(Editor’s note: Complete results from Friday and Saturday’s action at the state wrestling tournaments will be in Monday’s Register.)
SALINA — Iola High’s wrestlers have some work to do if they want to advance much further in the Class 4A State Wrestling Championships.
All three Mustang grapplers fell in their opening match of Friday’s action, meaning a rigorous trip through the consolation bracket lies ahead.
Iola’s TJ Taylor, wrestling at 132 pounds, found himself matched up with Abilene’s Tucker Cell, who entered the day with a sterling 35-1 record.
Cell secured a third-period pin, sending Taylor to the consolation side.
Taylor, who almost didn’t compete at all in Salina after suffering an injury at last week’s regionals, was set to wrestle Brody Lindenman of Winfield later Friday.
A TOUGH second period did in Iola’s Trent Jones at 152 pounds.
Jones was leading Dayton Fraser of Eudora in the second period before Dayton was able to wriggle free for an escape, takedown and 3-point near fall. The six-point swing was all it took for Fraser’s 6-2 victory.
Jones was set to take on Taylen Pfizenmaier of Clay Center later Friday in consolation play.
WYATT Westervelt, wrestling in the 195-pound bracket, suffered a first-period pin against Ottawa’s Jared Ferguson.
Westervelt (22-12) was set to wrestle against Scott City’s Brady Welker in his consolation opener later Friday.
MEANWHILE, Humboldt also had three wrestlers in action at the Class 3-2-1A State Championships in Hays.
The Cubs’ Andrew Watts, wrestling at 285 pounds, secured the only opening-round victory of the trio.
Watts (26-4) pinned Garrison Greg of Marysville midway through the first period.
The victory set up a quarterfinal match against top-seeded Jacob Carver of Rossville.
