By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

Wrestling short-handed on Saturday, the LaGrange Grangers still found a way to add to their impressive resume this season.

With eight wrestlers taking the day off, mostly for rest, the Grangers posted a 2-1 record in the Callaway Duals.

With the regulars out of action, head coach Scooter Weathers credited a strong freshman class for adding to the season’s victory total.

LaGrange beat Heard County 39-35 and Callaway 37-36 while falling to Columbus 53-18.

The Callaway match ended up tied, with LaGrange taking the top spot based on a tiebreaker.

“We had a lot of freshmen step up,” Weathers said. “It was good for the young kids to get to wrestle and see what varsity experience is like.”

Callaway, which has struggled in dual matches because it has to leave several weight classes unfilled, went 0-3, although it did push LaGrange to the limit.

Trailing by six heading into the final match against LaGrange, Brandon Hontz won by pin to force the tie.

LaGrange had more wins in the match than Callaway, so it won that tiebreaker criteria.

Hontz came into his final match of the day still unbeaten for the season, but he fell to Columbus’ Joey DeNova in a 130-pound match.

DeNova won a Class AAA state title last season.

Callaway head coach J.J. Wahl said a slow start proved costly for Hontz in the 10-5 loss.

“He made some mistakes early, but he came back strong,” Wahl said. “He got better as the match went along.”

For LaGrange, Bobby Russell came through with a 2-1 record at 119 pounds while filling in for one of the regulars.

Also winning twice for LaGrange were Michael Lee, Tim Coakley, Nick Kinder, Donte Gilbert and Hunter Williams.

Chris Parker, John Parker and Justin Brooks each won once.

LaGrange will host a three-team meet on Tuesday, and the team’s seniors will be honored before the first match.

Callaway is off until Friday when it participates in a two-day tournament at Bowdon High.