DANVILLE — A body flipped on its side. A crowd cheers. A hand slaps the mat to signify a pin.
These things had never occurred at Danville High School — until Tuesday.
Another school milestone was reached when, for the first time ever, the Blue Devils hosted their own wrestling event.
Danville hosted West Muskingum and Newark Catholic in a tri-match. For the Blue Devils and coach Keith Kauffman, it was a chance to show the local crowd what the sport is all about.
“This was a great turnout,” said Kauffman. “There was a lot of involvement with the crowd. The yelling. ... I think a lot of them will be back.”
The event took place in Danville’s auditorium with the matches on stage. The fans were walked through the event courtesy of a public address announcer. Coaches and staff were available to explain some of the rules and regulations in wrestling.
The loudest cheers came in the last match of the night, when heavyweight Jamarcus Hershberger pinned Newark Catholic’s Jordan Comer in 25 seconds.
Hershberger used a counter to an underhook to bring Comer’s back to the mat. Strength did the rest, as Hershberger held his opponent until the shoulders hit the mat.
Hershberger, who earned All-Ohio Special Mention as a lineman in football, said football and wrestling go hand-in-hand.
