The Austin wrestling team packaged seven pins, one technical fall and a pair of major decisions together on Thursday, enough points to bury John Marshall at Ove Berven Gym, 61-9.

Friday, February 04, 2000

The Austin wrestling team packaged seven pins, one technical fall and a pair of major decisions together on Thursday, enough points to bury John Marshall at Ove Berven Gym, 61-9.

Austin coach Bill Kinney, whose team rose to 14-4, 6-2 in the Big Nine, can empathize with how the Rockets were treated.

"All of this is cyclical," Kinney said. "I talked to their coaches after the match – they’re a good group of guys at JM – and told them it all comes back around."

Two years ago, the Packers were treated as roughly, finishing 3-16. But JM is suffering through even tougher times, having lost a member of the team killed in a car accident earlier this season.

"Two years ago, this was all backwards," said Kinney, meaning JM was beating up on Austin. "They’ve had a tough road."

As JM struggled, the Packers’ cycle took an even brighter turn when captain Derek Hyland returned to the lineup and posted a pin of Adam Rud in 1 minute, 50 seconds.

Hyland has been out most of the season, struggling with a variety of physical ailments, including mononucleosis. His victory was just his second of the season.

"It was very nice to see Derek back on the mat," Kinney said. "It’s been a struggle for him. To see him have success is good for everybody. He’s a captain and the other wrestlers look up to him …

"Derek wrestled with quite a bit of energy."

Hyland’s return, at 145 pounds, helps shore up the most inconsistent part of the Austin lineup.

Star senior Mike Cunningham has been bouncing back and forth between 145 and 152 pounds, wrestling where the Packers need him most based on what challenges the opposition presents.

With Hyland back, the middle weight classes for the solid Packers are considerably more stabilized.

Cunningham, and his younger brother Joe Cunningham, along with T.J. Parlin, Spencer Wolner, Drew Oesterle, Hyland and Brian E. Heimer all managed to win by fall – amounting to 42 Austin points.

JM’s two victories came from returning All-Big Nine wrestlers George Lynaugh and Tim Eggert.

Austin 61, John Marshall 9

103 – T.J. Parlin (A) pinned Dan Sandberg, 0:56.

112 – Spencer Wolner (A) pinned Brandon Knotts, 0:40.

119 – Scott Miller (A) major dec. Chuck Zenz, 11-3.

125 – David Carroll (A) won by forfeit.

130 – George Lynaugh (JM) major dec. Matt Adwell, 9-1.

135 – Joe Cunningham (A) pinned Matt Arnold, 1:57.

140 – Drew Oesterle (A) pinned Chris Thompson, 3:59.

145 – Derek Hyland (A) pinned Adam Rud, 1:50.

152 – Mike Cunningham (A) pinned Zach Schraufnagel, 3:43.

160 – Willie Clennon (A) major dec. Sean Savage, 12-3.

171 – Tim Eggert (JM) tech. fall over Todd Krupicka, 20-5.

189 – Chad Mentel (A) tech. fall over Adam Maves, 16-1.

275 – Brian Heimer (A) pinned Matt Swayze, 0:38.