EUREKA — Iola High’s Andrew Garber returned to the scene of one of the most pivotal scenes of his high school wrestling career Saturday.
It was almost exactly one year ago to the day that Garber decided to move up a weight class, to 195 pounds.
The move paid off spectacularly. Garber won last year’s tournament at 195 pounds, and went on to advance to the State Wrestling Tournament last February. This season, he wracked up a scintillating 20-1 record headed into the Eureka Invitiational this year.
Alas, Garber came up just shy of repeating as tournament champion.
He fell to Marion High wrestling standout Tyler Palic via a 16-11 decision in the championship round.
Garber (23-2) went 3-1 on the day to lead the Mustang contingent.
Others wrestling for Iola were junior Tavon Blazek, who took fifth at 182 pounds — Garber’s former weight class — by going 3-2 on the day. Blakek (18-4) pinned Hillsboro’s Franklin Jost at 1 minute, 27 seconds of the first round.
Three others, junior Colton Toney (285 pounds), freshman Devin Aiello (160 pounds) and Jackson Cone (138 pounds) went 0-2 on the day.
HUMBOLDT HAD several wrestlers compete in Eureka as well.
Dagen Goodner won his first match, pinning Iola’s Aiello in the first round at 160 pounds. He went 2-2 on the day.
Noah Johnson (195 pounds) and Brent Yost (132 pounds) both went 1-2 on the day, winning consolation matches in the process.
Tyler Garner (152 pounds), Jacob Marlow (170 pounds), Seth Hegwald (182 pounds) and Levi Habiger (285 pounds) all went 0-2 on the day.
Iola travels to Independence Thursday before heading to the Fredonia Invitiational Tournament next Saturday. Humboldt’s wrestlers also will be in Fredonia.
Full results follow.
Iola
Jackson Cone (182 pounds) — Bryce Shults (Marion) wins by fall over Cone, :33; Chase VanDegrift (West Elk) wins by fall over Cone, 1:41.
Devin Aiello (160 pounds) — Dagen Goodner (Humboldt) wins by fall over Aiello, 2:36; Colton Haney (Chase County).
Tavon Blazek (182 pounds) — Michael Delaney (Central Burden) wins by fall over Blaze, 4:56; Blazek wins by fall over Seth Hegwald (Humboldt), 2:33; Blazek wins by fall over Charlie Nordquist (Marion); Austin Powell, El Dorado, wins by fall over Blazek, 2:42; Blazek wins by fall over Franklin Jost (Hillsboro), 1:27.
Andrew Garber (195 pounds) — Garber wins by fall over Josh Snook (Central Burden), 1:25; Garber wins by pin over Horacio Martinez (Remington) 3:53; Garber wins by decision over Levi Mendoza (Hillsboro), 2-1; Tyler Palic (Marion) wins by decision over Garber, 16-11.
Colton Toney (285 pounds) — Hunter Post (Caney Valley) wins by decision over Toney, 2-1; Jarret McLinden (Marion) wins by fall over Toney, 2:54.
Humboldt
Brent Yost (132 pounds) — Jeyton Saunders (Remington) wins by fall over Yost, :59; Yost wins by fall over Jeffery Dennett (Central Burden) :41; Levi Sharp (Chase County) wins by fall over Yost, 2:05.
Tyler Garner (152 pounds) — Taegan Schoenfeld (St. Marys) wins by fall over Garner, 1:05; Jarret Brumback (Southeast-Cherokee) wins by decision over Garner, 14-13.
Dagen Goodner (160 pounds) — Goodner wins by fall over Devin Aiello (Iola), 2:36; Matt Brungardt (Erie) wins by fall over Goodner, 5:59; Goodner sins by fall over Wyatt Graber (Remington), 1:46; Richard Haggerman (Herington) wins by fall over Goodner, 1:42.
Jacob Marlow (170 pounds) — Jake Wessel (Chase County) wins by fall over Marlow, :28; Lane May (Remington) wins by fall over Marlow, 1:21.
Seth Hegwald (182 pounds) — Tyson Breshears (Burlington) wins by fall over Hegwald, :16; Tavon Blazek (Iola) wins by fall over Hegwald, 2:33.
Noah Johnson (195 pounds) — Britt Deml (Clearwater) wins by decision over Johnson (7-6); Johnson wins by fall over Spencer Dodson (El Dorado), :59; Horacio Martinez (Remington) wins by fall over Johnson, 2:45.
Levi Habiger (285 pounds) — Hunter Post (Caney Valley) wins by fall over Habiger, 1:42; Chris Reese (Fredonia) wins by fall over Habiger, :31.
