For the first time since 2008, the Waynesburg wrestling team lost a dual match against Washington and Jefferson.

The Yellow Jackets and the Presidents have had many noteworthy and nail-biting battles in recent memory. Some of those rivalry skirmishes came in the past two seasons in which these teams competed against each other in dual meets and the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships.

This year’s contest wasn’t one of those matches though. Washington and Jefferson displayed its dominance with a 43-9 victory.

Waynesburg trotted into the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse with a lineup that gifted four forfeits due to missing key wrestlers. Some of those key wrestlers that had to spectate were juniors Harley Constable and Luke LaVanway.

“It’s really hard to win when you’re giving up four forfeits,” Waynesburg head coach Ron Headlee said. “It’s been a tough year with injuries. It’s a year we have never had.”

Absences affected both teams as Washington and Jefferson’s former PAC champion Manny Dovshek wasn’t in the lineup for the Presidents.

W&J jumped out to a 19-0 lead by winning the first four weight classes of the night. Tyler Ratledge grabbed a forfeit at 125. Two straight tech-falls by Hunter Swedish and Jaizik Sanabria extended the lead.

Waynesburg sophomore Kyle Hinerman came out and battled tough against Adam Zerbee but ultimately lost 13-7.

Washington and Jefferson had complete control of the momentum and environment in the match until Waynesburg standout freshman Seth Evans gave a much-needed spark to the Jackets lineup.

“Ever since I’ve got here, I have never seen such a growth in myself and it’s because of all the coaches here,” Evans said. “Those guys that invest with me in the [practice] room, I want to show them that I can invest in them on the mat.”

Evans was aggressive right off the start of the whistle being able to grab a few takedowns in the first period.

“First period I was getting to my single really well,” Evans said in response to what was working well for him. “I was pushing the pace. I definitely didn’t finish the match how I wanted to.”

Despite not finishing it how he’d like, Evans still walked away with his hand being raised with a 7-2 victory of Joshua Searle. Headlee is certainly happy with the growth he is seeing in his young wrestler.

“Seth has been wrestling really well. He’s getting better and better for a freshman,” Headlee said. “He makes some mistakes but he keeps getting better all of the time. He works so hard in the room all of the time.”

Waynesburg didn’t win another match the rest of the night until junior heavyweight Rocky McGeary did what he does best against Washington and Jefferson, close out the match with a pin against Jake Walker.

McGeary hasn’t been back at his freshman form yet, but Headlee notices that he keeps improving weekly.

“Rocky is making good strides each week. That’s what we’re looking for from him,” Headlee said. “I’m really expecting him to do some big things at the end of the year.”

The program also honored Headlee before the match and released a tribute video as he prepares to retire following the end of the season.

Waynesburg competes at the Dr. Si Ostrach meet this Saturday morning in Cleveland, Ohio. The Yellow Jackets will take on Defiance and Case Western Reserve.