Multiple Iola wrestlers picked up the first of what they hope to be many more medals to come while competing in the KanOkla Girls Wrestling Tournament Friday.
Top-ranked wrestler Addie Wacker, 130 lbs., took first place while junior Zoie Hesse, 190 lbs., finished third after sustaining her first loss of the season.
Wacker clawed her way up the bracket with a win over Douglass’s Sabrina Babcock via 10-1 decision, then edged Erie’s Madison Cope 1-0 to put her in the title match. She defeated Wellington’s Maddie Fullerton by first-period pin to take the gold medal.
Hesse took third after opening with a first-period pin of Humboldt’s Savannah Koch, but fell to the two-time defending Class 4A state champion in Winfield’s Abby Brenn, 190 lbs., who went on to take the tournament title.
Hesse rebounded with a win via first-period pin of Independence’s Taylor Melugin, then defeated Douglass’s Layton Roberts for third place by first-period pin. Koch ended her day with a loss by second-period pin to Labette’s Zoey Davis.
In junior varsity action, freshman Bayleigh Scheibmeir, 135 lbs., took second after opening with a second-period pin of Indy’s Tierra Gray, but fell to eventual champion Trinity Shamblin of Elk Valley by first-period pin in the second round.
Scheibmeir rebounded with a third-period pin of Gracelyn Ewan of Girard, then ended the evening with a first period pin of Fredonia’s Laynee Roby.
Kaylee Burris, 115 lbs., went 0-2 with losses by first-period pin to Brinley Barnes of Coffeyville, then Madison Hathaway of Bartlesville.
Mustang wrestlers hit the mats
The Iola Mustangs brought home a few medals while competing in the KanOkla Wrestling Tournament in Caney Valley over the weekend.
Senior grappler Trapper Boren, 126 lbs., and junior heavyweight Ramon Ballin took fourth and fifth respectively while competing for the fourth time this season.
Boren opened the tournament with a 17-4 major decision loss to Pittsburg’s Jonah McDade, but rebounded with a third-period pin of Kenneth Romiti of Caney Valley.
Owen Coover of Erie did not last 1 minute with Boren in the consolation semifinals in a loss by pin. Boren ended the day with a loss to Girard’s Tyler McAtee by first-period pin for fourth place.
Ballin opened with a first-period pin of Coffeyville’s Paxton LeBaron, but fell to Boone White of Caney Valley to land in the consolation bracket. He rebounded with wins by first-period pins of Jayshon Wooden, Parsons, then Edward Metcalf, West Elk. In the consolation semifinals, Ballin fell to Bluestems Dylan Bailey by first period pin and took fifth following a forfeit of Wellington’s Goran Djurovic.
Junior Franklin Kerr, 190 lbs., opened with an 8-1 decision over Bryan Huie, Parsons, then fell to Pittsburg’s DeMarcus Partee by first period pin. He fell again to Girdard’s Owen Murphy, then Bartlesville’s Camden Dainty via first-period pins to take sixth place.
Other results: Junior Beau Erickson, 150 lbs., went 1 of 2 after opening with a loss by first-period pin to Isaiah Williams of Burden Central, then rebounded with win by second-period pin of Parsons’ Blane Beery before ending the day with a loss via second-period pin by Labette’s Logan Jenkins.
Sophomore Kevon Loving, 144 lbs., had a rough day with a pair of losses to Bluestem’s Axton Vice and Caney Valley’s Logan Grey.
