From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

MIAMI, Okla. — Joplin wrestlers posted 25 pins while winning three matches Friday night in the Mudville Duals sponsored by Miami High School.

The Eagles posted three lopsided victories, but need at least one more win today to qualify for the semifinal round of the 13-team meet, according to Joplin High School coach Shawn Finch.

JHS opens action today at 10 a.m. against Piedmont (Okla.) High School. The Eagles meet Tahlequah at 11:30 and Miami at 1:45 p.m. Semifinals are tentatively scheduled to start at 3:30.

The Eagles opened action Friday with a 63-12 victory over third-seeded Independence, Kan. They whipped Coffeyville 67-12 and then stopped Bentonville, Ark., by the same margin.

“I think our guys were just fired up for some competition that wasn’t against the best kids in the country,” Finch said. “We wrestled the Tulsa Union Tournament last weekend and it was a good learning experience.

“Now they know how they’re supposed to act, how they’re supposed to wrestle and what we expect out of them.”

Nine Joplin wrestlers went 3-0 on the opening night of the Mudville meet.

Caleb Friend (125 pounds), Bryan White (160), Miles Copple (171) and Tyler Fortson (189) all recorded three pins.

Brycen Miner (103) had two wins by pin and one by forfeit. Logan Stover (135) won a pair of decisions and recorded a pin. Austin Karns (145) won by forfeit, by decision and by pin.

Josh Hutching (152) asnd Derek Pitts (215) each had a pair of pins and a decison.

Alex Karns (112) won his only two matches of the night.

“It was decent competition,” Finch said. “In some of those matches, we had to squeak out wins in the end. It was a lot closer than the score shows.”

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