“Photo: Chris Ford holds on in a nail-biting, 9-8 win Thursday night.Matt Johnson/staff photoFalcon wrestlingLakewood 48, S. Whidbey 28Individual results112 – Matt Magnusson, loss on a fall; 112 – Ryan Rovang, loss on a fall; 119 – Teague Moffett, win on a fall: 125 – Chris Long, 4-5 loss; 130 – Sean Noste, 6-3 win; 135 – Devin Mergens, loss on a fall; 140 – Andy Wills, loss on a fall; 152 – Chris Ford, 9-8 win; 160 – Chris Martin, loss on a fall; 171 – Brandon Hern, 17-9; 189 – Dwayne Hunt, loss on a fall; 215 – Chris Hezel, 6-11 loss; Heavyweight – Justin Admiral, win by forfeitMike Crebbin is thanking his lucky stars that he has the biggest wrestling team South Whidbey High School has fielded in years.With 14 wrestlers out Thursday night due to illness, injuries, and academic ineligibility, the Falcons nonetheless put a wrestler on the mat in every weight class but one against visiting Lakewood. And, until midway through the meet, South Whidbey held the lead with a mixture of varsity and junior varsity wrestlers.Although the team eventually lost to the Cougars 28-48, several bright performances give the Falcons hope for their best post season in years.Brandon Hern grappled two winning matches to bookend the meet. Leading off the meet in a 171-pound match, Hern wore his opponent down in a three-round, 17-9 decision. Then, at the end of the meet, the sophomore wrestled an exhibition match, winning a second time, though exhausted.“He had two tough matches,” said Falcon coach Mike Crebbin.Teague Moffett scored the only Falcon pin of the night, making short work of his opponent in the 119-pound match. But Sean Noste had to go the distance in his 130 pound match to nip his opponent in a low-scoring, 6-3 win.If any Falcon wrestler deserves a “nail biter” award from Thursday’s meet, it is Chris Ford. At no time during his 152 pound match did Ford pull ahead by more than two points. With less than 30 seconds remaining in the match, Ford brought the home wrestling crowd to its feet when he pulled a reversal on his Cougar opponent to go ahead by a slim 9-8 margin. He then hunkered down and held out to the final buzzer.Coach Crebbin said he was pleased with most of the matches Thursday night. But it was not just his winners who caught his attention. Chris Long’s close 4-5 loss was an indicator of how far some of the team’s first-year wrestlers have come. “He wrestled an awesome match,” Crebbin said.Particularly inspirational was Ryan Rovang’s 112-pound match, in which Rovang — who still has a broken finger in a cast — took on a 1999 state qualifier. Rovang succumbed to a pin in the first round, but his coach said he was impressed with the courage shown by the young grappler.As much as anything, Crebbin said he felt fortunate to have enough wrestlers to make up for those who had to sit out Thursday.“If this would’ve happened to us last year or the year before, we would’ve had to cancel the meet,” he said.The Falcons wrestle today at the Shoreline tournament, then Thursday at home against Granite Falls.”