The Sumner High School boys wrestling team’s Thursday night dual meet against the White River Hornets came down to the wire, but the Spartans ultimately lost 35-33.

The night began fortuitously for the Spartans, who took three consecutive wins starting at the 152-pound weight class.

Jed Schliesman defeated Garret Severson by 13-1 major decision, and Zach Wooding followed suit in the 160-pound class, orchestrating a 17-1 technical fall for Will Brown.

AJ Atoigue brought some theatricality to the 170-pound match by taking Gavin Severson into an unorthodox pin position. Atoigue applied himself against Severson’s arms, flat against the mat, while everything but Severson’s shoulderblades and head stood straight up in the air. All this was done dangerously close to the borders of the circle, risking a return to the center should the two have wandered further outward.

At this point, the Spartans were 15-0, a respectable start by any measure. But the Hornets chose that moment to build themselves back up.

Hornets Garrett Robertson and Chris Skinner defeated their Spartan opponents in the next two matches. Victor Padilla, 182 pounds, was defeated by 9-6 decision. Justin Myers, 195 pounds, was pinned.

Zach Summers, 220 pounds, maintained and widened the Spartans lead by pinning Chester Grover. But 285-pounder Jake Harmon’s loss by pin to Justin Nale would undo the progress.

106-pounder Conner Wade’s loss by pin to Mason Hamilton brought the Hornets into a 21-21 tie with the Spartans, and into a game of team-point cat-and-mouse that would last until the end of the night.

Tanner Petkovic, 113 pounds, pinned Dylan Kohler, first putting the Spartans ahead 27-21.

Travis Filleau’s 9-0 major decision loss to Cody Schwab in the 120-pound bout brought the teams 27-25.

The Hornets’ Bryce Thompson put White River ahead 28-27 by winning a close 9-8 match over Hunter Eberhart.

Spartan Josiah Schliesman, 132 pounds, lost to Trevor Kurtz by a 21-9 technical fall, bringing the Hornet lead to 33-27.

But Wyatt James made things even Stevens again by pinning Caleb Maurseth in the 138-pound match.

The night would come down to 145-pounder Jeremy Jackson, and his match against Brandon Short. The bout was tough and saw Jackson fall behind in points early on. He rallied in the third period but, despite making up significant ground, he ultimately lost by 15-12 decision.

The Spartans play away at Fife High School Tuesday.