CHERRYVALE — Iola High’s wrestlers proved Thursday that quality can still trump quantity on the wrestling mat. AMONG IOLA’S highlights: THE MUSTANGS will return to practice Dec. 27, where conditioning will be stressed.
Despite not fielding a wrestler under 138 pounds — and having to field an occasional forfeit as a result — the Mustangs still were able to sweep past their three opponents in a series of dual competitions.
Iola trailed host Cherryvale 30-0 before its first match because of forfeits, but came back with a flourish.
Iola won all six contested matches against the host Chargers — all but one via pin — and picked up two forfeit wins of its own in the heaviest weight groups in a 46-30 win.
In their second dual against Erie, Iola trailed 18-0 at the outset, again because of forfeits, before coming back to win a 30-28 thriller.
Iola then rolled to a 36-12 win over Jayhawk-Linn, despite going only 1-1 in contested matches, a pin by Travis Rieske over the Jayhawks’ Brandon Lewis, and Seth Sanford’s loss to Kolton Carbon, also by pin.
The matches give Iola a lift headed into the Christmas break before action resumes Jan. 7 with a dual competition at Parsons.
“It’s always nice to get a sweep,” Iola head coach Brad Carson said. “The guys did a good job.”
— Travis Rieske, wrestling for the first time at 145 pounds after wrestling at 152 and 160 pounds earlier this season — went 3-0 on the evening. He pinned Cherryvale’s Chase Davidson in the second period, Erie’s JoJo Lopez midway through the first period and Lewis of Jayhawk-Linn late in the first period.
“Travis did a good job,” Carson said. “Hopefully, he’ll continue to get better now that he’s at the lighter weight. He just needs to do a better job on his feet, to create angles instead of reaching.”
— Conner won both of his matches at 152 pounds, getting early pins of Reid Hugo of Cherryvale and Matt Brungardt of Erie.
— Bryce Misenhelter made quick work of both of his opponents, pinning Christian Thornton of Cherryvale and Wyatt Taylor of Erie.
— Tavon Blazek won his only match of the night, pinning Cherryvale’s Derek Dupree.
— John Whitworth also won his only match of the night, 9-1, over Rico Cherico of Cherryvale.
“John had a pretty strong kid,” Carson said. “But John is so powerful and explosive, he can hit things hard and fast before the other guy has a chance to react. That’s what works in wrestling.”
— Andrew Garber went 1-1 on the night. He pinned Cherryvale’s Clay Holloway before losing, 12-2, to Rowdy Lahey of Erie.
The Lahey match still had a silver lining. Lahey twice had Garber within inches of a pin, before Garber managed to wiggle free. A pin would have netted Erie six points, instead of the four Lahey received, critical because Iola won by two, 30-28.
“Andrew had a tough night,” Carson said. “His steps are good — probably the best on our team — but the other kid was so strong, he was able to really control the match.”
Garber also tweaked his ankle early on, which may have limited his mobility, Carson said.
— Freshmen Seth Sanford (220 pounds) and Colton Toney (285 pounds) both went 0-1 on the day. Sanford lost to Carbon in the Jayhawk-Linn dual. Toney to Jordan Turner of Erie.
“Kids like to eat during the holidays, and I thought last year we came back from Christmas a little out of shape,” Carson said. “That’s not going to happen this year, because our schedule gets a lot tougher.”
Iola 46, Cherryvale 30
113 pounds — Gaertner (C) win by forfeit; 120 pounds — Jennings (C) win by forfeit; 126 pounds — Cook (C) win by forfeit; 132 pounds — Edens (C) win by forfeit; 145 pounds — Rieske (I) pinned Davidson (C), 2:21; 152 pounds — Conner (I) pinned Hugo (C), 1:06; 160 pounds — Whitworth (I) def. Cherico (C), 9-1; 182 pounds — Blazek (I) pinned Derek Dupree (C), 1:32; 182 pounds — Misenhelter (I) pinned Thornton (C), 1:02; 195 pounds — Garber (I) pinned Holloway (C), 3:43; 220 pounds — Sanford (I) win by forfeit; 285 pounds — Toney (I) win by forfeit.
Iola 30, Erie 28
120 pounds — Jared Hartzell (E) win by forfeit; 126 pounds — Cook (E) win by forfeit; 132 pounds — Pontious (E) win by forfeit; 145 pounds — Rieske (I) pinned Lopez (E), :53; 152 pounds — Conner (I) pinned Brungardt (E), 1:45; 160 pounds — Whitworth (I) win by forfeit; 182 pounds — Misenhelter (I) pinned Taylor (E), 1:22; 195 pounds — Lahey (E) def. Garber (I), 12-2; 220 pounds — Sanford (I) win by forfeit; 285 pounds — Turner (E) pinned Toney (I), :49.
Iola 36, Jayhawk-Linn 12
120 pounds — Compton (JL) win by forfeit; 145 pounds — Rieske (I) pinned Lewis (JL), 1:33; 152 pounds — Conner (I) win by forfeit; 160 pounds — Whitworth (I) win by forfeit; 182 pounds — Misenhelter (I) win by forfeit; 195 pounds — Garber (I) win by forfeit; 220 pounds — Carbon (E) pinned Sanford (I), 1:41; 285 pounds — Toney (I) win by forfeit.
Iola wrestlers sweep into holiday break
