Falardo, LaHue recognized at MSC

Charlestown may have taken the Mid-Southern Conference team championship Thursday in Salem, but Corydon Central came home with Co-Wrestlers of the Tournament.
Senior Chris Falardo and freshman Matthew LaHue were named to the top individual honors by votes from coaches, representing the Panthers.
Falardo received the largest uproar of applause during the final seconds of his 135-pound championship match against Charlestown’s Aaron May.
With 1:10 remaining, and trailing 6-2, Falardo scored a reversal, drawing closer to May at 6-4. As time ticked toward the end of the match, Falardo took a chance for a takedown, but the move backfired. May, with the upper hand, scored a takedown and a commanding 8-4 lead.
Then, with 11 seconds left, Falardo made a quick move to not only score two points for a reversal that put May on his back. As seconds trickled off the clock, May’s shoulders nearly touched the mat. When the horn sounded, the three points earned for a near fall was enough to give Falardo the win.
‘I had no idea I had won,’ Falardo said. ‘I thought I had to pin him to get the win.’
Falardo reached the finals by pinning Scottsburg’s Dustin Petty in the semi-finals.
LaHue was also a champion in the 103-pound class. As the No. 1 seed and with three entries in the class, LaHue moved on to the finals without wrestling. In the finals, LaHue scored a majority decision over Scottsburg’s Gage Kelly, 11-3.
Corydon Central’s Jackson Fowler also picked up an individual championship at 130. Fowler shutout Scottsburg’s Wes Davis, 5-0.
‘Our guys wrestled pretty good today,’ Corydon Central coach Richard Clipp said.
Charlestown went on to finish first with 241 points. Scottsburg took second with 214, followed by Corydon Central (159), Salem (64) and Eastern (52).
Two members of the Panther wrestling team finished second in their respective classes. In championship matches, Michael Duncan was pinned by Charlestown’s Eddie Duran at 135 pounds, and Ryan DeWitt dropped a 13-4 decision to Charlestown’s Cameron Metzger at 215.
Ryan Hutchinson, a state qualifier last season, sat out the MSC for the Panthers, but he is expected to return for sectional Saturday.
Ten teams will take to the mat Saturday for the Jeffersonville Sectional. The top four place winners in each weight class advance to the Jeffersonville Regional on Feb. 7.
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Team results ‘ 1. Charlestown 241, 2. Scottsburg 214, 3. Corydon Central 159, 4. Salem 64, 5. Eastern 52.
Individual finals ‘ 103 ‘ LaHue (CC) maj. dec. Kelly (Sc), 11-3; 112 ‘ Wolf (C) pinned Gary (Sc), 1:51; 119 ‘ Stotridge (C) fall Freeman (E); 125 ‘ Duran (C) pinned Duncan (CC), 3:32; 130 ‘ Fowler (CC) dec. Davis (Sc), 5-0; 135 ‘ Falardo (CC) dec. May (C), 9-8; 140 ‘ Tyler Newcomb (C) maj. dec. Ratliff (Sa), 11-4; 145 ‘ Taylor Newcomb (C) fall Gilliatt (Sa); 152 ‘ Howard (Sc) pinned Miles (C), :52; 160 ‘ Rodgers (Sc) default Daugherty (C); 171 ‘ Chasteen (Sc) maj. dec. Martin (C), 9-0; 189 ‘ Henderson (Sc) dec. Nickles (C), 7-1; 215 ‘ Metzger (C) maj. dec. DeWitt (CC), 13-4; 285 ‘ Napier (Sc) dec. Aquirre (C), 4-3.