In desperate need of a clutch performance, senior Ryan Lange answered the call for the Oak Harbor wrestling team Thursday night.

With the meet score tied 24-24 and only two bouts remaining, Lange (189) pinned Stanwood’s Tylor Hawley 53 seconds into the second round, lifting the Cats to a 30-27 victory over the Spartans.

“I beat that kid at the Everett tournament and I had him on his back in overtime, then they called the match, so I knew I could pin him this time,” Lange said.

The bout was tied 4-4 before Lange made his move on Hawley, who missed when trying to shoot for the legs.

“We were just in a tie up and he went to shoot and he just went a little bit too far forward,” Lange said.

Lange then rolled Hawley onto his shoulders, completing the count and sending the crowd into an uproar.

“He just came out and performed,” Oak Harbor head coach Brian Farmer said. “He did an awesome job, we had to have that win…”

Having to avoid the pin, Blake Ward (215) did his job in the final match of the night, losing a close 3-2 decision to Bryce Thorstad.

Although Lange’s pin highlighted the night, there were several other key performances.

“It was real exciting, that’s what wrestling’s all about,” Farmer said. “There was real close matches and real tough matches.”

Trailing 6-0 to start the meet, junior Karlson Miller (103) and sophomore Bobby Pegues (112) picked up key decisions to even up the score.

After falling behind one more time, junior Chris Wichers (140) ignited the Cats, pinning Matt Daoust 52 seconds into the first round. Senior co-captain Tony Nicolas (145) followed with a thrilling 4-3 decision. Down 3-2 with only three seconds to go in the third round, Nicolas pulled out of his opponent’s hold and scored a two-point reversal that won the match.

Junior Tom Clark (152) followed with Oak Harbor’s third straight victory in a 7-4 decision over Will Smith.

Oak Harbor, now 5-1 in league, 8-1 overall has their next league meet Thursday, Jan. 22 at Monroe. They wrap up the regular season at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29 with a home meet against Arlington.

275-Wattum (S) pinned Davis 1:10, first. 103-K. Miller (OH) dec Z. Studley 4-2; 112-Pegues (OH) dec. R. Studley 4-0; 119-Mather (S) pinned R. Lemme 1:02, third; 125-White (S) dec. S. Lemme 9-6; 130-G. Miller (OH) won by forfeit; 135-Smith (S) dec. Tacia 7-4; 140-Wichers (OH) pinned Daoust :52, first; 145-Nicolas (OH) dec. Cornett 4-3; 152-Clark (OH) dec. W. Smith 7-4; 160-S. White (S) dec. Poggie 3-1 (OT); 171-Allen (S) dec. O’Brien 7-5 (OT); 189-Lange (OH) pinned Hawley :53, second; 215-Thorstad (S) dec. Ward 3-2.

Oak Harbor 46, MT. Vernon 21

Oak Harbor handily defeated Mount Vernon 46-21 at OHHS Tuesday night.

Seniors Patrick O’Brien (171) and Tony Nicolas (145) along with Karlson Miller (103) picked up key pins for the Cats.

O’Brien pinned his opponent 52 seconds into the first round, while Miller also picked up a first round pin. Nicolas downed his opponent 20 seconds into the second round.

Other key wins came in major decisions by Wichers, Lange and on a technical fall by Pegues.

103-K.Miller (OH) pinned Newman, 1:37, first round. 112-Pegues (OH) won by technical fall over Pollino, 15-0 119-R.Lemme (OH) won by forfeit; 125-Williams (MV) decision over S.Lemme, 8-2; 130-O’Neill (MV), decision over G.Miller, 2-0 (OT); 135-Audette (MV), decision over Tacia, 4-2 (OT); 140-Wichers (OH), major decision over Finch, 17-4; 145-Nicolas (OH), pinned Morales, :20, second round; 152-Roetcisoender (MV) pinned Clark, :52, second round; 160-Swanson (MV) pinned Soptich, 1:05, second round; 171-O’Brien (OH) pinned Jones, :52, first round; 189-Lange (OH), major decision over Coble, 14-6; 215-Ward (OH), decision over Campbell, 8-4; 275-Davis (OH) won by forfeit.