INDEPENDENCE — The Iola Middle wrestling team finished with eight Mustangs taking first place at the Independence Middle School Tournament on Tuesday afternoon.
Iola’s first place finishers included Ruger Boren, Noah Anderson, Keegan Hill, Brock Michael, Kevon Loving, Kaeden Vega and Ean DeLaTorre. Mustang Addilyn Wacker was the lone girl wrestler to compete at Indy and finished in first place in the girls 120-125 pound weight class.
“We had a lot of boys that battled through their matches to take first,” said Iola head coach Jason Bates. “We do a lot of ability bracketing, meaning a beginning wrestler wrestles in a bracket with beginning wrestlers. That also means experienced wrestlers wrestle experienced competition. This gives us the best matches which results in the best growth.”
Iola’s Boren came in first place in the boys 84-92 pound weight class with seven team points. Boren won by a fall over against Chanute’s Maddox Sayers before beating Cherryvale’s Lucas Ecret on a fall.
Mustang Braxtin Martin took third place with no team points in the boys 103-105 pound weight class. Martin lost on a fall to Cherryvale’s Zeke Stenbrook before losing to Chanute’s Kasen Audis on a fall.
Beau Erickson finished in third place with no team points in the boys 105-107 pound weight class. Erickson lost on a decision to Chanute’s Green Jakarre, 3-0, before losing on a decision to Caney Valley’s Hunter Smith, 7-3.
Iola’s James Hunt took second place with four team points in the boys 108-113 pound weight class. Hunt won on a fall over Coffeyville’s Keegan Nash before he lost by decision to Chanute’s Jorden Peterson, 6-0.
“Our main focus is to have fun and wrestle,” Bates said. “You have to love this sport to compete in it. If it was easy everyone would do it. It takes a strong, confident individual to walk out alone on a mat in front of a crowd and put everything on the line.”
Mustang Evan LaCrone took third place with no team points in the boys 111-113 pound weight class. LaCrone lost by a fall over to Independence’s Kaeson Lewis before he fell to Cherryvale’s Brogan Miller on a fall.
Anderson placed first with nine team points in the boys 113-116 pound weight class. The Mustang first won by a major decision to Coffeyville’s Kaiden Nash, 11-3, before toppling Nash again in a 10-0 major decision. Anderson then beat Parsons Dakota Woodke in an 8-6 major decision.
Iola’s Keegan Hill won first place with seven team points in the boys 116-119 pound weight class. Hill won on a fall over against Caney Valley’s Hunter Hilliard before taking down Parsons Woodke in an 8-6 decision.
Mustang Austin Crooks came in second place with four team points in the boys 116-123 pound weight class. Crooks lost in a 7-1 decision to Independence’s Taj Davis. He then took down Parsons Blane Beery on a fall.
Michael won first place with nine team points in the boys 118-124 pound weight class. Michael won on a fall over to Fredonia’s Monroe Dicks before beating Cherryvale’s Zaiden Rash on a fall.
Iola’s Jase Herrmann took third place with no team points in the boys 118-127 pound weight class. Herrmann slipped to Parsons Colten Carson on a fall over before losing to Coffeyville’s Angel Aragon in a 7-0 decision.
“The team wrestled well at Indy,” said Bates. “We have a lot of young wrestlers that feel safe moving certain ways. Sometimes that’s not the right way to move and we have to break those habits because they cost us points. Once we correct those small mistakes our team will be winning a lot more matches.’
