CLAYTON - Capitalizing on its experience in the lower weight classes, Clayton won five of the final six bouts en route to a come-from-behind, 39-29 dual wrestling victory over Smithfield-Selma Thursday night.

The Comets, in winning their sixth consecutive match to close out the regular season with a 17-11 mark, used a pair of forfeit victories as a springboard to the victory on Senior Night in front of a raucous turnout.

"It's all about match-ups," said Spartans coach Kristian Stewart, who saw his team fall to 3-4 in the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference with the loss. "We did well with our experienced wrestlers in the upper weights, then their experienced wrestlers took advantage of our less-experienced wrestlers in the lower weights, like I thought might happen."

The Comets, who completed the GNRC portion of their schedule with a 5-2 mark, won a drawing for the No. 2 GNRC seed in this week's N. C. High School Athletic Association 4-A dual playoffs, which began Tuesday night.

"To finish the season on a positive note is big for us," said Clayton assistant coach Scott Haedding.

Trailing 25-12 entering the 103-pound weight class, the Comets pulled within a point on the strength of consecutive forfeit wins by Jacob Leslie (103 pounds) and Luke Ludke (112).

Jordan Uhl then gave the Comets the lead for the first time and for keeps, outlasting Ever Reyes, 13-10 at 119 pounds, scoring a 3-point near-fall in the final minute. Uhl, who had surrendered consecutive locking hands penalty points prior to the near-fall, put the Comets up 27-25. Jarel Orr then followed with a first-period pin of Dennis Marrero at 125 pounds, upping the Comets' margin to 33-25.

Oscar Chariez gave the Spartans hope at spoiling the Comets' evening with a dominating, 16-8 triumph over Tyler Johnson at 130 pounds.

But in order to win the meet, SSS needed either a win by technical fall (15 points or better) for five team points, or a pin, forfeit, disqualification win or win by default for six team points.

A major victory would force a 33-33 tie, and would send the meet to the scorebooks to determine the overall victor.

They got none of the above - instead, Clayton's Anthony Venero clinched the meet with a first-period pin of Greg Rollins at 135 pounds.

The Spartans took advantage of their experience in the middle and upper weight classes to forge the 25-12 lead on pins by Henry Johnson (140 pounds) and Mike Adkins (285), a forfeit win by Kevin Rose (215) and wins by Collins Creech (8-7, 145) and Nick Tedder (11-3 at 171).