EUREKA — The Eureka Invitational Tournament, featuring several of the state’s highest-ranked wrestlers, proved to be as tough as advertised Saturday.
Both Iola and Humboldt’s grapplers went up against loaded fields at all weight levels.
By the time the dust settled, Humboldt’s Taevyn Baylor was the only local wrestler to go through the day unbeaten.
Baylor pinned all four of her opponents to win the girls’ 155-pound weight class.
Also on the girls’ side, Iola’s Addilyn Wacker pinned both of her foes to make it to the championship round of the 130-pound class, where she was pinned in the third round by Jeann James of Newton, a Class 5A school.
Likewise, Humboldt’s Gabriella Vargas-Garcia went 2-2 at 235 pounds, finishing second in a round-robin 235-pound weight class.
THE STANDARD-bearers for Iola and Humboldt also came up against some tough competition.
Iola’s Zoie Hesse, wrestling in the girls’ 190-pound class, was pinned in the third round by Adalynn Hutto of Columbus. Hesse rebounded, defeating Layton Roberts of Douglass, the state’s third-ranked Class 321A wrestler, 7-4, on her way to a third-place medal.
Humboldt’s Cole Mathes, who had lost only once on the season, made it to the boys’ 190-pound semifinals, where he fell to Newton’s Cason Horton, 9-5. Mathes dropped two more matches in the consolation bracket to finish sixth.
OTHER wrestlers of note:
Iola freshman Kevon Loving and sophomore Kale Pratt both took sixth place in the boys’ 144- and 157-pound weight classes, respectively.
Humboldt’s Curt Shannon took fifth at 126 pounds on the boys side, while Brody Gunderman took sixth at 165 pounds.
For the Humboldt girls’ team, Jordan Hency took sixth at 115 pounds, Willow LaCrone was fifth at 155 pounds, as was Savannah Koch at 190 pounds.
Junior varsity wrestlers were in Eureka Friday for a spirited round of competition as well.
Iola’s Ramon Ballin took home first place in the boys 275-286-pound weight class. James Hunt (134-141), Beau Ericson (138-142), Noah Anderson (150-151) and Franklin Kerr (188-194) all took second in their groups. Tripp Mathes (137-149) and Rohan Springer (177-188) nabbed third-place finishes, and Berdjonley Seance (155-164) finished fourth.Emmitt Carson (137-149) and Grady Elder (150-154) both finished second in their weight classes for the Cubs
Among girl JV wrestlers, Iola’s Gabreall Briggs (129-137) finished fourth in her class, while Humboldt’s Jordan Hency (117-126) took first, Carlie Weilert (129-133) and LaCrone took third at 151-156.
