Iola Middle School hosted the Iola Wrestling Invitational on Tuesday. IMS took first place in the team competition. Humboldt Middle School finished seventh in the eight-team field. “The team has improved a lot since our first tournament a week ago,” said IMS head coach Jason Bates. “For many of them, this is their first year wrestling. Competition is so much different than practice. Our philosophy is that repeated actions are stored as habits. If the repeated actions are fundamentally sound, then what comes out in competition will be sound.” IMS’ Keegan Hill won in the 95-102 lb. weight class. Hill was undefeated on the night, all three wins came via pinfall in under two minutes. IMS’ Jase Herrmann and Brock Micheal came in first and second, respectively in the 112-114 lb. weight class. Herrmann was undefeated, including a round three win over Micheal, and won twice via pinfall, both in less than 30 seconds. Micheal’s only loss was to Herrmann. IMS’ Jayden Beene and Hayden Kelley won first and second, respectively in the 118-123 lb. weight class. Beene was undefeated and beat Kelley in the final round. Beene won two rounds via pinfall, both in less than a minute. Both of Kelley’s wins came via pinfall, neither match lasting longer than 1:30. IMS’ Noah Schowengerdt finished first in the 129-134 lb. weight class. Schowengerdt was undefeated and won three matches via pinfall and one via decision. None of Schowengerdt’s wins via pinfall lasted more than 45 seconds. The decision was a 14-4 majority decision in round four against Uniontown Middle School’s Kassen Woods. IMS’ Baron Folk took the top prize in the 134-141 lb. weight class. Folk was 3-0 in the bracket with two wins via pinfall and one via majority decision. IMS’ Jakolby Hill and Isaac Velazquez came in first and second, respectively in the 140-146 lb. weight class. The two squared off in round two in an epic 2:19 match that saw Hill come out the victor. Hill was undefeated. The loss was the only one for Velazquez. IMS’ Ean DeLaTorre was undefeated in the 145-154 lb. weight class and took first place in the bracket. DeLaTorre won all three via pinfall. IMS’ Franklin Kerr took third place in the weight class, Kerr was 1-2 in the event. IMS’ Kollyn Wilson and Nathan Womack came in fourth and fifth in the 137-143 lb. weight class. IMS’ Kale Pratt finished second in the 118-127 lb. weight class. Pratt was 2-1 in the event with a third-round loss to Uniontown Middle’s Trent Eck. IMS’ Austin Crooks came in third in the 110-114 lb. weight class. Crooks was 1-2 with a third-round win via pinfall. IMS’ Mason Lampe finished second in the 110-113 lb. weight class. Lampe was 2-1 in the event with two wins via pinfall, both in under two minutes. IMS’ Tripp Mathes finished third in the 107-110 lb. weight class. Mathes was 1-2 in the bracket, with his one win coming by pinfall in the second round.
Iola Middle School hosted the Iola Wrestling Invitational on Tuesday. IMS took first place in the team competition. Humboldt Middle School finished seventh in the eight-team field.
