OSAWATOMIE — Multiple Iola Middle School medalists lifted the Mustangs to fifth place at Thursday’s Pioneer League Wrestling Championship.
Jyler Granere, an IMS 80-pounder, was the first to reach the medal podium after winning his first Pioneer League title by taking the third match of a best of three series with Kingsley Case of Prairie View Middle School. Granere took the first match with a third-period pin, then fell to Case in round two via first period pin. Granere won the winner-takes-all finale with a third-period pin.
Second place
Ruben Scroggins took second place in the 115-pound advanced division after winning 4 of 5 matches in a five-man round-robin. He opened with a 9-6 decision over Wellsville’s William Gunzel, then defeated Santa Fe Trail’s Zander French via second-period pin. After setting up a title match with a third-period pin of Prairie View’s Darion Kellerman, Scroggins fell in the finale via first-period pin to eventual champion Maverick Culbertson of Osawatomie.
At 134 pounds, Milo Franklin worked his way to the title match before falling via second-period pin to Brayden Browning of Oswatomie. Before his loss in the finale, Franklin picked up a pair of early victories via first period pins of Trew Hunt of Wellsville then Bo Hawkins of Santa Fe Trail.
Third place
Joshua Emeka took third in the 75-pound advanced division after opening a five-man round-robin with a 16-0 victory over teammate Dusty Findley, then fell in a 13-8 decision to Brady Stainbrook of Prairie View. He fell again in round three to eventual champion Carter Gunzel of Wellsville via second-period pin but rebounded to take third with a 9-0 major decision over Burlington’s Ethan Phillips.
Evan Boeken, IMS 127-pounder, took third in a five-man round robin after opening with a forfeit from Wellsville’s Mykel Love, then fell to tournament champion Carson Slayman of Osawatomie. He rebounded with a 7-5 decision over Holden Beckman of Prairie View, but a loss to Santa Fe Trail’s Ricky Lee via first-period pin to slot him in third place.
Kaiden Jones took third in the 155-pound advanced division after opening with a loss via first-period pin of eventual runner up Raiden Irving, then rebounded with a win over Zander Schideler of Prairie View before ending the night with a 18-9 major decision loss to eventual champion Nick Sinclair of Santa Fe Trail.
At heavyweight, Jaxson Bernstein took third when he opened the tournament with a loss to eventual champion Ryan Strother of Santa Fe Trail via first-period pin, then fell to runner-up R.J. Johnson of Osawatomie before ending the evening on a high note with a forfeit win over teammate Gabe Klubek. Klubek also forfeited his second round match after suffering an injury during a first-round loss via first-period pin to Johnson.
In beginner’s bracket action, 134-pounder Ron Ballard took first in a three-man round-robin after defeating teammate Matthew Holding via a 16-0 tech-fall before ending his evening early with a first-period pin of Burlington’s Dylan Hanson. Holding defeated Hanson for second with a first-period pin.
Other results: Caleb Jankovich-Sette took fourth place after opening with a first-period pin of Tanner Allen of Burlington, then fell to Prairie View’s Colton McCool in a 1-0 decision. He rebounded with a first-period pin of Wellsville’s Francisco Perez, before falling in the consolation finals to Donovan Trump of Santa Fe Trail via first-period pin.
Dusty Findley took fifth in the 75-pound weight class after falling to Emeka in a 16-0 tech-fall, then to Phillips of Burlington via first-period pin, then Stainbrook of Prairie View in a 20-3 tech-fall, then to Gunzel of Wellsville via a 18-4 major decision. Cieson Kidwell (85 Ibs.) fell to Sebastian Gruebler of Santa Fe Trail via first-period pin, then fell to Chase Sewell of Prairie View via a 18-3 technical fall.
Iola returns to the mat Wednesday, when they compete at the Independence Invitational. They will have less than 24 hours to rest before wrapping up the season at the Eureka Invitational.
