GARNETT — The Mustangs continued their strong start to the wrestling season on Saturday by picking up a pair of runner-up finishers in the Anderson County Invitational.
“We got started pretty slowly,” Iola coach Jason Bates said. “The experienced ones came back and fought hard though and it was good to get the younger guys some experience wrestling varsity.”
Iola senior Colton Toney rolled through the 285-pound bracket with three-straight pins, before falling in the championship match to undefeated Jake Hastings of Santa Fe Trail.
“Colton had to wrestle hard,” Bates said. “He wrestled very aggressively and it paid off for him.”
In the 220-pound weight class, Iola senior Seth Sanford went 4-1 in the round-robin tournament to earn second. His only loss was to Santa Fe Trail’s Evan Dean.
Iola senior Tavon Blazek took third-place in the 182-pound bracket.
Miguel Epting was sixth in the 132-pound weight class and picked up a win over Erie’s Corey Edwards.
Gary Lower, Trevor Stover and Allen Blackburn also represented Iola in the tournament.
“We are on track with where we were last year,” Bates said. “We have a lot of improvement still to get.”
The Mustangs will have their next opportunity to show that improvement on Thursday when they travel to Erie for dual meets with the Red Devils and Humboldt.
Toney, Sanford earn runner-up medals
