WALHALLA β€” While the state wrestling playoffs got started earlier this week, the squad from Walhalla High School had a bye week after claiming the Skyline AA region championship.

After using the extra time to get healthy from a virus that has gone through the school, the second-seeded Razorbacks came out on the mat Saturday night and claimed a decisive 51-18 victory over region rival Palmetto in the second round of the playoffs.

The loss ends the season for the seventh-seeded Mustangs, who had claimed a victory over Emerald in the first round, while Walhalla will move onto the third round against Woodruff on Monday night.

Walhalla claimed victory in 10 of the 13 matches against Palmetto, showing no weak links up and down the roster, which is something Razors' head coach Rick Somerville said his team has strived for all season long.

"We've really been working on our team unity, and the seniors have kind of taken it on their shoulders," he said. "Right now it's win or go home, and we'll keep wrestling as long as they keep winning."

Andrew Rankin opened the evening with victory by pin only 24 seconds into his match at the 103 weight class, and coupled with a Palmetto forfeit, the Razors were ahead 12-0 only seconds into the match.

Palmetto's Marcus King earned a victory by pin of his own after the forfeit, but Walhalla then won four consecutive matches, with David McCoy, Chris Brown, Andrew Vaughn and Jarrad Holcombe all earning victories.

With Walhalla ahead 29-9, Andy Burrell and Joey Harper earned back to back victories for the Razors, pushing the lead to 39-9.

The high point of the evening came in the matches of Justin Nathan and Austin Hedden, who both came from behind in their matches to earn victories by pin at the 189 and 215 pound weight classes, respectively.

The pin for Hedden extended his school record of consecutive victories by pin to 34, and Nathan drew high praise from Somerville after he has been a part time contributor this season.

"We were real pleased with him because there is no quit in that kid," he said. "Whether he's winning or losing, he's giving it all he's got, and that's impressive."

With third seeded Woodruff coming to Walhalla on Monday, Somerville knows his team will need another stellar performance from the senior-laden Razors' team if it wants a shot at the state title next Saturday at Ridge View High School in Columbia.

"We have our work cut out for us," he said. "I just hope that we can wrestle as well on Monday night as we did tonight, because it'll take that against them."

The time of Monday's match has yet to be announced.

Walhalla 51, Palmetto 18

103 β€” Rankin (W) pinned Darnell, 0:24

112 β€” Lecroy (W) won by forfeit

119 β€” King (P) pinned Sanders, 2:55

125 β€” McCoy (W) pinned Halliday, 0:46

130 β€” Brown (W) tech. fall Ellison, 19-4

135 β€” Vaughn (W) minor dec. Frasier, 6-0

140 β€” Holcombe (W) minor dec. Davis, 8-1

145 β€” Cothran (P) minor dec. Reid, 5-2

152 β€” Burrell (W) pinned Phillips, 2:50

160 β€” Harper (W) major dec. Bumgarner, 11-3

171 β€” McConnell (P) minor dec. Lawrence, 8-2

189 β€” Nathan (W) pinned Callaham, 4:10

215 β€” Hedden (W) pinned Lambert, 2:49

Hwt. β€” Marler (P) pinned Smith, 3:03