Mexico returning Class 2 state wrestling qualifier Dylan Mosley works over Moberly senior Jacob Aleshire Tuesday and earns a solid 9-0 decision win at 126 pounds.

MOBERLY — The Moberly wrestling team was facing a 40-10 deficit Tuesday when Spartans senior Clark Freeman stepped onto the mat for his 170-pound match against Mexico’s Deacon Haag, one of three contested matches remaining.

Mexico, meanwhile, was going to yield both the 195 and 220 weight classes, and those vacancies would award Moberly 12 team points.

Spartans head coach Charlie Gibbs knew the math.

If Moberly was to win this team dual and celebrate a senior night victory against its North Central Missouri Conference rival, senior Tristan Morris at 182 and junior Andrew Huff at 285 along with Freeman all needed to win their respective matches by fall. In doing so, the Spartans would tie Mexico.

Both Gibbs and Mexico head coach Gayle Adams said the outcome of the 170 match was one of the most pivotal points of the night for both schools.

Freeman was staring at a 3-0 deficit in the second period against Haag when a medical timeout was called. That's when Gibbs issued a pep talk to his Spartan senior.

“Coach came up to me saying not only do we need you to win, but you need to win by pin if we were to have a chance to win as a team. After hearing that, things just kind of clicked and I got into something like a rage mode to wrestle,” Freeman said.

About 20 seconds after wrestling resumed, Freeman notched a takedown and soon thereafter recorded a three-point nearfall to acquire a 6-3 advantage. After yielding an escape to Haag, Freeman noticed Haag's foundation was not well-balanced, so he attacked again, getting a takedown. The future U.S. Naval Academy student pinned Haag with 53 seconds left in the second period to complete his task.

“I was determined not only to go down fighting him strong to get the win, but I was determined to pin him,” Freeman said.

Morris, ranked No. 1 in Class 2 at 182, made quick work of pinning Manny Hernandez of Mexico, and at 285 Huff pinned JéVon Mahaney in the first period.

With the team score tied after all matches in a dual have been contested, the tiebreaker awards one bonus point to the team that has fewer open weight classes. As a result, the Spartans were awarded a 41-40 team victory against Mexico.

In addition to Freeman, Moberly's other two senior wrestlers are Morris and Jacob Aleshire at 126. Aleshire lost to Dylan Mosley of the Bulldogs by a 9-0 decision.

“The 170 match went their way. But I thought the 126 was another big swing match and this one helped us. I thought Mosley wrestled real well and the win will help Mosley when it comes down to seeding for districts,” Adams said.

The Bulldogs were particularly strong in the lower five weight classes, winning four of them in the first period by fall.

“We knew the lighter weights were going to be a handful against us,” Gibbs said.

Mexico sophomore Keith Ransom, a runner-up at state last season at 106, pinned Cole Given to improve his season record to 22-1.

Mexico’s Bryan Juarez at 113 pinned Owen James of Moberly. The Bulldogs’ Ricky Juarez at 120 won by fall over Hunter Boots, and at 132 Mexico’s Kenley Allen pinned Moberly's Christian Binswanger to build a 27-0 team score.

Moberly sophomore Zach Lewis at 138 won by fall over Ahrajah Givens. This was the first of four weight classes that Mexico elected to change its projected lineup.

“It came down to noticing Moberly had a full varsity lineup advantage on us. We gave them everything we had so I moved my three-time state qualifier (Kevin Duong) up a spot,” Adams said. “He's a real solid kid that's ranked in the top three in the state and capable of wrestling up a spot, and I moved others for the opportunities I thought could benefit the team.”

Shawn Pehle of Mexico was moved from 138 to wrestle the 145 slot against Moberly's Dakotah Courtney, and Courtney came away with a 10-2 major decision win.

“Dakotah stepped up tonight and with his major decision it awarded us an extra bonus point. If you take away that major decision and it ends up being a win by just a decision, that would make the team score 40-39 and Mexico gets the dual win,” Gibbs said.

The Bulldogs’ Kevin Duong moved up from 145 to compete at 152, and Duong pinned Justice Zike of Moberly. Terrell Williams of Mexico also moved up a weight class to 160 and he secured a pin of Gannon White.

Both Mexico and Moberly are assigned to compete in the Class 2 District 2 Tournament that Mexico will be hosting in about three weeks.

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