ERIE Both the Iola and Humboldt wrestling teams traveled to Erie on Thursday for their first dual of the season, and both teams came away successful in their own way.
For the Cubs, they were overall winners of both of their duals, beating Iola 36-24 and Erie 42-30. Iola also lost to Erie 45-24.
The Mustangs won the majority of their matches in both duals but didnt have the numbers to fill out a full squad. Thus, both the Cubs and Red Devils were able to rack up more team points at the end of the day.
Versus the host Red Devils, the Cubs started off slowly, falling by pin in their first match with 126-pound grappler Colton Johnson falling to Wyatt Ford, followed by 132-pound wrestler Clay Shannon losing by decision in his match versus Lane Pickett.
After that, things started to pick up, led by senior 138-pound wrestler Gunner Elder, who came out and pinned Eries Grant Taylor in the first 20 seconds of the match.
Cheyenne Harris kept the dominance going at the 162-pound level with a third-period pin of Katy Rounds.
Senior Reid Barnett came out and did Harris one better, pinning his opponent John Buttencourt in the second period during the 160-pound match.
Senior 195-pound Dagen Goodner kept the pin party going, taking down Brayden Yarnell in the first period and senior 285-pounder David Watts closed things out with a first period pin of Derrick Wallace.
When the Mustangs took on Erie, they were winners of two of the three matches played despite the overall team loss.
Freshman TJ Taylor lost in a 2-0 decision to Drayton Kennedy for the Mustangs only loss of the dual but junior Casen Barker won, taking down Buttencourt by fall.
The Mustangs wrapped up their dual with Erie with a first period pin from phenomenal 285-pound sophomore Logan Brown versus Wallace.
When the Mustangs and the Cubs took to the mats, they were able to play four matches total and despite Humboldt winning the overall dual, it was Iola who took three of the four matches.
Humboldts lone win came with Barnett pinning Barker. Aside from that, it was all Iola.
145-pound freshman Trent Jones opened things with a win over Ethan Doepke and 170-pound senior Elijah Luedke earned a win over William Todd with a pin.
Lastly, Brown continued his dominance, pinning Watts in the second period after the Cub senior got a takedown in
