ERIE — Iola High’s wrestlers continued their sterling mark in dual competitions Thursday, winning two more to improve to 6-0 on the season. THE ACTION was fast and furious against Erie.
The Mustangs topped host Erie, 42-30, winning three of the five head-to-head matches, and winning all eight matches against Labette County in a 39-18 victory.
“Overall, everybody wrestled pretty well,” Mustang head coach Brad Carson said. “There are a couple of things we still need to work on, things we need to improve as we continue to go up against better competition.”
Iola first spotted Labette County an 18-0 lead — courtesy of three forfeits in lighter weights — before taking control.
It wasn’t always easy.
Cody Conner trailed the Grizzlies’ Jared Hawks, 6-2, 20 seconds into the third and final round of the 152-pound match before he earned two points for a takedown, then turned to his patented cradle maneuver to earn a quick pin.
“Cody did a good job, but he still tends to attack straight on,” Carson said. “If he attacked more at different angles, it makes it that much harder for his opponent to defend.”
Travis Rieske eked out a 6-5 win at 145 pounds against Labette County’s Mitch Kelly.
Rieske led, 6-2, before Kelly earned points for escapes late in the second round and early in the third. Another penalty point cut Rieske’s advantage to a single point, but he was able to ward off every challenge in the last few seconds to seal the win.
Michael Armstrong was taken to the distance in an 8-2 win over Alex Smith at 138 pounds, while Tavon Blazek fought hard to earn an 11-4 victory over the Grizzlies’ Alex Martin.
John Whitworth pinned Labette County’s Morton Woldum late in the first round of their match at 160 pounds. Andrew Garber repeated the feat at 182 pounds against Aaron McCoach in the second period. Bryce Misenhelter, at 195 pounds, pinned the Grizzlies’ Seth Bennett in the first minute of action.
Freshman Colton Toney also got a pin at 285 pounds, when he seized control early in the second period against Blade Smith.
Smith’s choice to start the second period at the bottom position was just the break Toney needed. He prevented Bennett from escaping, got him turned sideways, and was credited with a pin 47 seconds into the second period.
Armstrong pinned the Red Devils’ Dominick Pontious 80 seconds into the second period, Conner pinned Matt Brungardt with 28 seconds remaining in the first period, and Garber pinned Wyatt Taylor with 38 seconds left in the second.
Iola’s Seth Sanford dropped a hard-fought match against Erie’s Rowdy Lahey. The wrestlers went through the first round with no score before Lahey got a reversal early in the second. He never relented, eventually earning the pin against Sanford with 21 seconds left in the period.
Toney came up against a familiar face in his 285-pound match — former Mustang and two-time state qualifier Trey Colborn. Colborn pinned Toney 41 seconds into the match.
“We knew Trey was going to be aggressive and he was,” Carson said. “He wrestled like he had something to prove.
“We have a few things here and there we need to work on,” he continued. “But winning duals is always nice.”
The Mustangs have a busy week ahead.
Sanford, Toney and Raven Skillman will be in Altamont today for a junior varsity tournament at Labette County High School. The varsity wrestlers will be in Fort Scott Tuesday for a pair of duals, against Columbus and host Fort Scott.
Another tournament follows Jan. 25 in Eureka.
Mustang wrestlers sweep past Erie, Labette County
