The Chadron Cardinals girls and boys wrestling teams began their dual seasons Friday when they hosted the Gering Bulldogs. The girls needed a dramatic come from behind win to defeat Gering 40-39 while the boys fell 44-21.
The girls were up first and fell behind quickly with losses by Lailee Smith at 100 and Josie Werner at 105. Chadron got their first win at 110 when Taylee Williamson got a pin midway through the second period. At 115 Abigail Bower fell in the second period. Bristol Prado won by pinfall 36 seconds into the third period at 120. Gering took the next two at 125 by forfeit and 130 by a second period pin over Gianna LaPorte to get their final two wins of the dual to get up 29-12. After a Gering forfeit at 145 giving Adday Tewahade a win the Cardinals won the next two matches with Addison Diers at 155 with a pin with 23 seconds left in the match and a Vivian Golembiewski late first period pin to complete the 17 point comeback and win by a 30-29 team score.
The boys wrapped up the night and it did not fare well for the Cardinals. Bricen Wright at 190 gave the Cardinals the headstart with a pin just a minute into the match but it was all downhill from there. Fletcher Stewart got a pin late in the first period at 285, Carson Long won a 7-6 decision at 132 and Quinn Bailey got a pin at 157 just past halfway through the first period to close the book for the Cardinals team points as they fell 44-21.
The Cardinals will continue a run of duals when they head to Alliance on Thursday.