (UTC) pinned Corey Hamas, 1:15; 184--Barrett Walthall (UTC) tech. fall over Ryan Jacob, 1:38; 197--Scottie Boykin (UTC) won by forfeit; 285--Kevin Malone (UTC) won by forfeit.UTC 35, SHORTER 7125--Zach Bridson (UTC) tech. fall over Hayden Randolph, 5:02; 133--Nick Soto (UTC) tech. fall over Clint Jones, 5:34; 141-- Austin Sams (UTC) tech. fall over Demarcus Thomas, 6:45; 149--Shawn Greevy (UTC) major dec. Gabriel Bird, 10-0; 157--Michael Hooker (UTC) dec. Kannon Maddon, 6-3; 165--Corey Mock (UTC) pinned Seth Broom, 1:06; 174--Levi Campbell (UTC) major dec. Dalton Lane, 19-6; 184--Terrence Smith (S) major dec. Barrett Walthall, 9-0; 197--Andrew Ewers (S) dec. Scottie Boykin, 7-5; 285--Kevin Malone (UTC) dec. Marlen Morgan, 3-0.Records: UTC 4-3; Shorter 0-2; Life 0-2.

The outcome was a foregone conclusion.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga moved above .500 with lopsided wrestling victories Saturday night against NAIA member Life University and provisional NCAA Division II member Shorter University.

"I thought we looked OK," UTC coach Heath Eslinger said. "It was about what I expected. We didn't put a lot of emphasis on this from the scouting perspective, and we tried to get some other guys matches. There are still a few spots where there are effort issues, and we have to address those."

Although he was winless in two tries, freshman Scottie Boykin delighted Eslinger.

"I enjoyed watching Scottie improving even though he went 0-2. He's getting better match by match," the coach said. "We talk about process over result, and he's a guy that I see making gains in the process. He's going to get there because he's doing the things we want. It's not lack of effort. I can always live with a loss when it wasn't a lack of effort."

The wrestling Mocs (4-3) were the second half of a doubleheader in Maclellan Gymnasium with the UTC volleyball team, which gave Furman a five-set run before falling.

In the two wrestling routs, UTC had four forfeits, five technical falls, three major decisions and two pins.

The 50-3 victory over Life was spotted by forfeits and substitutes, but among the Mocs victories were technical falls from true freshmen Michael Hooker and Barrett Walthall. Hooker, a Father Ryan graduate who won two state titles at McCallie, wrestled up a weight class at 157, and Walthall, a former state champion from Christian Brothers, was at 184.

UTC's ranked wrestlers, No. 7 Corey Mock (165) and No. 18 Nick Soto, sat out the first match but were five- and six-point winners in the Mocs' 35-7 victory over Shorter.

Soto improved to 4-2 with a technical fall, and Mock got a pin in just 1:06.

The second meet also marked the return of Shawn Greevy, who missed the bulk of last season with a plethora of injuries.

"I thought he looked good for a guy that's in his first match back in what -- a year and a half?" Eslinger said.

Greevy, a 141-pounder, posted a major decision. The redshirt junior is in a battle with Austin Sams, a double-winner Saturday, and Austin Woods.

"That's something that will work itself out among the three of them," Eslinger said.

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.

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