COFFEYVILLE — Iola High’s wrestlers are peaking with the Class 4A Regional Tournament less than a week away. ASIDE FROM a junior varsity tournament today in Burlington, Iola’s wrestlers now set their full focus on the Class 4A regionals starting Friday at Pittsburg.
The Mustangs traveled to Coffeyville Thursday to take on host Field Kindley and Independence High in a double-dual meet.
Although Iola officially lost both competitions — a byproduct of not entering any wrestlers lighter than 145 pounds — the Mustangs acquitted themselves on the mat.
Iola won three of its four matches against Independence, while going 3-2 in contested matches against the host Golden Tornado.
“I’m happy with how we wrestled tonight,” Iola coach Brad Carson said. “The kids had a lot of fight in them. Even the matches we lost, the kids didn’t give up with pins, and took the matches to the limit.”
Individually, Iola’s Cody Conner, a junior, won both of his 145-pound matches by pin. He pinned Independence’s Aaron Medlock in 35 seconds and Field Kindley’s Spencer Phillips in 46 seconds.
At 152 pounds, senior Zeph Larney picked up a second-round pin against Independence’s John Ferm. He dropped a 10-6 decision to Derek Frost of Field Kindley, one of the top-ranked wrestlers in the state at that level, Carson said.
Freshman Brice Aiello, who recently moved up from 152 to 160 pounds, took losses in both of his matches. He was pinned by Independence’s Logan Taylor in 35 seconds and to Field Kindley’s Trey Thompson midway through the third round.
Andrew Garber, freshman, earned a forfeit victory against Independence, which did not enter a wrestler at 170 pounds. He lost 13-2 to Field Kindley’s Cory Turner.
Bryce Misenhelter picked up victories in two separate weight classes. He defeated Noah Stroble of Independence by a technical fall score of 16-1 after two rounds. He then moved up to 195 pounds to face Field Kindley’s Grant Newton, and win with a pin 30 seconds into the third period.
Neither Field Kindley nor Independence entered 220-pound wrestlers, giving senior Stephen McDonald two forfeit wins and another week to rest his injured shoulder before regional action commences.
Meanwhile, Iola’s Trey Colborn picked up a forfeit win at 285 pounds over Independence and a first-round pin victory over Field Kindley’s’ Austin Ryder.
“We moved Bryce up a weight level in order to get him another match tonight,” Carson said. “When you go up a weight level, you might not be used to the strength of the other wrestler. Bryce did well.”
Likewise, Carson said Colborn timed his roll move perfectly in his win over Ryder.
The match was scoreless until Colborn got points for a takedown.
“Trey hit the roll at just the right time, and it effectively won the match for him,” Carson said.
Carson was effusive in his praise for Larney, who lost by only four points to Frost of Field Kindley, rather than by being pinned.
Aiello also acquitted himself on the mat against heavier wrestlers, Carson said. Aiello wrestled at 160 pounds, despite weighing in Thursday at 148 pounds.
Carson hopes to have McDonald back at full strength by then, as well as 195-pound senior Chase Roettgen, who was held out of competition Thursday because of a medical issue.
Mustangs pick up wins on mat
