On Wednesday afternoon, the McCracken County Mustangs wrestling teams hosted their annual “Beast B4 the Feast” duals to open up their varsity season.
The Mustangs hosted a number of programs from across Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana, as they held matches against the likes of Caldwell County, Ohio County, Greenwood, Mount Vernon (IN), and Rossview (TN).
The boy’s team would put together a strong start to their season across the day, winning three out of their four matches. After falling to Ohio County by a score of 57-24 in their opening match, the Mustangs would rattle off three straight wins; beating Greenwood 48-24, Mount Vernon by a score of 54-24, and ending their day on a 66-11 win over Rossview. In terms of individual performances, Benjamin Kale would win each of his four matches, while James Walker, Taylor Stroud, and Zaven Branch would each collect three wins.
Looking towards the girl’s, they would fall short against Ohio County, Rossview, and Caldwell County, but finished strong with a 24-12 victory over Greenwood. Last year’s lone state qualifier Eelynn Hayden would start off her sophomore season with a win in her only non-forfeited match, while Emmery Evans earned the win via fall in each of her two matches against competition Rossview and Ohio County.
This young McCracken County team will have a lot to work on this season after graduating six seniors, but the Mustangs still return key leaders. Kale brings senior experience and offseason growth in pursuit of another state berth, while Hayden aims for her third straight trip to Lexington after placing third last year. With several wrestlers showing early promise, the Mustangs hope to build toward another run at qualifying for the KYWCA Class 3A State Duals, which they will host in January.
The Mustangs will be back in action on Saturday morning, as the girl’s team heads to Russellvile for the Lady Panther Classic